What Is Lijmen/Het been About?
The premise of Lijmen/Het been in 279 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the bustling streets of pre‑war Belgium, a restless energy crackles through cafés, auction houses and modest family businesses. The world of the film is painted in muted sepia tones, where sharp suits and polished shoes mask a subtle, ever‑present hunger for profit. Against this backdrop, the story follows a pair of charismatic hustlers who have turned the art of persuasion into a full‑time vocation. Their latest venture promises companies a glossy, comparative journal that supposedly reaches readers worldwide, though its true reach is far more ambiguous.
At the center of the scheme is the seasoned, unapologetically confident Boorman, a man whose swagger and quick wit draw both admiration and suspicion. He has crafted an elaborate narrative around a nonexistent publication, positioning himself as a master of opportunity. By his side is the younger, eager Laarmans, whose ambition is matched only by his naivety. The dynamic between the two creates a tension that swings between mentorship and manipulation, as the older con‑artist pulls his protégé deeper into a world where truth is a negotiable commodity. Their interactions are laced with dark humor, sly banter and a lingering sense that each new pitch could be both a triumph and a misstep.
The film’s tone balances melancholy with a biting, almost theatrical satire of commerce and morality. As Boorman and Laarmans weave through meetings with eccentric entrepreneurs—ranging from elevator owners to funeral service providers—the audience is invited to taste the intoxicating allure of grand promises while sensing the fragile scaffolding beneath. The atmosphere is one of quiet intrigue, where the surface gleam of polished magazines hints at deeper, unspoken questions about ambition, loyalty and the cost of believing in a lie.
What Happens in Lijmen/Het been?
The complete story of Lijmen/Het been, from the first scene to the last, in 626 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Set around 1938, the film unfolds with a startling auction moment that changes the course of several lives. [Boorman](Mike Verdrengh) is taken to a psychiatric hospital after he bids an astonishing 32,000 Belgian francs for a worthless piece of paper, a move that raises questions about motive and sanity. [Frans Laarmans](Koen De Bouw) visits the psychiatrists, insisting that Boorman isn’t crazy and that there is a deeper story behind the bid, a thread that will pull him into a web of ambition and deception.
When Laarmans’s mother dies, the burden of paying for her embalming falls on the family. With little money on hand, Laarmans meets the publisher behind a glossy enterprise called the World Magazine for Finance, Trade, Industry, Art and Science—a publication Boorman claims has a global reach, with millions of copies sold worldwide and translations in many languages. He presents it as a reputable consumer journal that compares different companies within the same sector. The next edition is pitched to focus on funeral and undertaking services, which sets the stage for a troubling business proposal.
Boorman, always looking for fresh eyes, hires Laarmans and directs him to court new customers. One promising target is Mrs [Lauwereyssen](Willeke van Ammelrooy), the owner of an elevator business. The arrangement comes with two conditions: the undertaker must order a large batch of copies for their own purposes, and the price for the magazine will be steeply discounted if the undertaker, in turn, offers Laarmans a discount on embalming services. The undertaker agrees, and Laarmans enters a scheme that blends salesmanship with manipulation, following Boorman’s lead into a murky market where truth is malleable.
As the partnership deepens, Laarmans uncovers a disheartening truth: the World Magazine is a sham. There is no public circulation or subscribers—the “readers” are merely the companies that purchase the copies, turning the publication into an elaborate, inflated advertising brochure built on distorted figures and manipulated data. The supposed global reach is nothing more than a façade meant to justify inflated claims and seductive profits.
Mrs Lauwereyssen is revealed to be in a precarious financial position, its consequences mirrored in her failing business and the serious surgery needed for an infected leg. She signs on in hopes of an international breakthrough, even as she recognizes the risks. Laarmans feels sympathy for her plight and tries to dissuade her from the contract or at least to secure a smaller print run, but Boorman relents only so far, allowing payments to be made in twelve monthly installments. Yet Mrs Lauwereyssen, keenly aware of the deception and its toll, hesitates at the final instalment.
A subsequent market encounter brings grim news: Mrs Lauwereyssen’s leg has been amputated. Boorman, overwhelmed by remorse, offers a credit note of 32,000 Belgian francs, but she refuses to accept it. Boorman’s conscience continues to gnaw at him, prompting him to sue Mrs Lauwereyssen to compel payment; a judge dismisses the case for lack of evidence that she overpaid. The elevator company’s finances deteriorate, culminating in bankruptcy.
In a reflective return to the auction house, Boorman repeats the infamous bid of 32,000 francs for another worthless piece of paper, a moment that cements the moral crisis at the saga’s heart. Laarmans, feeling betrayed and constrained by the weight of the deceit, resigns from the fraudulent venture and starts a cheese shop, where he eventually meets Mrs Lauwereyssen again. She forgives him, acknowledging that she, too, should have seen the fraud, especially since her own medical prognosis had forewarned the loss of her leg.
