The Vanishing
1988 · Movie · NR · 106 min · ★ 7.4 · 93% critics
Rex and Saskia are enjoying a vacation in France when she disappears at a busy service station in broad daylight. For years, Rex is left with no answers, until he starts receiving letters from the person responsible for her abduction.
Based on The Golden Egg
Where to watch
Watch free on Kanopy — also streaming on The Criterion Channel.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- Spoorloos
- Years
- 1988
- Release date
- 1988-10-27
- Language
- Dutch
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Critic score
- 93/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.4/10 (820 votes)
About
If you want a slow-burning, obsession-focused thriller that turns an ordinary day into lasting dread, The Vanishing delivers—Not for you if you dislike bleak stories or need a clearer, less disjointed narrative like in Searching.
Pros: creeping unease; obsession-driven tension; memorable dread | Cons: slow pace; unclear narrative; bleak payoff
Themes
- loss of loved one
- kidnapping
- roadhouse
- disappearance
- missing person
- curious
- mysterious disappearance
- search for wife
Awards & recognition
- European Film Award — Best Supporting Actress · 1988
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 1989 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Supporting Actress · 1988 · nominated
Cast & crew
Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu
as Raymond Lemorne
Gene Bervoets
as Rex Hofman
Johanna ter Steege
as Saskia Wagter
- GE
Gwen Eckhaus
as Lieneke
Pierre Forget
as Farmer Laurent
Bernadette Le Saché
as Simone Lemorne
- TL
Tania Latarjet
as Denise Lemorne
- LG
Lucille Glenn
as Gabrielle Lemorne
Roger Souza
as Manager (uncredited)
- CA
Caroline Appéré
as Cashier (uncredited)
Directed by George Sluizer