This is a true story based on historical events about Resistance against Nazis who violently invaded Holland, but some names of historic persons are changed . For example, Erik Lanshof is actually Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema .This film depicts World War II through the eyes of six Dutch students (Rutger Hauer , Jeroen Krabbe , Derek De Lint , among others) . It follows them through the beginning of the war, the Nazi occupation whose lives forever changed by the WWII invasion of Holland by the Nazis . It begins in Univerity Leiden ,the Netherlands , 1938 , with various young Dutch Students just before the outbreak of World War 2 and finishes with the liberation . As soon as the war starts, many students join the resistance . Later on , Erik Lanshof (Rutger Hauer) is assigned by an exiled Queen Wilhelmina (Andrea Domburg who used cotton paddings in her cheeks to better resemble Queen) and his helper colonel Rafelli (Edward Fox) to carry out a dangerous mission during Nazi downfall.This thrilling , cerebral WWII picture is plenty of suspense, emotion , action and is pretty entertaining . At the beginning there is an amusing introduction on students life in Leiden University and fraternity , in which we find the protagonists of this exciting story . The screenplay is full of plot twist and tension , the developing is kept everything moving fast and frantic to a climax guaranteed to make hearts pound. Based on actual events about Queen Wilhelmina and her real aide-de-camp, Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, the author of the book on which the film is screen-written ; even appearing in the opening scene, a genuine newsreel footage . Based on real happenings , though some names of historic persons are modified , one of the reasons for the change in names may be that, for clarity and simplicity, the number of characters from the original story were reduced, and as a consequence, some historic actions are ascribed to other people in the movie, so as to acknowledge this deviation from reality , some names may have been altered. It was shot entirely on real locations with the exception of the short sequence in the RAF bomber . Good acting by Rutger Hauer who made him an international star , he plays as a valiant official named Erik , though Director Paul Verhoeven originally wanted Derek De Lint to play Erik Lanshof, the title character . He had previously directed Rutger Hauer in the Dutch television series "Floris" (1969) and the film Turks fruits (1973) and did not think Hauer was right for the lead in this picture . He then decided to give Hauer a try and Hauer surprised Verhoeven by giving a very strong reading, with the result that Verhoeven cast him as Erik and De Lint as Alex . Rijk De Gooyer, who plays Gestapo collaborator Breitner, was part of the resistance in the Netherlands during World War II ; as a result, he harbored quite some anti-German sentiments towards his fellow actor Reinhard Kolldehoff, who plays Wehrmacht General Geisman . Carefully made and lavishly produced , as cost the equivalent of $2.5 million to produce, making it the most-expensive Dutch film made at the time. Nice special effects , as the explosions were provided not by technicians but by the Dutch Marines , as director Paul Verhoeven stated that the explosive charges were held in place with metal ; when one of the charges was set off, it blew the metal to bits , even one of the flying fragments nearly killed star Rutger Hauer . When the production ran out of budget, a British film company and a Dutch television company provided additional financial support, under the condition that the material was also adapted into a four part mini-series, which was retitled "For Queen and Fatherland¨.

This is one of those amazing war/adventure movies like The Great Escape, or Bridge on The River Kwai, or Stalag 17, that knocks your socks off.I have re-watched it several times over the years, and it never gets old.The action is good. The characters are interesting, and evolving through the film, and the production is very high quality.The characters speak Dutch, English, and German, giving the film a very authentic quality.Highly recommended!

I was told by a Dutch priest friend that his country's soldiers responded to the German invasion riding on bicycles. And they were confronted by Panzer divisions. Apart from the films about the Ten Boom family and their heroic exploits in saving Dutch Jews from the death camps (e.g. The Hiding Place), there are few cinematic efforts portraying Dutch resistance against the Nazis. Soldier of Orange was therefore an eye-opener. One would have thought that the Dutch, because of their proximity to Germany, with their cognate languages would have succumbed to Anschluss as did Austria. The stoic courage of Queen Wilhelmina in insisting on staying with her people even after it was clear that Dutch forces had collapsed in the face of the German Blitzkrieg was touching. Only reluctantly did she accept the advice of her ministers that she would be more effective as a symbol of resistance abroad persuaded her to accept the British offer to fly her out of her beloved country.And yet, despite the exciting episodes of Dutch resistance and espionage against the German occupiers, what proved more interesting to me was the depiction of student life at the universities. I was both fascinated and appalled at the extent and brutality of the hazing undergone by the lower classmen which included the character of Rutger Hauer. In my country, the Philippines, such hazing have led to several deaths and although condemned in general, they go on.

This is Paul Verhoeven's best Dutch film. Do not get me wrong I still like Turkish Delight, Katie Tippal, Spetters, and The Fourth Man. I like the music. This is truly an epic film. Rutger Hauer stars in this film and the other Dutch films directed by Paul Verhoeven he starred in are Turkish Delight, Katie Tippal, and Spetters. In Soldier of Orange first you see Rutger Hauer with a shaved head. Plus this movie is about of course soldiers. The first time I saw this movie I did not like it but then it grew on me. The first Dutch film by Paul Verhoeven I saw was Spetters. This movie is 10 times better than Spetters. Jerome Krabbe also stars in this film and the other Dutch films directed by Paul Verhoeven he starred in was Spetters and of course The 4th Man. The first time I saw Jerome Krabbe was in The Fugitive.