The acclaimed Dutch film Soldier of Orange (Soldaat van Oranje), hailed by many as the best war film ever made, is now available to stream on Amazon Prime. This gripping World War II drama, directed by legendary filmmaker Paul Verhoeven, has earned an impressive 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and continues to captivate audiences decades after its 1977 release. Based on the autobiographical book by Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, Soldier of Orange follows a group of university students whose lives are forever changed by the German occupation of the Netherlands.
The film offers a powerful, intimate portrayal of courage, betrayal, and sacrifice during one of the darkest times in history. Starring Rutger Hauer as Erik Lanshof and Jeroen Krabbé as his friend Guus LeJeune, the film’s richly detailed story unfolds against the backdrop of war-torn Leiden and London.
Its narrative captures everything from secret radio transmissions and daring escapes to intense interrogations and heart-wrenching personal losses.
At the time of its release, the film was the most expensive Dutch production ever made, with a budget of 5 million guilders (about £1.95 million). It quickly became the country’s most popular film of 1977, drawing over 1.5 million viewers.
The film was nominated for a Golden Globe as the Best Foreign Language Film in 1980 and won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Film in 1979.
It was also voted the second-best Dutch film of the 20th century at the Netherlands Film Festival in 1999, trailing only Verhoeven’s other classic, Turkish Delight.
It even inspired a spectacular stage musical, which debuted in 2010 at a specially converted hangar in the Netherlands and has since been performed internationally, including in London.
One viewer wrote in a review on IMDb: “I just watched Soldaat Van Oranje, and I’m absolutely fascinated. It’s a typical war flick in many senses, but it’s probably one of the best ever made, if not THE ONE. My heartfelt thanks and congratulations go to the entire crew who made this masterpiece.
“The acting, camera work, screenplay, all flawless. Especially Rutger Hauger shines starting with the first breath. Unless he actually experienced all this stuff and reincarnated afterwards to make this movie, his was the BEST ACTING I’VE EVER SEEN!!!
“The rest of the cast is also fabulous. I usually try to mention the slightest flaw in a movie when I write a comment on here, no matter how much I liked it. But this time, I won’t be able to, because this movie simply has no flaw at all. It’s perfect, marvellous, stunning, and any other adjective that addresses perfection!”
Someone else said it was “arguably” the “best war movie ever.” Another viewer who said it was a perfect 10/10 believes it is “simply the best Dutch movie ever made.”
A fan on Rotten Tomatoes added: “It is a masterpiece co-directed by the main character himself. It takes you through an era where without warning an entire country is occupied by night.”