Yes Nurse! No Nurse! (2003)

Saturated with eye-popping candy-coated colors, "Yes Nurse", paints an on-screen 1960s world where the streets are filled with singing and dancing, carnivals always come to town and the biggest problem in everyone's' lives is that mean, old, nasty neighbor. Fresh from Holland comes this deliciously decadent Dutch treat - the kookiest, most original musical comedy ever! Based on a popular Dutch classic TV show. Nurse Klivia runs a rest home for slightly wayward tenants, including The Engineer, inventor of the "Nice" pill, Jet, a sweet wannabe actress, and Gerrit, a young cat burglar trying to reform. Their nasty landlord schemes to evict them monthly, but has a change of heart when a cheerful fellow from his past opens up a hairdresser’s shop across the street...

YES - Funny, fun, silly NO - English subtitles only

Very funny movie. Very campy.
Production quality not the highest, about 8 on scale of 1-10 (10 highest).
The fact that the movie is in the Dutch language is kind of anoying, especially when not all the words in the songs are properly English subtitled.
I am also upset that the DVD does not let you turn off the subtitles in case you happen to know Dutch or just want to enjoy it for its camp. April 29, 2008

How can you not love this film?

Yes Nurse! No Nurse! (Ja Zuster! Nee Zuster as it's known in Dutch) is a treasure. I'm an American who has been learning to speak Dutch. I saw this film with a friend at a film festival at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. Loes Luca herself gave an introduction to the audience.

The film is based on a 60's television program from Holland. It was a huge hit with the Dutch (perhaps like Pee Wee's playhouse became so popular here in the States). Sadly, the film from the original program was lost. I've spoken with quite a few Dutch folks who lament this loss and have deep nostalgia for Zuster Klivia. But I digress.

If you want a recommendation for this film, I'm going to give you one...see it. It's one of those special films that has everything and it all comes together in such a way as to leave you smiling and humming a tune. The world needs more of that. January 13, 2006

The most camp fun I've had in years!

I absolutely loved this movie. Yes Nurse No Nurse takes camp to a whole new level with it's candy-colored sets and and toe-tapping score. With a cast of well-developed, tasty characters, this Dutch film had me improvising the language to sing-along. It even tips its hat to its gay fans with a cute sub-plot to help out a grumpy landlord with a "happy pill."

All in all this is an adorable camp classic that would leave John Waters salivating for more. Guarenteed good entertainment.

July 21, 2005

Fun for the whole family

Fun movie with humour suitable for people of all ages. Good acting work, great songs. Too bad the sound is only through two channels and not 5.1. If you don't mind seeing a movie with subtitles and would like to own a comedy/musical showing Dutch life in the 50/60s, this is a good movie to own. May 21, 2005

Lovely colourful kitsch!

Yes, it's kitsch, colourful and lovely! Of course I am biased, being Dutch, and having grown up with myths about this wonderful TV-show 'Ja zuster, Nee zuster' which was aired when I was way too young too stay up 'till late and VCR's didn't exist.
The original writer, Mrs. Annie M.G. Schmidt is also legendary in the Netherlands, and I believe for twenty or more years all Dutch children grew up with her books for children, but she also wrote a lot of cabaret and plays for grown-ups.
So... I have seen this musical twice, and I am not really a musical fan. This first Dutch musical paints a lovely picture of the Netherlands in the sixties, the way people behaved, dressed and looked. I used the word colourful before because all things (set, clothes, make-up, haircolour of the actors) are a bit more colourful than usual, and thus giving it a bit of kitschy feeling.
Just try it, it is fun, not a slick spectacular musical with explosions and amazing acrobatics. But a lovely, cozy, feel good, sort of fun historical picture of living in the Netherlands in the late fifties/early sixties. The first time I saw Yes Nurse No Nurse it was shown in a sort of open air theatre, it was the sing-a-long version (also popular in the Netherlands, sing-a-long showings of Grease and The Sound of Music, everybody dressing in style, sing along karaoke-style, and participating etc.) which was hi-larious!
Most actors are really talented, I especially like Loes Luca, who is a amazingly talented performer and writer. I've seen her perform many times in real life (e.g. wonderful show: Nenettes et les Zezettes, 3 different shows) and she never ceases to amaze me.
January 7, 2005

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