Hugo Claus rewrote and directed Friday as the cinematic version of his original 1969 play of the same name. Just as in the play, the story begins with the theme of incest, as the father Georges (Frank Aendenboom) returns from serving his jail sentence for that crime. Unlike the earlier play, however, the film does not emphasize that aspect of the story. When Georges gets home he finds out that his wife Jeanne (Kitty Courbois) has had an illegitimate child by a younger man, Erik (Herbert Flack), and now both of them must somehow try to return to a normal life, given their only too obvious lapses in moral judgment. As the husband and wife try hard to accommodate each other's failings and start to get to know each other again, Erik comes back into the picture. Now the three of them must resolve the deep-seated conflicts that brought them to this emotionally-wrought juncture of love and betrayal.
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Cast
47 people
Frank Aendenboom
Georges
Also in
Russian Dolls: Sex Trade
Crimi Clowns
Herbert Flack
Erik
Known for
Flodder
Daens
Hugo Claus
Also in
Permeke
Ricardo Aronovich
J.E. Lauwers
Hilde Van Mieghem
Christiane
Known for
Tabula Rasa
Spider in the Web
Jan van Raemdonck
Kitty Courbois
Jeanne
Known for
Flesh + Blood
Spetters
Gerrit Visscher
Ann Petersen
Moeder van Erik
Also in
Thuis
Samson & Gert
Karin Jacobs
Solange
Also in
Plop In The Clouds
Nonkel Jef
Mimi Kok
Weduwe van Charles
Also in
The Factory
Q&Q
Hugo Claus Director · Ricardo Aronovich Cinematographer Gerda Diddens Editor
First release December 11, 1980 · Produced in Netherlands, Belgium · Production Kunst en Kino, Concept-Cinecentrum Hilversum
Production
Elan Film N.V.
Production
Kunst en Kino
Production
Concept-Cinecentrum Hilversum
Production
Netherlands · Belgium
Produced in
Languages
Original language
Dutch
Spoken on screen
Dutch
Release dates
Belgium · December 11, 1980
Gent
No release date listed for United States.
Germany
February 1, 1981 · Berlin International Film Festival
Netherlands
March 7, 1981 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.