De duivel

Summary

Count Henri de Vere, a sympathetic, but frivolous young man, has squandered what he inherited from his parents, mainly in the gambling-house owned by his friend Verburg, a shady character. Constance, also addicted to gambling, feels sympathy for Henri and tries to prevent him from throwing his money away, but she is warned by Verburg that her interference could lead to her being forbidden to enter the gambling-room.

One morning, when returning to Amsterdam, the automobile in which Henri and Verburg are riding breaks down near a country villa owned by Mr and Mrs van Marle. Back at home, Verburg, who has seen and is enamoured of young Henriëtte van Marle, suggests that Henri and his friends should make a trip by motor-boat and have a picnic in the neighbourhood of the Van Marle estate. When Henri and Henriëtte meet, they are immediately attracted to each other, which angers Verburg. Shortly afterwards the young couple become man and wife.

Some years later, Henri is completely under the diabolical influence of the jealous Verburg, who is determined to ruin him. Henri has gambled away his wife's fortune. When she asks her father for financial aid, the old man has a heart attack and dies. Verburg advises Henri to leave Holland and start a new life somewhere else. But first Verburg introduces Henri to his business associate Lablache, who promises to help the young man to find work but, at Verburg's instigation, persuades him to spend his evenings in the gambling den and in the opium-kit of Li-Hung-See.

Constance, aware of Verburg's intrigues and in love with Henri, hurries to Amsterdam to fetch Henriëtte and brings her to the opium-kit. However, to spare the woman the sight of her husband's degradation, Constance enters the room alone and sees how Verburg is taunting Henri. Constance then shoots Verburg and commits suicide. Henri goes to Canada, leaving a letter for Henriëtte saying that he will see her again when once more he feels worthy of her. After some years, we see Henri with his wife now happily together in Canada, where Henri has become a farmer. Henriëtte, with her child in her arms, watches Henri on his reaping machine. A table-cloth is spread on the grass and, while the vesper-bells ring, Henri and Henriëtte fold their hands and thank God for the good things He has given them in their new life.

Information

original title
De duivel
alternative title
In duivelsklauwen
production year
1917
release date
04-01-1918
country
Netherlands
category
Fictional
original distributor
production company

Images

Technical notations

original length
1460
sound
Silent
colour
Black & White
format
35mm
acts
4

Resources

G. Donadson, Of Joy and Sorrow. A Filmography of Dutch Silent Fiction, Amsterdam (1997), pp. 163-167

De Kinematograaf 1918 nr. 299, p. 4056

De Filmwereld 1918, nr. 21, p. 6

De Bioscoop-Courant No. 16, 11 januari 1918, p. 43

De Bioscoop-Courant No. 39, 21 juni 1918, p. 7

De Film-Wereld No. 29, 1920, p. 11

more information

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