Dutch Judge Rules for Rutger Hauer in Heineken Film Case

AMSTERDAM – A Dutch court Friday ruled that the true-life drama The Heineken Kidnapping starring Rutger Hauer can be released as planned in the Netherlands next week, despite complaints from a local crime boss that the film would be "bad for his image."

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Willem Holleeder, one of the men convicted of kidnapping beer executive Freddy Heineken in 1983, had filed an injunction to block the film’s release. Holleeder felt director Maarten Treurniet misrepresented his part in the abduction. 

Heineken and his chauffer Ab Doderer were kidnapped at gunpoint in Amsterdam and held hostage for three weeks. The kidnappers released them after receiving a ransom equivalent to tens of millions of dollars. But Dutch police carried out a nation-wide man-hunt and captured all of the kidnappers.

Treurniet uses real names in his feature, except for Holleeder, whose character is based on two of the criminals involved.

Two of the other surviving kidnappers had also filed complaints with the film’s producers, IDTV Film, claiming that had been misrepresented. So far, however, they have not taken legal action.

Holleeder’s lawyer said Friday he would wait for the court to give its justification for its ruling, expected next week, before deciding if he would appeal.

The Heineken Kidnapping will have its U.S. premiere at the American Film Market next month, where Bavaria Film International is handling world sales. There has already been interest in a U.S. remake of the tale. Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries has sold the rights to his bestselling non-fiction book on the kidnapping, written with one of the kidnappers, to Crazy Heart producers Informant Media.