The Gang of Oss (De bende van Oss)

This film is based on historic events

The Hague, 1945 shortly after World War II

Mr. H.A.M.T. Kolfschoten, Minister of Justice (Catholic party)

The case Oss.

Oss.

A conflict between the MP, the priests, the mayor.

Corruption, abuse of power, excessive crime.

Minister Goseling took some peculiar measures at the time...

and the entire cabinet resigned, just before the invasion of the Germans.

Am I supposed to read all of this?

We could also throw it away.

Fine.

The Gang of Oss

They call them the Gang of Oss, but they're just a bunch of misfits.

They steal from the rich and give to the poor. Sometimes.

Wim de Kuiper thinks he's the boss.

Harry den Brock, his counsellor, is the only one who can read.

Van Schijndel, a local cop, looks the other way.

If you pay him, that is. And why not? Everybody here is corrupt.

Father De Roos sins while taking confession.

Father Bakker does the altar boys and washes his hands in innocence.

In Oss the fires of purgatory are lit to rip off the insurance company.

The government, based in the north...

sent the MP to us in the south, to set things right.

Protestants.

It's not as if we're such devout Catholics, but we hate Protestants.

Most of us here work for the meat Jew.

Sal Hedeman doesn't talk to male staff.

But he talks to the women in packaging. I work there too.

At night I work behind the bar.

We don't have a license, but they drink anyway.

I'm Black Mien's daughter and a half sister of Trees.

Mum isn't really sure about who our fathers are.

I learned a lot from my mum.

They don't call me Johanna the Tramp for nothing.

- 100 guilders? - For bodily injury it's 100 guilders.

You need to make sacrifices for a new bike.

No, like you had it before.

Like that, like that.

We needed that as evidence.

I'll take care of it with the doctor.

I get out in two weeks. For good behaviour.

You wouldn't have thought, huh?

- We're going to do things differently. - Sure.

I'm going to quit drinking, fighting and burglary.

I'm going to get a regular job with the meat Jew.

I'm only sticking my knife in a cow or a pig.

- New or did it belong to your wife? - Put it on.

I want you to have it.

I'm pregnant.

I think it's yours.

Now what?

Do you want money?

Or do you want to get married?

Don't touch. Your hands are dirty.

I'm married already.

Why don't you finish the job?

Then I took it in my hand...

and made slow movements.

Then I passed over it with my tongue...

and I had to take it in my mouth.

Until he...

- Should I go on? - If you have more to confess.

Ties and I are going to do things differently.

I don't need to confess for the time being.

That would be a pity.

Say two 'Our Fathers' en ten 'Hail Marys'.

The Lord has forgiven you for your sins.

- But are you pregnant? - No, of course I'm not.

I just wanted to give him a fright.

Hi, Wim.

- I heard that you left Hedeman. - Yes, and what about it?

- Why are you giving me that? - What tone of voice is that?

Ties is my cousin. You need to support your family.

And he kept his mouth shut, of course.

This is enough to rebuild the pub. Put a pool table in it.

Then I can meet up with the group there.

We'll manage without it.

Yes, I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore.

Not with Hedeman and not with Wim de Kuiper.

We're going to do things differently.

- And what about Trees? - She can help me.

We're no longer welcome. She's going to turn it into a restaurant, she said.

She's never eaten out before and she wants to open a restaurant?

Could you write something down?

Soup, bread, coffee.

Surprising menu.

Ties is back.

Are you that happy?

- Had a lot of customers? - Word needs to get around first.

Last week was our fourth wedding anniversary.

You owe me something.

I need to report.

- Right now? - Yes, I'm out on probation.

Come with me.

Hi.

How did you enjoy "the guest house"? See lots of friends? Relatives?

Let's hope you learned from it.

I'm here for the note.

- I want to work for Hedeman. - Give me names.

If you don't talk, no note. And no note, no work.

I served my sentence.

I'm starting with a clean slate. Two years, dammit.

Who were there two years ago?

You can read it, Van Heesch.

The light is not very good.

Ellie can read in the dark very well. Can't you, Ellie?

I'm too dumb to read, but smart enough to shut up.

Sergeant Kramer sends his regards to Mr Hedeman.

Tell Kramer that I said hello too, Van Heesch.

We don't need Hedeman's pennies.

When all of Oss eats at our place, even if he begs, he's not coming in.

Welcome home, son.

- Hey, Wim. - Was it hard in their "Pleasure Garden"?

It was okay.

- Let's celebrate. I'm buying. - We were just going home.

- It's been so long. Let's go home first. - There's plenty of time for that later on.

I know what you've been thinking about, boy.

What?

A big glass of cold, frothing beer.

- Ties doesn't drink anymore. - But I do. Come.

- Hey, Ties. Are you sure? - Yes.

- One is okay, isn't it? - Thanks, Uncle Wim.

- Damn. - You know what it is?

The damn MPs decide who gets to work around here and who doesn't.

The Northerners are running the shots in Oss.

Last week they arrested 12 guys.

Eight of them are still in jail.

Van der Heijden was practically beaten to death.

But enough is enough.

On Palm Sunday we're going to show them who's boss in Oss.

Are you in?

I'm...

Yes, never mind. I can tell. It's fine.

What?

What?

I promised your father on his death bed that I'd take care of you.

Here.

You can rebuild the pub with that.

Put a pool table in there and a real tap.

- Go and see Den Brock for a license. - I can't take that.

Johanna and I want to start a restaurant.

It's your damn place. You inherited it.

We want to start all over again.

Restaurant van Heesch. Food, drink and a good fuck for dessert.

It's not working.

Sure it is.

Just stop it.

Are you burying your mother-in-law?

A Webley. It didn't suffer from being buried for 28 months.

That wouldn't be the same for your mother-in-law.

Nice bike.

Yes, I got it from the insurance company.

You should chop off your hand so you can buy a car.

Sell it to Wim de Kuiper. Ten guilders, 2.50 for you.

- We need to eat. - You have a restaurant, don't you?

Johanna has a restaurant.

I hope you have a license?

- A license? - A restaurant license.

- Regulations. - We've only just opened up.

We'll get one as soon as business picks up. Of course.

- Are you hungry? - No, I've already eaten.

But perhaps we could make another arrangement?

- I didn't make a reservation but... - I've got a table here.

Alright. I'll see how it goes.

Van Schijndel.

What's the daily special?

Soup.

Nice.

Just one.

To wash away the coffee.

I'm going to help Mum for an hour.

- You shouldn't walk that way. - I'll walk wherever I want.

I'll be at your place in ten minutes.

You can either pay off or shoot a witness.

This is the third time. There's not going to be a fourth.

As soon as Kramer has been buried, we're going to party.

Drinks are on me and I'll take care of the music.

A party, goddamn.

- Just shoot them. All of them. - Anything else?

That's what we all want.

- Is there any more soup left? - We're out.

Finished.

Time to close.

Everybody go home.

You go home. To The Hague or wherever you're from.

Or do you want to stay in Oss and join Sergeant Kramer at the cemetery?

Enough, enough.

Their shift is over. These gentlemen need to go to bed.

Tomorrow morning at nine you're the first.

Tally it all up and I'll pay tomorrow.

Can you put this away?

Welcome back.

On Palm Sunday we're going to shoot him, De Kuiper said.

First the procession and then dead. Like Jesus. That's how it went, right?

- But he won't be resurrected. - What if we help him along?

Van der Heijden, you're drunk. Go home. Party's over.

It's not over by a long shot. Get some beer, dammit.

- Where are you going? - With them.

- Ties, don't. - What?