The film closes with a quiet, almost clinical, museum encounter between Laarmans and Boorman. Boorman hopes to persuade a curator to take 1.5 million copies for the magazine’s next release, a last, unsettling bid to legitimize his ill-gotten enterprise and to keep the lie alive.
Lijmen/Het been Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Auction bid lands Boormans in a psychiatric hospital” to “Final museum scene hints at ongoing deceit”. 13 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Auction bid lands Boormans in a psychiatric hospital
During a 1938 auction, Boormans bids 32,000 Belgian francs for a worthless piece of paper. The bid triggers concerns about his sanity and he is committed to a psychiatric hospital. Frans Laarmans visits the psychiatrists, insisting Boormans is not crazy and that there is a backstory behind the bid.
When:1938 Where:Auction hall and psychiatric hospital
- 2
Laarmans argues Boormans is sane
Laarmans visits the psychiatrists, arguing Boormans behaves rationally and that there is more to the bid than appears. He seeks to prevent a mischaracterization of Boormans’ actions. The psychiatrists listen but remain skeptical.
When:1938 Where:Psychiatric ward/offices
- 3
Boormans hires Laarmans for World Magazine
Following his mother's death, Laarmans is drawn into Boormans’ world as he is hired to promote the World Magazine for Finance, Trade, Industry, Art and Science. Boormans claims the magazine is widely distributed and translated, presenting it as a reputable consumer journal. He explains that the next edition will focus on the funeral and undertaking industry.
When:1938 Where:Boormans' office
- 4
Undertakers strike a deal to feature in the magazine
Boormans visits undertakers and negotiates a deal to feature their business in the magazine. The arrangement requires the undertaker to order a large number of copies for their own use and to receive a substantial discount on embalming services. The undertakers agree to the terms.
When:1938 Where:Undertakers' offices
- 5
Lauwereyssen buys massive copies
Mrs. Lauwereyssen, owner of an elevator company, agrees to purchase 100,000 extra copies for her own purposes in addition to the normal distribution. She hopes the magazine will boost her profile as an international entrepreneur. Her motive is tied to her looming financial troubles.
When:1938 Where:Elevator company offices
- 6
Laarmans uncovers the fraud
Laarmans discovers that World Magazine is a sham: there are no public subscribers, and copies exist only for the featuring company. The magazine uses fake figures and unproven competitors to inflate credibility. He realizes the publication is essentially an expensive advertising brochure.
When:1938 Where:World Magazine offices
- 7
Lauwereyssen's finances and surgery
Lauwereyssen is nearly bankrupt, relying on the magazine deal to fund an urgent leg surgery. Laarmans tries to discourage her from signing or to reduce the print run, but he cannot stop the arrangement. The situation underscores the human cost of the fraud.
When:1938 Where:Elevator company offices
- 8
12-month payment plan offered
Boormans concedes that Lauwereyssen can pay the invoice over 12 months. He tries to modify the contract by easing the terms after seeing the hardship. The gesture is not enough to salvage trust.
When:1938 Where:Boormans' office
- 9
Lauwereyssen resents the debt and stops payment
Troubled and aware of the fraud, Lauwereyssen refuses to pay the last instalment. She is unable to accept the debt and feels betrayed by the deal.
When:1938 Where:Market
- 10
Credit note offered and rejected; Van Kamp affected
Boormans offers a 32,000-franc credit note to compensate the damages, but Lauwereyssen refuses it. Boormans then gives the money to Mr Van Kamp, another cheated customer who is also in financial trouble, who likewise refuses it.
When:1938 Where:Market
Show the other 3 events of Lijmen/Het been Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Laarmans sues to recover payment; case dismissed
Boormans sues Lauwereyssen to compel payment, but the judge dismisses the case for lack of evidence that she overpaid. The elevator company then slides further into bankruptcy.
When:Some time later Where:Courtroom
- 12
Second auction, conscience weighs on Boormans
At another auction, Boormans still feels the burden of his conscience as he bids 32,000 for a worthless piece of paper. Laarmans resigns from his job and opens a shop selling cheese, seeking a simpler life. He encounters Lauwereyssen again, who forgives him for signing the fraudulent deal.
When:Ending Where:Auction hall; marketplace
- 13
Final museum scene hints at ongoing deceit
The film ends with Laarmans meeting Boormans in a museum, where Boormans intends to persuade the curator to take 1.5 million copies for the next release of the World Magazine. The two men confront the implications of deception on a grand scale. The ending hints that the propaganda machine may continue beyond the tale.
