Stars: Albert Mol, Piet Roemer, Andre Van Der Heuvel, Jules Hamel

Director: Paul Verhoeven

Summary: Set in the Red Light district of Amsterdam during the 1960's, this is the story of two prostitutes and the men that visited them... Dutch dialogue with subtitles.

Dutch auteur Paul Verhoeven first major feature, BUSINESS IS BUSINESS, is a casual look into the lurid lives of two Amsterdam prostitutes, Greta and Nell. Greta is the proverbial hooker with a heart of gold, and Nell is her buxom partner, and together the two turn tricks and perform kinky stunts for the kooks who have enough money. However, the two are tiring of their lives, and a chance to begin anew presents itself when Nell finally takes Greta's advice to leave her abusive husband. Soon, both Greta and Nell are dating men who provide a respite from the chaos of their profession. Based on the writings of Albert Mol, Verhoeven's film certainly has no shortage of sex, but its bawdy humor and unexpected warmth are what sets it apart from the director's 1990s output.

WIN DVDs by rating this DVD

Average User Rating:

WIN DVDS by being amongst the first to review this DVD. Reviewing DVDs earns you bonus entries and lets you WIN DVDs!Please login before reviewing this DVD. If you're a new user, register for free and enter to WIN FREE DVDs!

A bawdy, though sympathetic look at the lives of two Amsterdam prostitutes, 1971's Business is Businesswas the film debut of Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, who would later graduate to the Hollywood mainstream with films like Total Recalland Basic Instinct.

Starring Ronnie Biermann as Greet, a worldly wise prostitute who, in between gratifying the often bizarre needs and fantasies of her bourgeois clients, is decently protective of her neighbour and friend in the trade, the busty, younger Nell of whose relationship with an abusive leech (Bernard Droog) she disapproves. Finally, she decides they must both break out of their decreasingly fulfilling lives and seek out matrimonial stability.

An amiable if slightly aimless movie, based on the writings of Albert Moll, Business is Businessprobably seemed like an authentic depiction of the Amsterdam demi-monde in its day. Today, its kinky peccadilloes look rather quaint in comparison with, say, Nick Broomfield's Fetishes. The breezily kitsch soundtrack is redolent of a more innocent age overall. However, both Biermann and Sylvia De Leur forcefully resist any of the dollybird clichés of the era in their strong characters.--David Stubbs

On the DVD:Business is Businesson disc can be viewed with or without English subtitles. Extras are disappointing with only a Verhoeven, Biermann and De Leur filmography and film notes from David Parkinson, along with a few World cinema trailers and the film's original trailer. The image resolution is average for a 1971 film and the Dolby digital soundtrack enhances the grunts and groans.--Nikki Disney

Aspect Ratio:	1.55 Wide Screen
Main Language:	Dutch
Region:	Region 0
Special Features:	Star And Director Filmographies, Scene Selection, David Parkinson Film Notes, Original Theatrical Trailer, World Cinema Trailer Reel
Subtitles:	English
Year:	1971
Release Date:	May 27, 2002
Runtime:	89 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	T V D 3355
Keywords:	Special, Way, Any, Subtitled, Comedy, Business, General, Diary, Wide, Screen, Dutch, What, Hooker, See, I, Drama, Wat, Ik, Zien
Genre:	Drama