De Vliegende Hollander

Holland's film industry was not exactly booming in the 1950s: De Vliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman) was the country's first production in two years! Despite its title, the film is not based on the Wagner opera of the same name, but instead is the saga of Dutch aviation pioneer Anthony Fokker. The manufacturer's contribution to the German war effort is glossed over, while his other accomplishments are celebrated with abandon. The most striking aspect of the film is its ahead-of-its-time "electronic music" score by Henk Bandings. As Fokker, Ton Kuyl stands out in an otherwise undistinguished cast. - Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide