The Fourth Man (1983)

☆ ☆ ☆

The Fourth Man (1983) – P. Verhoeven

Paul Verhoeven is a provocateur who crosses the line in a way that deliberately reinforces stereotypes and controverts “politically correct” notions.  For example, his new film (Elle, 2016) is being called a “rape comedy” – but I don’t think I will have the stomach for it.  Basic Instinct and Starship Troopers are what they are.  So, it took me a while before I decided to watch this earlier film (in Dutch) but I took a chance because it was described as Hitchcockian (oh that much maligned adjective).  In essence, the film works as a character study of an alcoholic writer who has a rich fantasy life that intrudes on reality, such that we don’t know whether we are watching “true” events or some anxious fabrication until the fantasy or dream sequence passes.  So, when Gerard meets the young woman who has had three prior husbands die in an accident, we don’t know whether this paranoia about becoming her fourth victim is valid or not (particularly because he is bisexual and really more interested in her current beau than her).  In the end however, Gerard’s obsessions and visions, which have always had a religious flavour (cue symbolism, I guess), turn out to be more than what they seemed – but one can still doubt whether the interpretation is a creation of fiction.  Verhoeven wants to have it all ways and, guys, watch out for the scissors.