Antonia's Line

It’s not a Children’s movie but for Adults it’s a rollicking good adventure

Good movie for a cold night with someone special

This movie is about four generations of women in a Dutch farming village in the mid-twentieth century… but if that sounds boring, don’t go away yet. It sounded boring to me, too—multigeneration sagas are not my thing—but I watched it because a friend wanted me to, and I loved it. Isolated from the political and technological changes of the “outside world” to an almost unbelievable degree, the movie’s rural setting frees it to concentrate on the basics of humanity: birth, sex/love/marriage, and death. It has an emotional rightness and depth that I remember experiencing in only a few other films (the movie Beasts of the Southern Wild and the television series Call the Midwife are examples that come to mind).The movie is not anti-male—only one of the men in it is really nasty—but it certainly concentrates on women, chiefly Antonia and the three generations who follow her. They seem to see men as good companions and/or useful for making babies and running farm equipment, but not really essential. They certainly are strong enough to manage on their own, and with the help of one another. One gets an idea of the “line’s” personality right at the beginning, when Antonia returns to the village in her thirties, with pubescent daughter Danielle (but no husband) in tow, to see to her dying mother: said mother, very ancient and far gone in dementia, is too busy railing profanely against Antonia’s father, dead for 30 years, to be willing to pass on just yet.A few things seem a little improbable, including the village’s complete lack of technology (tractors and a rickety bus to “the city” appear, but no one is ever shown driving a car or making a telephone call, let alone encountering a computer) and, conversely, its forward-looking apparent acceptance of Danielle’s husbandless pregnancy and later lesbian relationship. It also leaves a lot of questions unanswered, such as why Danielle and later, her daughter are inexorably drawn back to the village after living in the city for a while. However, these flaws, if flaws they are, are minor. The acting is superb, as is the makeup, which has to age some of the actors by 40 or 50 years over the course of the movie. Some of the subtitles, a merely workmanlike feature in most foreign movies, are positively poetic, especially when translating the voice-over narration that provides the story transitions.After watching my friend’s DVD, I purchased for my own copy a version that had just been reissued in April 2016. The restoration in that version was excellent, with the color of the landscapes particularly vivid.

I really enjoyed this film. The story takes place just after WWII ends from a woman's viewpoint. This is a very unconventional movie and you’ll either be captivated or stop watching early. There is no subject matter in it that one hasn’t come across before – if not close to home, then in headlines. It shows meanness, hypocrisy, abuse of those who cannot defend themselves, yet on the other hand, death, kindness, love and acceptance with a straightforwardness that is lacking in our society too tied to superficial standards with its accompanying dripping in drama movies. There is no melodrama here, just dealing with events, good or bad, in a very small rural town where everyone knows its secrets yet say nothing. A self-sufficient Antonia is the strong matriarch adhering to her own values with no apologies and viewing life pragmatically — the actress is terrific portraying her. The acting was good all around and production of excellent quality. Many times foreign films lack viewing quality, but not this one. In addition, it satisfied me the wicked few got their comeuppance. I differ with one review as to their community 'accepting' her daughter Danielle as an unwed mother. This is really not the case until after blackmailing their local priest. His previous sermons of hell and damnation targeting them indirectly changes dramatically to “he that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her’ for silent acceptance. As to Danielle's gay relationship, we don’t really know if they do, but her family and friends without a doubt accept. It’s not for everyone, but do recommend if you are objective and want to see something different. I found myself watching it again admiring Antonia's honesty and compassion.

Good story and very well performed.

I purchased the Blu ray in 2018. The disc quality is fine as is the audio. You have to watch with the english subtitles. I first viewed this film on STARZ and again today, 9/30/20 on TCM (of all places). The movie is R rated mature audiences because there is nudity and some sexual (not pornographic) scenes. The first video was edited and I returned it. The next time I ordered this film it was released through Film Movement classics and the film was intact.I'm no film critic but I know what I like and this story that follows four generations of a Dutch woman in a small farming town really moved me. Following the end of WW II, Antonia returns to the town where she grew up. She returns, after being away 20 years, with her teen daughter to take over, from her dying mother, the farm she grew up on. Thus the story begins of four generations of Antonia's family and supporting characters. It sounds dry but Antonia narrates parts of the story so you're prepared for what's about to happen in the story. You hopefully have an open mind and if you do you'll enjoy the story.

A beautiful film which pulls at the heartstrings. I disagree with the one negative review in that the characters are not one dimensional at all. I would also suggest that the criticism of the acting skills of the cast has more to do with the reviewer's unfamiliarity with foreign films than the acting chops of the cast. The themes the film explores may have been a bit racy at the time of its release, but certainly not now 24 years later. Unless of course you're a dyed-in-the-wool far right conservative, in which case anything other than standard white-bread middle American mores offend you. (I plead guilty to the sin of stereotyping by employing the nomenclature of the "Missionary Police" -- referring to the position rather than the vocation -- when speaking about this segment of our society.) As far as plausibility is concerned I saw no reason to conclude that the storyline was not believable. I found the film to be a wonderful story celebrating life & love in all its forms. Still highly relevant and poignant 24 years later.

This is an exceptional film having a moral perspective with which i fully concur. And this is apart from the superb acting.

Excelente película. No puede faltar en la colección. El servicio de Amazon es de primera calidad. Todo en orden y a tiempo.

Très satisfait

Une film à voir et à re-voir ....

Everything about this movie is interesting, gripping and incredible.The plot is unique the storytelling is truly outstanding and the journeyinto Antonia's Line is a masterpeice.