A day at the beach

Regarded by many as the best film so far by Theo van Gogh. In Van Gogh’s Day, the daughter is handicapped and the couple’s encounters on the beach are absurd and colourful, despite the drizzle that permeates the film. In the Dutch version, the film takes advantage of the power of Heeresma’s language. The directing nicely matches the black vision of the writer and Van Gogh also proves to be an excellent director of actors.Theo van Gogh (1975, The Hague) studied law, was refused admission to the film academy, decided to take the self-taught approach and made his début in 1981 with Luger. Van Gogh is well-known in Dutch journalism; his controversial style and his marathon TV interviews have confirmed his reputation with friend and foe.In 1984 Theo van Gogh filmed Heere Heeresma’s novel A Day at the Beach. The writer had actually also sold the film rights years earlier. In 1970 the Dane Simon Hesera made the first Day, based on a screenplay by Roman Polanski. At firth Polanski was planning to direct the film himself, but in the end he gave the directing to his Danish friend. It was Paramount that lost the film shortly after its release and Simon Hesera has only recently rediscovered it. Theo van Gogh now at last gets the chance to see the film he has sought forso long. Hesera in turn only recently heard of the existence of the Dutch film and is coming to see it in Rotterdam.An alcoholic father takes his little daughter to a sad and lonely beach and loses himself in drink and selfish reflection. His despair and the loneliness of father and daughter gain light relief in encounters with the ice-cream seller, the staff of a beach bar and a third-rate poet. A cruel story, sharply defined by Polanski’s scenario. Note the cameo-role by Peter Sellers as gay boutique owner.