Product Details

• Actors: Monique van de Ven, Rutger Hauer, Andrea Domburg, Hannah de Leeuwe, Jan Blaaser
• Directors: Paul Verhoeven
• Writers: Gerard Soeteman, Neel Doff
• Producers: Rob Houwer
• Format: Black & White, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Subtitles: English
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Connoisseur/Meridian
• VHS Release Date: May 3, 1993
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303593151
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #357,301 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Made in 1975 and directed by Paul Verhoeven, Katie Tippel ("Katie the Streetwalker") is a handsome period drama set in 19th-century Holland, based on a true story. The second eldest daughter in a poor, Friesland family who move to Amsterdam, Katie (Monique Van de Ven) must find whatever work is going to make ends meet. She has already learnt to have no faith in her weak father. Now, as she enters a succession of jobs in which she experiences both exploitation and sexual harassment, she learns that men want her for only one thing. Duly, at the behest of her own mother, she enters prostitution. However, when she becomes model to an artist she is finally able to escape the poverty trap and ascend the social ladder, particularly when banker Hugo (Rutger Hauer) takes her as his lover. All this is set against a backdrop of social foment as the workers' impatience at poor social conditions increases.

Although director Verhoeven, as well as Hauer and cinematographer Jan De Bont eventually became involved in mainstream American movies, Katie Tippel is very much of the European school of film-making, episodic and harsh in its depiction of everyday poverty. The dead puppy at the beginning definitely marks it as contrary to Hollywood's near-zero canine mortality rate. The sexual scenes are graphic to the point of gratuitousness but always grimly non-titillating. Budgetary limits cramp some of the mass street scenes, but generally the film is beautifully shot and ageless in feel. A far cry, certainly from Showgirls, for which Verhoeven was later responsible. --David Stubbs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the great films of the '70s, October 27, 2000

By 

TUCO H. "H. TUCO" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Girl Named Katie Tipple [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This isn't a 'B' movie! What are you nuts?! And it certainly isn't superficial social criticism! Leonard Maltin truly discredits himself by calling this amazing, ultra-realistic masterpiece superficial! But then, isn't this the same Maltin who gave Taxi Driver only two stars out of 5 in his video guide? Ignore him, he knows nothing.

Listen to me and I'll set you straight. Keetje Tipple is an extremely rare film that manages to capture reality as it is; it juggles a thousand elements to create a fully three dimensional, balanced, film world of utter realism that with all its naturalism and proper harshness, is nevertheless not cynical. Even Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" is less authentic and detailed and far less realistic than this amazing fact based, magnificently photographed (by Jan De Bont, director of Speed and Twister) Dutch film from director Paul Verhoeven. Verhoeven makes the mistake of having a sense of humor and a certain whimsical attitude that lends even greater realism to the film, but which superficial critics like Maltin take for 'superficiality' and 'not showing proper seriousness.' An awful two-dimensional cynical cartoon of a film like "Magnolia" that all the critics fawned over is a joke compared to Verhoeven's film.

If you've only seen Verhoeven's famous American films such as Basic Instinct, Total Recall, Robocop and Starship Troopers, you're in for a big surprise; the guy is truly an 'art' film director of the highest rank and he proves it here by drawing an astounding performance from Monique van de Ven, one of the best I've ever seen. Verhoeven's European films are much more sexually explicit than anything he made in the States. Verhoeven never shies away from showing violence, rape and full frontal nudity to drive his point home and Keetje Tipple is no exception. But if you think that he uses these elements exploitatively, you're wrong; they're just part of his attempt to shock people enough so that they realize they're not watching their typical Hollywood R-rated snoozer.

Overall, Keetje Tipple is one of the greatest films of the '70s, a highly underrated masterpiece, which I cannot recommend highly enough.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Katie rocks, October 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Katie Tippel (DVD)

The pragmatism present in Dutch art and culture is presented magnificently in this early film by the future director of Showgirls. (In fact, Showgirls makes a lot more sense once you've seen this film.) This is Pretty Woman done correctly--and twenty years earlier at that. Katie's final goal in her journey through prostitution is not a prince charming, but economic freedom, independence, social standing and a sense of self. Beautiful cinematography by Jan De Bont, future director of Speed and Twister. Based on a true story.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars KATIE THE STREETWALKER....., June 17, 2003

By 

Mark Norvell (HOUSTON) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Katie Tippel (DVD)

Based on the true story of a woman named Neel Doff, this film is somewhat of a departure from Verhoeven's other films in that it's a period piece but his style and master's touch remain. Monique Van Der Ven plays Katie, an impoverished waif whose indominatable will to survive is this film's backbone. Van Der Ven is remarkable. All wide eyed innocence yet streetwise when necessary. The poverty of 1800's Amsterdam is vividly captured as Katie's knockabout family struggle with hunger---prompting Mama to prostitute first one daughter (who goes from pig to alcoholic pig) then Katie. Katie learns fast what money can do and she leaves her foul family to be the mistress of a social climbing user (Rutger Hauer). But her fate changes again...and again. This is tamer than some of Verhoeven's work. There is a rough but quick rape scene that's handled well and not exploitive and some frank nudity but all in all Verhoeven concentrates on telling Katie's story rather than sex. The ending is rather ambiguous but leaves you satisfied that Katie has indeed finally overcome her overwhelming obstacles. Rich in detail and period flavor, this film is sumptuous to look at and the acting is sublime---esp. Van Der Ven as Katie. Some strong scenes may make some viewers squirm but, as with pre-Hollywood Verhoeven, he's honest as a filmmaker. The DVD from good old Anchor Bay is glorious.