{{About||the upcoming film|Nightwatching (upcoming film)}} {{Short description|2007 film by Peter Greenaway}} {{Infobox film | name = Nightwatching | image = Nightwatching_theatrical_poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical poster | director = Peter Greenaway | producer = Kees Kasander | writer = Peter Greenaway | narrator = | starring = Martin Freeman<br />Emily Holmes<br />Michael Teigen<br />Christopher Britton<br /> Eva Birthistle<br />Jodhi May | music = Włodek Pawlik | cinematography = Reinier van Brummelen | editing = Karen Porter | distributor = BAC Films (France)<br>Axiom Films (United Kingdom)<br>ContentFilm International (Overseas) | released = {{Film date|2007|9|6}} (Venice Film Festival) | runtime = 134 minutes | country = Canada<br />France<br />Germany<br />Poland<br />Netherlands<br />United Kingdom | language = English | budget = | gross = }} '''''Nightwatching''''' is a 2007 film about the artist Rembrandt and the creation of his 1642 painting ''The Night Watch''. The film is directed by Peter Greenaway and stars Martin Freeman as Rembrandt, with Eva Birthistle as his wife Saskia van Uylenburg, Jodhi May as his lover Geertje Dircx, and Emily Holmes as his other lover Hendrickje Stoffels. Reinier van Brummelen is the director of photography. James Willcock, known for his esoteric sets, is the art director.
The film is described by co-producer Jean Labadie as "a return to the Greenaway of ''The Draughtsman's Contract''."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2006/film/news/bac-takes-nightwatch-1117938266/|title=Bac takes 'Nightwatch'|first=Alison|last=James|date=February 15, 2006}}</ref> It features Greenaway's trademark neoclassical compositions and graphic sexuality. The music is by Włodek Pawlik. The film premiered in competition, at the Venice Film Festival.
''Nightwatching'' is the first feature in Greenaway's film series "Dutch Masters", and was followed by ''Goltzius and the Pelican Company''.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Morgan | first = Nesta | author-link = | title = ''Nightwatching'' | journal = Film&festivals | volume = 2 | issue = 2 |page=5 | publisher = Wallflower Press, Film Culture Ltd. | location = United Kingdom | date = | url = | format = | issn = 1755-5485 }}</ref>
An associated work by the same director is the documentary film ''Rembrandt's J'Accuse'' (2008), in which Greenaway addresses 34 "mysteries" associated with the painting, illustrated by scenes from the drama.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Man Who Watched the Watchers (Published 2009) | website=The New York Times | date=20 October 2009 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/movies/21rembrandt.html }}</ref>
== Plot == [[File:La ronda de noche, por Rembrandt van Rijn.jpg|thumb|''The Night Watch'' by Rembrandt, the subject of the film]] The film is centred on the creation of ''The Night Watch'', Rembrandt's most famous work, depicting civilian militiamen who wanted to be celebrated in a group portrait. The film posits a conspiracy to murder within the musketeer regiment of Frans Banninck Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch, and suggests that Rembrandt may have immortalized a conspiracy theory using subtle allegory in his group portrait of the regiment, subverting what was to have been a highly prestigious commission for both painter and subject.
The film also depicts Rembrandt's personal life, and suggests he suffered serious consequences in later life as a result of the accusation contained in his most famous painting.
==Cast== * Martin Freeman as Rembrandt * Eva Birthistle as Saskia van Uylenburg * Jodhi May as Geertje Dircx * Emily Holmes as Hendrickje Stoffels * Toby Jones as Gerard Dou * Michael Teigen as Carel Fabritius * Agata Buzek as Titia Uylenburgh * Natalie Press as Marieke * Fiona O'Shaughnessy as Marita * Adrian Lukis as Frans Banninck Cocq * Michael Culkin as Herman Wormskerck * Christopher Britton as Rombout Kemp * Reimer van Beek as Titus (newborn) * Maciej Zakościelny as Egremont
==Release and reception== The film was released in seven countries between January and August 2008, and grossed {{usd|698,544}}, of which {{usd|480,704}} was earned in France.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0446750/|title=Nightwatching|website=Box Office Mojo}}</ref>
It was well-received as a return to form for the director by critics, who singled out the film's look and Freeman's performance for praise.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/movies/nightwatching|title=Nightwatching|first=Trevor|last=Johnston}}</ref> {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|74||19}} In ''The Times'', Kevin Maher hailed it as a "muscular return to form" for the director, praising its rich visual texture and engaging plot, and Freeman in the central role as a "revelation".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/nightwatching-qqr08b3mg7f|title=Nightwatching|first=Kevin|last=Maher|date=March 27, 2010|website=www.thetimes.com}}</ref> TotalFilm's Kate Stables similarly praised Greenaway's "exhilarating and exquisite use of colour and light," and found Freeman "riveting".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/nightwatching-review/|title=Nightwatching review|author1=Kate Stables|date=March 16, 2010|website=GamesRadar+}}</ref> ''The Guardian''{{'}}s Peter Bradshaw complimented the "fiercely intelligent performances" of Freeman and Birthistle. <ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/mar/25/nightwatching-film-review Nightwatching]</ref> In ''Empire'', Adam Smith welcomed the "ravishing" visuals and Freeman's "outstanding" work.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/nightwatching-review/|title=Nightwatching|date=February 24, 2010|website=Empire}}</ref> For ''Little White Lies'', Matt Bocheski characterised it as a noble exploration of Rembrandt's inner life, but lamented what he saw as its "stupefying dullness".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nightwatching/reviews|title=Nightwatching | Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}}</ref> ''Variety''{{'s}} Jay Weissberg praised the acting, use of colour and production design, despite finding it unfocused.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2007/film/reviews/nightwatching-1200555461/|title=Nightwatching|first=Jay|last=Weissberg|date=October 10, 2007}}</ref> In the ''Toronto Star'' Peter Howell characterised Greenaway as "[m]ore art director than film director", who "refuses to stitch together anything resembling a coherent storyline" but conceded that the film's visuals were "above reproach".<ref>https://archive.today/20250729105716/https://www.thestar.com/news/nightwatching-maddening-art-mystery/article_e81c7652-1499-5523-b38f-30f7f15b933a.html#selection-4861.201-4861.236</ref>
== References == <references/>
==External links== * {{IMDb title|0446750}} * [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/nightwatching-am16869 ''Nightwatching'' at AllMovie] * {{TCMDb title|643743}} * {{IMDb title|1303889|Rembrandt's J'Accuse...!}}
{{Peter Greenaway|state=expanded}} {{Rembrandt}}
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Category:2007 films Category:Films directed by Peter Greenaway Category:Films about Rembrandt Category:Films set in the 1640s Category:Films set in Amsterdam Category:Films set in the Dutch Golden Age Category:2007 English-language films Category:2007 British films Category:English-language Dutch films Category:Benelux Film Distributors films