The Vanishing (1988)

Dutch title: Spoorloos
French title: L'homme qui voulais savoir
dir. George Sluizer

Sluizer previously adapted another Tim Krabbé's novel into the 1985 film Red Desert Penitentiary. When Krabbé began writing a novel called Het Gouden Ei (The Golden Egg), set in France, he sought Sluizer's advice on the French locations. The film adaptation was a co-production between the Netherlands and France, shot mostly on location in Nîmes, and also in Ardèche, Drôme and Gard, as well in Amsterdam. In the United States, it was named among the Top 10 Foreign Films of the Year by the National Board of Review, as well as receiving nominations from the National Society of Film Critics and New York Film Critics Circle. The film was submitted as the Dutch entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. However, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences disqualified it as not adequately representing the Netherlands since the majority of the film was in French.

In 1993, Sluizer remade the film in the U.S. with Jeff Bridges and Kiefer Sutherland.

Below are the filming locations in Nîmes.

Raymond Lemorne (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu) tries to lure a woman into his car but she says she'd rather walk - Boulevard Amiral Courbet at Rue Colbert, Nîmes, France

Raymond approaches another woman but she turns out to be his acquaintance - 58 Rue de la Porte de France, Nîmes, France

Raymond complains about the missing person posters - Boulevard Victor Hugo, Nîmes, France

Rex Hofman (Gene Bervoets) waiting for his mysterious correspondent at the Bar des Beaux Arts, 17 Place aux Herbes, Nîmes, France

Lieneke (Gwen Eckhaus) goes around the square taking pictures of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Castor, Place aux Herbes, Nîmes, France.

Rex and Lieneke looking at Raymond's apartment building while he watches them from the balcony - 8 Place aux Herbes, Nîmes, France.

Rex and Lieneke leaving the parking garage - Avenue Feuchères, Nîmes, France

Rex calling out the unknown murderer - Place aux Herbes, Nîmes, France.

Rex watches a video tape of his appeal to the murderer on French TV. The footage shows Place de la République in Arles, France.

When Raymond was a little boy he had thoughts of jumping off the ledge - 8 Place aux Herbes, Nîmes, France. The facade was probably modified for the filming.