The Dress (1996 film)

{{Short description|1996 film by Alex van Warmerdam}} {{Expand Dutch|date=May 2009|topic=cult}} {{Infobox film | name = The Dress | image = The Dress Dutch Poster.png | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Alex van Warmerdam | producer = Marc van Warmerdam <br> Ton Schippers <br> Alex van Warmerdam | writer = Alex van Warmerdam | starring = {{Plainlist|  * Henri Garcin * Ariane Schluter * Alex van Warmerdam * Ricky Koole * Rijk de Gooyer * Elisabeth Hoijtink * Olga Zuiderhoek * Eric van der Donk }} | cinematography = Marc Felperlaan | editing = Rene Wiegmans | music = Alex van Warmerdam | studio = Graniet Film | distributor = Meteor Film Distribution | released = {{Film date|1996|3|21|df=y}} | runtime = 103 minutes | country = Netherlands | language = Dutch }} '''''The Dress''''' ({{langx|nl|'''De jurk'''}}) is a 1996 Dutch black comedy drama film written and directed by Alex van Warmerdam.

==Plot== {{more plot|date=September 2024}} ''The Dress'' is a tale filled with sex, violence, misery, comedy, and drama as it follows the life of a dress and parade of lives. Conceived under a cloud of frustration and despair by the dressmaker, the dress becomes a wheel of misfortune in an extraordinary sequence of events that envelopes the dress and those fatefully drawn into its universe. An aloof artist, a schoolgirl, an unfulfilled maid, a borderline train conductor and a broken business executive, all become involuntary players in a macabre game of tag. No one who comes in contact with the dress until it reaches its destination.

==Cast== *Henri Garcin as Van Tilt *Ingeborg Elzevier as Mrs. Van Tilt *Khaldoun Elmecky as Cremer *Margo Dames as Stewardess *Alex van Warmerdam as De Smet *Frans Vorstman as Loohman *Peter Blok as De Vos *Jacob Derwig as Koerier *Rudolf Lucieer as De Vet *Maike Meijer as Eva *Carol van Herwijnen as Shopassistent *Rijk de Gooyer as Martin *Elizabeth Hoytink as Stella *Jack Wouterse as Gardener *Ariane Schluter as Cleaning woman *Kees Hulst as Overbuurman *Ricky Koole as Chantalle

==Reception== ===Critical response=== On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 80% based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 6.90/10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dress|title=The Dress|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media|accessdate=30 June 2021}}</ref>

David Rooney of ''Variety'' magazine said that "Dutch director Alex van Warmerdam, spins an eventful narrative out of the story of an inanimate object in his third feature, ''The Dress''. Charting the effect the titular garment has on a string of men and women, the director does a mechanically impressive job of sustaining what feels like an exercise in narrative construction".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/the-dress-1200447413/|last=Rooney|first=David|title=The Dress|magazine=Variety|date=7 October 1996}}</ref>

==Accolades== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ {{sronly|Accolades received by ''The Flying Liftboy''}} |- ! scope="col" ! style="width:50px;" | Year ! scope="col" ! style="width:330px;" | Award ! scope="col" ! style="width:330px;" | Category ! scope="col" ! style="width:250px;" | Recipient(s) ! scope="col" ! style="width:50px;" | Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Ref heading}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="3" | 1996 ! scope="row" rowspan="3" | Netherlands Film Festival | Golden Calf for Best Feature Film | Marc van Warmerdam <br> Ton Schippers <br> Alex van Warmerdam | {{nom}} | rowspan="3" | <ref name="NFF">{{cite web|url=https://www.filmfestival.nl/film/de-jurk|title=De jurk|language=Dutch|work=Netherlands Film Festival|access-date=5 October 2025}}</ref> |- | Golden Calf for Best Actress | Ricky Koole | {{nom}} |- | Golden Calf for Best Director | Alex van Warmerdam | {{nom}} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb title|0116729}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dress (1996 film), The}} Category:1996 comedy films Category:Dutch comedy films Category:1996 Dutch-language films Category:Films directed by Alex van Warmerdam Category:Films with screenplays by Alex van Warmerdam Category:Films scored by Alex van Warmerdam Category:Meteor Film films Category:Fortissimo Films films