Het wonderlijke leven van Willem Parel

Summary

Comedy around comedian Wim Sonneveld as Willem Parel who decides to strike out on his own.

Willem Parel, ‘grandson of an organ grinder and chairman of the Nederlands Parel Genootschap (NPG)’ (the Dutch Parel Association) was a popular radio character played by Sonneveld in the 1950s. In a film full of convoluted story lines and songs - i.e. the Poenlied, (the dosh song) - Sonneveld (as himself) decides to ditch Willem Parel. But Parel takes on a life of his own and goes on to cause a lot of trouble for his creator. The film, in which comedian Rijk de Gooyer made his debut, offers a nostalgic look at the 1950s when radio reigned and people would stay in to listen to their favourite shows.

Het wonderlijke leven van Willem Parel (The astonishing adventures of Willem Parel) is a typical example of a star vehicle film. In the early years of Dutch film, entertainers such as clown Johan Buziau and singer Louis Davids drew in the audiences. Over the last decades popular artists like André van Duin, Freek de Jonge, Paul de Leeuw and Theo Maasen have played lead roles in films, occasionally in the guise of a character they have created. Paul de Leeuw’s Bob en Annie de Rooy in Filmpje! spring to mind.