The Black Meteor
De Zwarte Meteoor | |
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Directed by | Guido Pieters |
Written by | Tom Egbers (novel), Kees van Beijnum (screenplay) |
Produced by | Matthijs van Heijningen |
Cinematography | Wouter Suijderhout |
Edited by | Tatjana Schops |
Distributed by | RCV |
Release date |
|
Running time | 107 minutes |
Country | Netherlands |
Languages | Dutch English Afrikaans |
Budget | €2 million |
The Black Meteor is a 2000 Dutch film directed by Guido Pieters. The film is based on the novel by Tom Egbers, a Dutch sports journalist, which was adapted for the screen by Kees van Beijnum. The novel fictionalizes the story of Steve Mokone, the first black player to play in a professional European league.
Plot
[edit]The movie is set in the 1950s, when soccer club SC Heracles from Almelo, in the rural east of the Netherlands, acquires an African player. Steve Mokone makes Heracles a successful team, while changing every aspect of life in the small city. Mokone builds a unique friendship with the 15-year-old Felix, but then leaves town as quickly as he came.
Reception
[edit]Scott Foundas, writing for Variety, was not overly positive, criticizing its "holier-than-thou coming of age/race relations" quality.[1]
Cast
[edit]- Jet Novuka - Steve Mokone
- Erik van der Horst - Felix Verbeek
- Gijs Scholten van Aschat - Schouten, Heracles chairman
- Peter Tuinman - Felix's father
- Lieneke le Roux - Felix's mother
- Thekla Reuten - Vera
- Roef Ragas - Jaap Stegehuis
- Caro Lenssen - Mies
- Angelique de Bruijne - neighbor
- Aus Greidanus - Heracles coach
- Wouter van Oord - Tim
- Guus de Wit - Jan
- Benten Wijnen - Jan (as Benten Bastiaan Wijnen)
- Jop Kappelhoff - Koen
- Frederik Brom - Rooie Gaait (as Freek Brom)