When:Ending Where:Museum
Who Are the Main Characters in Lijmen/Het been?
5 characters, among them Frans Laarmans (Koen De Bouw), Mr. Boormans (Mike Verdrengh) and Mevrouw Lauwereyssen (Willeke van Ammelrooy): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Frans Laarmans (Koen De Bouw)
Played by Koen De Bouw
A dutiful clerk who is drawn into Boormans’s venture, his naive optimism gives way to wary realism as he witnesses the scam. He ultimately resigns to start a cheese shop, choosing a simpler, honest path. He remains sympathetic toward Mrs Lauwereyssen, illustrating his struggle between empathy and complicity.
- 🎯 Ambition
- 🤔 Moral doubt
- 🧭 Ethical conflict
- MB
Mr. Boormans (Mike Verdrengh)
Played by Mike Verdrengh
The flashy publisher behind the fraudulent World Magazine, whose manipulation of numbers drives the plot. He grapples with guilt as the scheme unravels, yet attempts to resolve the fallout, revealing a complex mix of remorse and self-justification.
- 💼 Fraudster
- 🧠 Manipulator
- ⚖️ Guilt
- ML
Mevrouw Lauwereyssen (Willeke van Ammelrooy)
Played by Willeke van Ammelrooy
Owner of an elevator company teetering on bankruptcy, she seeks an international boost through the fraudulent magazine. Her leg amputation underscores the physical and financial toll of her pressures. She ultimately sees through the deceit and forgives Laarmans, while grappling with the consequences.
- 💪 Resilience
- 💸 Desperation
- 🛠️ Businesswoman
- DV
Deurwaarder Van Kamp (Hans Van Den Berg)
Played by Hans Van Den Berg
A creditor figure involved in the aftermath of the fraud, illustrating how the deceit harms multiple customers and leads to ongoing financial strain. His involvement underscores the broader social impact of the scheme.
- 💼 Debt
- ⚖️ Legal consequence
-
Rechter Teugels (Jan Decleir)
Played by Jan Decleir
The judge who dismisses Boormans’s case for lack of evidence, highlighting the limits of legal recourse in fraud cases and the ambiguities of truth in a world of manipulated information.
- ⚖️ Justice
- 🧭 Judgment
Where and When Is Lijmen/Het been Set?
Lijmen/Het been is set in Belgium (1938). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1938
Set in the late 1930s, the film situates its events just before World War II, a time of economic fragility and rapid modernization. Belgium's commercial culture is booming, yet built on shaky foundations of inflated figures and dubious advertising. The era shapes the characters' desperation and the choices they make as schemes unfold.
Where
Belgium
The story unfolds in interwar Belgium, a period of economic tension that frames a world of deals and deceit. Key scenes move through an auction hall, a psychiatric hospital, funeral services, and a market where the consequences of fraudulent business practices ripple through everyday life. The setting reflects a society grappling with ambition, money, and moral boundaries.
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- 🏛️ 1930s economy
- 💼 Business fraud
What Are the Themes of Lijmen/Het been?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Moral Conflict, Fraud & Deception and Greed vs Compassion.
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01
Moral Conflict
Frans Laarmans is drawn into Boormans’s fraudulent operation, torn between ambition and integrity. The film traces his attempts to navigate corruption while honoring his duties to family and conscience. This tension between personal advancement and ethical limits drives the emotional core of the story.
-
02
Fraud & Deception
World Magazine turns out to be a sham—a costly brochure masquerading as credible data. The deception relies on fake figures and manipulated contracts, affecting owners like Mrs Lauwereyssen and buyers alike. The consequences expose how easily trust can be exploited in business.
-
03
Greed vs Compassion
Mrs Lauwereyssen’s bid to salvage her nearly bankrupt company pits desperation against moral judgment. Laarmans’s compassion for her plight clashes with the lure of profit, highlighting the personal toll of pursuing wealth at any cost. The dynamic questions whether empathy can outpace exploitation.
-
04
Consequences of Ambition
The scheme leads to bankruptcies, contested invoices, and reckless bidding that hurt multiple people. The final auction underscores the cost of unbridled ambition, while Laarmans’s move to open a cheese shop signals a quieter rejection of an unethical system. The ending hints at a lasting legacy of loss despite a return to ordinary life.
What Kind of Film Is Lijmen/Het been?
Melancholic in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A steady, character-driven drama that follows two con men into a world of calculated fraud, building a melancholic and morally ambiguous atmosphere as their deceptive schemes lead to remorse and ruin.
- melancholic
- reflective
- grim
- tense
- morally ambiguous
- deceptively calm
- con artists
- fraud
- moral decay
- remorse
Content notes: financial exploitation, serious medical condition, amputation, psychiatric hospitalization.
Quiz
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