#3 Movie Review “The Sinking of Van Der Wicjk”

It was early 2014, my friend showed me the movie. I knew that movie yet I didn’t really pay attention. Then we watched it, guess what?. We dropped our tear along the movie was displayed. Back several years, I had written the synopsis righrt?, scroll down my blog and check it out. I wrote “movie review: the sinking of van der wijck” yet it was not the review. LOL, haha. It was the synopsis. Well, here is the real riview based on my point of view as the viewer.

The sinking of van der wijck is the phenomenon novel was written by Buya Hamka. He was the legend of Islamic romance novel in Balai Pustaka Era. His master piece was not only this novel yet an enormous had been published in several languages. His style and satire was considerably unique and depicted Malay culture very well.

Well, let start with the first scene in the movie.

There is a woman speaks Buginese namely Mak Basse, nanny of Zainuddin. Zainuddin was the son of Daeng Habibah, it was not mentioned whether Daeng Habibah was the noble woman or not in the movie. Yet, the scene wanted to show us that Dg Habibah was. It proofed by Mak Basse as nanny. Formerly, Buginese who has nanny is one who has high level in society, the nanny called Atta’ or slave. Yet, zainuddin didn’t behave as is Mak Basse as his atta. Dg habibah was buginese and her husband was Padangnese. Mak Basse become nanny of Zainuddin since Dg Habibah passed away or maybe since Zainuddin was born. Dg Habibah prepared money for Zainuddin to continue his school in Islamic religion and Holland school.

            Considering zainuddin’s father from Padang, it makes little gap between two cultures. Whereas padang is matriliarkal and Bugis is Patriarkal. So Dg Habibah doesn’t have a lot of prosperity as the heir is for son. Then in padang it is matriarkal so Pendekar Sutan, zainuddin Father doesn’t have a lot of prosperity cause the heir is daughter. Yet, pendekar Sutan and Dg habibah had prepared all zainuddin need in order to continue his life. It is said that zainuddin spent his time not only in the city of Makassar but also in Bulukumba, one of regencies in South Sulawesi. In the first scene it was perfect cinematography. As stated in the novel, the sea was quite and windy. the figure of Mak Basse was chosen correctly by director and it was perfectly true that the Mak  Basse spoke Buginese without missing any dialect at all. Yet, herjunot Ali as Zainuddin not really as buginese dialect, he spoke little bit weird. Nevertheless, the dialect coach was doing well. It seems from Herjunot’s dialect in the sad scene “pergiko semua” to me it was weird but cracked the point that the viewer can feel his disappointment to Hayati. Ali really tried his best.

            Then zainuddin went to Padang, he arrived at the small village called batipuh. He said to mak basse that he wanted to see his father land. Thought, mak basse felt anxiety because this was the first time Zainuddin butta ujung pandang (ujung pandang land). She afraid of batipuh refusal if zainuddin arrived. Hence, although zainuddin father was pandekar sutan, moment was never the same as it was. Zainuddin arrived at Gadang House. The house of his family, first Mak unwelcome. Nevertheless, zainuddin gave her several guleden (nominal of rupiah that accepted at that era). Ninik seems not agreed with his mak attitude.

            The scene above showed us that, although you live in your own family house, it is permissible to pay several cents to that family. So, kind of commercialization in owr own family.

Tomorrow morning, zainuddin took walk with his ninik at the field. When they walked along the field, unexpectedly a dokar (traditional transportation to carry several persons that carried by horse) passed by zainuddin and his ninik. Zainuddin see the woman and a boy inside the dokar. The woman took a glance at zainuddin and their eyes meet each other for a while. Zainuddin asked his ninik. “who was that?” “it was hayati, the blossom flower of batipuh, she and her brother orphan. They studied in Padang panjang and sometimes come here”. Zainuddin said “she is beautiful’. Of course she is.

            In this scene it is clearly appeared that Zainuddin enjoy his seeing and hayati see zainuddin without any comment. It is slow motion scene in the film that the viewer can feel the situation that this is the first scene of Zainuddin and Hayati’s romance. I guess every viewer enjoy this scene very much.

            The next scene is in front of mosque. Zainuddin intention was to pursue Islamic science and general science. Then he get used to attend Islamic preaching and literature. It is in the night, light rain. Hayati and her friend were trapped by rain. Zainuddin has umbrella, he was standing in line with his fellow. He was hayati’s bare hand. He offered his umbrella to be borrowed by hayati. Hayati’s friend notice Zainuddin deed and inform to hayati, yet hayati stay cool. She avoid not to be so direct. Then small talked were happening among zainuddin, hayati, hayati’s friend, and penjula lapau. Hayati’s got the umbrella and got permit from zainuddin. Their eyes meet each other for the second time and guess what? it is the good scene of their meeting.

