Film on Friday #34 - Kidnapping Mr. Heineken

I love 'heist' movies and today's Film on Friday entry falls into that category, with a bit of a twist. Instead of robbery, its kidnapping. And as the title says - Kidnapping Mr. Heineken is indeed the taking of beer magnate Freddy Heineken. What made this a must watch for me is that it's true. All of it. In 1983, a group of friends trying to save their legitimate enterprises needed money desperately. And one of them has the idea to kidnap Freddy Heineken. They do - and  they collect what was the largest ransom ever at that time. But did it solve their problems?

Based on crime journalist Peter R. de Vries’s 1987 book, Kidnapping Mr. Heineken takes us from the idea, to the planning, to the execution and -  the aftermath.

"There are two ways a man can be rich in this world - he can have a lot of money or he can have a lot of friends - but he cannot have both."

These are the opening lines from Anothony Hopkins (Freddy Heineken). I love Hopkin's voice - it's so rich and sonorous, making you stop and listen with every nuance he injects into his lines. In this case it's quite prophetic. From a tight knit group in the beginning, the relationships and trust between the friends disintegrates. And Alfredson follows the dissolution with his camera.

I was fascinated with the story and ended up reading much more about it on the Internet. Truth is stranger than fiction. There's much more the story 'after' but Kidnapping Mr. Heineken does a good job of bringing this fascinating piece of crime history to the screen.

I thought the cast was good - Hopkins as always is a standout for me. His character does not act like a victim at all - there were shades of Hannibal in some of his innocent yet loaded comments. The rest of the cast was great but I did have trouble not seeing Ryan Kwanten as his True Blood character. The struggle between between brothers in law Cor (Sturgess) and Willem (Worthington) over direction and leadership was well played. Worthington also never disappoints me. The movie was actually shot in the Netherlands - the settings added much to the overall tone of the film.

Kidnapping Mr. Heineken stars Anthony Hopkins, Jim Sturgess, Sam Worthington, Ryan Kwanten, Mark Van Eewen, Thomas Cocquerel and Jemima West. Written by William Brookfield and directed by Daniel Alfredson. Interestingly, another film from the Netherlands was made in 2011 based on this same set of events. The Heineken Kidnapping.

Not a 'you must go see', but definitely entertaining. Sit down with a Heineken at home one night and enjoy. Rated R. Running time 95 minutes. In theaters and available on VOD March 6, 2015.

Pilgrim's Wilderness - Tom Kizzia

A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier

 

Truth is many times, much stranger than fiction. Very true in the case of Pilgrim's Wilderness by Tom Kizzia.

I've always thought that I was born too late - when I was younger, I often daydreamed of a cabin in the middle of the woods and self sufficiency. (Instead I got a job as a living history museum interpreter and played Little House in the Big Woods for many years.)

When Papa Pilgrim showed up in the remote town of McCarthy, Alaska with his wife and fifteen children in tow, the residents, although initially wary of newcomers, welcomed them to their community. Pilgrim seemed to want nothing more than to live in peace and practice his Christian values on his newly purchased plot of land within the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

Initially everyone enjoys the 'old-timey' nature of the family, their music and Christian values. But that original welcome soon starts to show cracks and eventually divides the town. Pilgrim decides to bulldoze a road through the park, the spark that ignites his 'war' with the National Park Service. The actions of the family don't always match the preaching done by Papa. Papa is a master manipulator, able to twist the scriptures to suit his purpose. And Papa? Well, he's twisted as well. The outward appearance of the family belies the terror he inflicts on his wife and children. (The children range from late twenties to a newborn.) Things escalate, not just with the NPS, but within the cabin housing the Pilgrims. The older children begin to question their lives, their faith and their Papa......

Kizzia is an Alaskan journalist and covered the story as it unfolded. In Pilgrim's Wilderness, he has expanded on those articles with interviews from townsfolk, detractors and supporters, with Pilgrim himself and later with some other family members. He investigates, digs further and uncovers and exposes the man who was born Robert Hale. Again, truth is stranger that fiction - some of it just had me shaking my head in disbelief.

Kizzia has a family cabin in McCarthy as well. His familiarity with the area and the issues truly enhanced his account. Although there are some disturbing (okay a lot disturbing) parts of the story, Kizzia handles it all in a fair and true manner, without delving into lurid or tabloid like descriptions.

I was riveted from first page - Kizzia opens the book with a gut wrenching, white knuckle prologue -to last, caught up in the story of the madness that was Papa Pilgrim and the fate of his family. (And after the last page was turned - I headed to the computer to follow up) Pilgrim's Wilderness also explores the politics of land use, from many points of view.

Pilgrim's Wilderness has been labeled true crime, not a genre I really like. However this book is an exception. Five stars for this reader. See for yourself - Read an excerpt of Pilgrim's Wilderness.