Dutch Feature j
Special to The Christian- Science Monitor
Amsterdam
The first Dutch feature film
in three years, "Sterren Stralen
Overal" ("Stars, Shine Every
where"), is the fifth picture
made in the Netherlands smce
1945. It deals with the problems
when an Amsterdam taxi driver
decides to emigrate with his wife
and children to Australia.
The technical and artistic staff
was wholly Dutch, indicating
progress in this direction since
prewar years. Some 30 pictures
were produced in Holland be
tween 1933 and 1940, when pro
ducers used directors and cam
eramen from outside the coun
try. Directors such as Max
Ophuls and Ludwig Berger lent
a little gloss to the rather falter
ing Dutch film industry. How
ever. most pictures were disap-
I pointing, both financially and
artistically.
Now the director of "Sterren
Stralen Overal," Gerard Rutten,
j who is known for his "Dead
Water," a first-prize winner at i
the 1934 Venetian Biennale, has -
the opinion that, despite earlier
failures, it is possible for a coun-
try like Holland, with a small
audience, to regain production
costs of $60,500 a picture. His
current film seems certain to re
gain such costs since, in its case,
a special law allows city au
thorities to lower the 33% per
cent entertainment tax by 15 per
cent and more.