            The scene is the continuos scene of hayati’s and zainuddin romance. This scene end up with zainuddin lend to hayati his umbrella.

Early in the morning, Ahmad gave back zainuddin’s umbrella. Along with the letter, hayati expressed his thankful to zainuddin. Next day, zainuddin sent letter to hayati. They did correspondent several times till hayati and zainuddin agreed to continue to paint their future by tie knot. Zainuddin’s routine as student of scholar was good and it was getting least friendly because he half padang. Not full padang blood. His also away by his friend while they are playing football in field or break at lapau. Zainuddin keep correspond to hayati by letter through ahmad as a post boy. Thourgh those letters zainuddins expressed his disappointment, his anger, his sorrowness, and his hope to hayati. He thinks hayati is his helper and his friend so would hayati open her hand for him?. Which it means Zainuddin propose hayati through his letter. The next day hayati accepted it. Yet their meeting were seen by hayati’s ninik which is triggering ninik anger.      

In the scene as it stated in the novel. The gap between non padang and padang were clearly depicted. The viewer like me can feel what director need to be explained. Director was doing his job as expected by the reader of novel.

A day after hayati and zainuddin met. Hayati’s ninik called hayati and explained to hayati that zainuddin was inequek to hayati. Hayati was blossom of batipuh and symbol of family dignity. How could hayati become a wife a stranger come from far away? Hayati explained to her ninik her love to zainuddin was pure and not matrialistics. Her ninik insisted hayati and pushed hayati to reject zainuddin.

In this scene the director did as novel written. It showed us that padang culture really magnify padang blood. Especially it comes to marriage. Hayati was arranged to other padang who has decent life instead of zainuddin although zainuddin is the only heir in his family. Yet, the certainty of zainuddin’s life is unpredictable especially when it comes to job and financial.   

Days later, zainuddin seek by pareman kampong. Mak advised zainuddin to go away from batipuh and go to padang panjang to rumah datua. Zainuddin and hayati meet at lake and promise to meet each other on the next year. Zainuddin will fulfill his promise to marry hayati. They chated for long time and ahmad away form them several metres. Hayati left zainuddin and gave her jilbab’s to zainuddin as zainuddin’s gift.

This scene affirmed that hayati and zainuddin love was not something little. They promise to meet next year and marry.

One day, in Padang panjang there was a horse racing. Where people around the country come and enjoy the horse racing. Hayati sent letter to zainuddin that they will meet each other in horse racing. Then zainuddin prepared his new hair style helped by his cousin. Hayati traveled to padang panjang with her friend. she stayed at khadijah house. Her friend in sakola nagari. Hayati prepared for pacuan kuda and her friend hadija helped her to dress up like modern girl. Though, hayati felt uncomfortable yet hadija confirmed her that “we dress to be bauty and people enjoy our beauty”. Hayati dress up and showed up in the middle of hadija and hadija’s brother and guesses.

Hayati meet them in the living room. A man was captived by hayati’s beauty. He unexpectedly said “amboi, you are beutifull and hadija lied to me about you. You are beautiful than hadija’s description”. Hadija introduced her elder brother to Hayati. Then Hayati knew that he was Aziz that told by Hadija. They went together in the racing horse. Hayati met zainuddin in the racing horse. Yet, zainuddin felt disappointed with hayati appearance. He saw hayati dress was so open and you can see.

In this scene, the director was very good. As written in the novel that zainuddin felt disappointed with hayati’s apperarance. This scene also showed us to more pay attention on the relationship between hayati and zainuddin. Yet, on their relationship, Zainuddin felt compete with new comer, he is Aziz. Aziz approached hayati in a way that Zainuddin couldn’t do it. So, Zainuddin need to decide fast something that he need accomplish. A day later, Zainuddin sent a letter to Hayati’s ninik and hayati that he wanted to propose hayati as soon as possible. While on the other hand Aziz and his mom were discussing Aziz future wife to be. His mom interested in hayati and Aziz did. Aziz argued, he worried if hayati be her wife. Hayati wouldn’t be suit with his life style considering hayati was coming from countryside. Hadija confirmed that hayati is not rigid as Aziz’s thought. Everywoman could be affected by enviroment. It is very easy to change hayati’s life, by giving her jewelry, giving her luxury, clothes and new life style. Aziz’s mam insisted aziz to get married with hayati, because aziz’s mam loves hayati’s attitude, beuty and behave. His mam said that this time aziz to shettle down and away from londo-londo netherland around him. Although he raised from netherland education, still he is a padangnese and this time form him to find a spouse who can stay and delivering child for his family. Then aziz asked hadija “what about Buginese man who wore sarung bugis?” hadija replied “he just friend and not really has good future and I bet hayati’s ninik will not approve their relationship though zainuddin is a stranger in padang and stranger too in Bugis land.” So appernatly he is not your competitor at all in this relationship.

To be continued