When screenwriter Edwin de Vries took on the monumental task of adapting Harry Mulisch’s 900-page epic The Discovery of Heaven, he wasn’t just translating a novel—he was distilling a cosmos. “You can’t film a book like this literally,” de Vries said. “You have to find its heartbeat and let that guide the story.” That heartbeat, pulsing through divine schemes and human entanglements, became the compass for one of Dutch cinema’s most daring literary adaptations.
The film The Discovery of Heaven (2001), adapted from Harry Mulisch’s acclaimed novel, is a richly layered philosophical fantasy that explores the intersection of divine will, human agency, and the fragility of civilization. Though condensing a 900-page novel into a 2.5-hour film posed challenges, it retains the novel’s existential urgency and mythic resonance.
Its significance lies in both its narrative ambition and its thematic depth: The story begins with celestial beings orchestrating events on Earth to retrieve the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, symbolizing God’s disillusionment with humanity. This premise sets the stage for a meditation on free will vs. determinism, as the characters unknowingly fulfill a divine mission while navigating their own complex lives.
The film centers on the intertwined lives of Max, Onno, and Ada—three intellectuals whose relationships are manipulated to produce Quinten, the child destined to return the tablets. Their emotional entanglements reflect themes of love, betrayal, and existential purpose, grounding the metaphysical plot in deeply human experiences.
Spanning decades and continents—from post-WWII Netherlands to Rome and Jerusalem—the film weaves historical trauma and cultural memory into its spiritual quest. It subtly critiques the decline of moral authority and the erosion of sacred values in modern society.
Directed by Jeroen Krabbé, the film was one of the most ambitious Dutch productions of its time, praised for its visual storytelling and intellectual gravitas. In essence, The Discovery of Heaven is not just a story about divine intervention—it’s a reflection on what it means to be human in a world where meaning is elusive and destiny may be written in the stars.
Where the Celestial Meets the Intimate: Inside The Discovery of Heaven
Harry Kurt Victor Mulisch was born on July 29, 1927, in Haarlem, Netherlands, and became one of the most influential Dutch writers of the 20th century. Alongside Willem Frederik Hermans and Gerard Reve, he was considered part of the “Great Three” of postwar Dutch literature.
Mulisch’s life was marked by paradox: his Jewish mother’s family perished in the Holocaust, while his Austrian father collaborated with the Nazis, working for a German-controlled bank. This duality profoundly shaped his worldview and literary voice. As Mulisch once said, “I didn’t just write about World War II—I am World War II.”
He wrote more than 80 works, including novels, plays, essays, and poetry. His major themes include war, guilt, mythology, and metaphysics, often blending historical realism with philosophical inquiry.
Harry Mulisch’s 1992 novel is widely regarded as his magnum opus and one of the greatest Dutch literary works of the 20th century. Mulisch, known for blending history, philosophy, and metaphysics, drew on a wide range of inspirations:
Mulisch was fascinated by theological paradoxes, particularly the tension between divine omniscience and human free will. The novel—and by extension the film—was shaped by post-WWII existentialism, reflecting on humanity’s moral failures and the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe.
The novel—and by extension the film—was shaped by post-WWII existentialism, reflecting on humanity’s moral failures and the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe. The backdrop of European history, including the Holocaust and Cold War tensions, adds emotional and philosophical weight to the narrative.
Mulisch received numerous honors, including the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren (1995) and the International Nonino Prize (2007). He passed away on October 30, 2010, in Amsterdam, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape Dutch and European literature.
From Page to Providence: Condensing a Monumental Narrative
Director Jeroen Krabbé was drawn to the novel’s epic scope and metaphysical ambition, seeing it as a rare opportunity to bring a Dutch literary classic to the screen with international resonance.
The novel spans generations, continents, and metaphysical realms, blending theology, politics, and personal drama. Compressing this into a coherent film meant streamlining subplots and omitting philosophical digressions, which some viewers felt diluted the novel’s depth.
Translating the novel’s celestial framing device—angels orchestrating events from beyond—into cinematic language was a major hurdle. The film’s ambition to depict both earthly realism and divine intervention required a delicate tonal balance.
