Adapted from a novel by Deborah Moggach, Tulip Fever, directed by Justin Chadwick, stars three Academy Award winners (Alicia Vikander, Judi Dench, and Christoph Waltz). Seemingly out of place among a cast of such prestige, the film also features The Hangover’s “Fat Jesus” funny man, Zach Galifianakis.
Set in Amsterdam in the 1630s when tulips, recently imported to The Netherlands from the Ottoman Empire, were worth a fortune due to their vibrant colors and popularity in paintings, Tulip Fever is a passionate tale of love and betrayal.
Ever since I traveled to Amsterdam in the spring of 2005, where I was fortunate enough to see the tulips in bloom at Keukenhof Gardens, the unpretentious flowers have been one of my favorite signs of spring. I was eager to see this film not only because of its impressive ensemble, but also because it offers historical insight into seventeenth century Dutch culture. (What can I say? I’m a dork who likes history, but sometimes I’m too lazy to read about it.)
Christoph Waltz stars as Cornelis Sandvoort, a wealthy, middle aged merchant who knows his beautiful, young wife Sophia, played by Alicia Vikrander, is more valuable than any riches he possesses. When Sandvoort, who yearns for a male heir, commissions portraits of himself and his bride, he has no way of knowing how his desire to be immortalized will wreak havoc with his marriage.
The artist, Jan Van Loos, goes well beyond capturing Sophia’s likeness on canvas; he steals her heart. Played by Dane DeHaan, Jan Van Loos, seemingly innocent with paintbrush in hand, seduces Sophia with his talent and his penetrating blue eyes. Even though her husband has given her a social standing that once seemed unattainable to her, Jan’s furtive glances stir something deep within Sophia’s soul.
As Sophia and Jan take their relationship well beyond the work he was hired to do, the Sandvoorts’ live-in servant Maria, played by Holliday Grainger, takes notice, making their deception even more dangerous. To further complicate Sophia’s infidelity, Maria’s life’s course takes a dramatic turn of events specifically because of Sophia’s choices. Is there any way for Sophia to make things right?
Judi Dench plays the abbess, the one who arranged Sophia’s marriage back when she was an orphan. While taking care of her young charges, Abbess is shrewd when it comes to negotiating the worth of tulip bulbs. The movie highlights how the simple flower became such a commodity during this time period, making me laugh because I can’t imagine anyone in this day and age valuing tulips with such passion. I can’t even think of anything in today’s age that compares with the net worth of tulip bulbs during that time period!
My husband Mike, who, by the way, has never bothered to commission a portrait of me, saw the film with me, and shared, “It almost felt like it was straight out of Shakespeare’s writing. Choices characters make have consequences, but as the viewer, you don’t know which choices will alter the paths of other characters.”
Mike continued, “I loved the movie, which held my interest the whole time. Usually there’s a clear choice when it comes to which characters you’re rooting for, but with Tulip Fever I felt conflicted, which, I suppose, is a good thing. It was so much better than I anticipated.”
I was enamored by the entire film, wondering what was to become of Sophia and Jan, what was to become of Sophia and Cornelis, and what was to become of Maria. Jan and Sophia’s relationship has a domino effect on the lives of everyone they know, regardless of their intentions. (Mental note, don’t cheat!)
The cast is pure perfection (even Zach Galifianakis’s character), the plot is unpredictable, and the ramifications aren’t necessarily what you might anticipate! As it offers historical glimpses, Tulip Fever’s storyline is masterfully unfolded, and viewers, I suspect, will feverishly evaluate the characters’ choices, wondering how they themselves would behave if ever caught up in the same situations. Is a moment of intense passion worth more than a lifetime of comfort? Only you can decide.
P.S. I’m so glad the Dutch collars from that time period are no longer in vogue!
Movie times: click here
Genre: Drama, Romance
Director: Justin Chadwick
Actors: Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan, Judi Dench, Christoph Waltz, Jack O’Connell, Matthew Morrison, Cara Delevingne, with Zach Galifianakis
Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Rating: Rated R for for sexual content and nudity