Krabbé is a celebrated Dutch actor, director, and painter known for his commanding presence in both European and Hollywood cinema. Born into a family of artists—his father Maarten and grandfather Hendrik were renowned painters—Krabbé initially trained as a visual artist before turning to acting. He studied at the Amsterdam Academy of Performing Arts, becoming its youngest-ever student.
Krabbé rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s through collaborations with director Paul Verhoeven, notably in Soldier of Orange (1977) and The Fourth Man (1983). His international breakthrough came with villainous roles in major films such as The Living Daylights (1987), The Prince of Tides (1991), and The Fugitive (1993). Known for his multilingual fluency and magnetic screen presence, he became a go-to actor for complex, often morally ambiguous characters.
In 1998, Krabbé made his directorial debut with Left Luggage, a poignant drama about Jewish identity and memory, which was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. He followed this with The Discovery of Heaven (2001), adapting Harry Mulisch’s metaphysical novel into one of the most ambitious Dutch film productions of its time.
Beyond film, Krabbé is an accomplished painter with several exhibitions to his name, and he has produced documentaries on artists such as Van Gogh and Picasso. He has been married to Herma van Gemert since 1964 and is the father of three sons, including Dutch TV presenter Martijn Krabbé.
The filmmakers were navigating a labyrinth of ideas, trying to preserve the novel’s soul while crafting a poignant film
The screenplay, co-written by Edwin de Vries, was developed with input from Mulisch himself, ensuring the film retained the novel’s intellectual rigor and mythic structure. Working closely with director Jeroen Krabbé and with input from the novel’s author, Harry Mulisch.
He faced the daunting task of distilling Mulisch’s sprawling, metaphysical novel into a cinematic form—balancing intellectual fidelity with emotional clarity.
His adaptation is often praised for capturing the novel’s mythic structure and philosophical ambition, even if some of the novel’s intricate layers had to be streamlined for the screen.
De Vries approached the adaptation with a clear-eyed sense of reverence and pragmatism and pared down the novel’s sprawling narrative into a more linear plotline, emphasizing the celestial mission and the human relationships that drive it. He retained the core mythic arc—the divine retrieval of the Ten Commandments—while trimming subplots and philosophical digressions that, though rich in the novel, would have overwhelmed the film’s pacing.
Recognizing that film thrives on emotional immediacy, he centered the screenplay on the triangle between Max, Onno, and Ada, using their entanglement as the emotional and symbolic engine of the story. This allowed the metaphysical themes to emerge organically through character interaction, rather than through exposition-heavy dialogue.
To translate the novel’s celestial framing device, de Vries and director Jeroen Krabbé opted for a stylized depiction of Heaven—a dark, castle-like realm inhabited by somber angels. This visual metaphor helped externalize the novel’s theological undercurrents. He also leaned into ironic period details and shifting locations (Amsterdam, Rome, Jerusalem) to ground the story in a recognizable world while hinting at its cosmic stakes.
De Vries worked closely with Mulisch during the adaptation process, ensuring that the screenplay honored the novel’s philosophical DNA even as it made necessary concessions to cinematic form. In essence, de Vries treated the adaptation not as a translation, but as a transformation—preserving the novel’s pulse while reshaping its body.
Edwin de Vries is a Dutch actor, screenwriter, and director known for his versatile contributions to film, television, and theatre. He began acting at the age of 12 alongside his father, actor Rob de Vries, in the film De laatste passagier. After graduating from the Amsterdam Theatre School in 1972, he became a prominent figure in Dutch performing arts, co-founding the theatre group Onafhankelijk Toneel and performing with companies like Baal and Toneelgroep Amsterdam.
As a screenwriter, de Vries is best known for adapting The Discovery of Heaven (2001), based on Harry Mulisch’s novel, for which he received a Golden Calf award in 2002. His other screenwriting credits include Left Luggage (1998) and Zomerhitte (2008), the latter directed by his wife, actress and filmmaker Monique van de Ven, whom he married in 1991.
De Vries has also acted in numerous Dutch films and series, including In de Vlaamsche pot, Rosenstraße, and Dennis P.. In 2012, he was knighted in the Order of the Dutch Lion for his cultural contributions.
His life and work reflect a deep engagement with Dutch history, identity, and storytelling—often blurring the lines between personal memory and collective experience.
