Since Reve is homosexual and a Catholic convert, and often combines those themes in his work, the organization stipulated that no gay subject matter was to be touched upon.
In the end, Reve did include a bit of gay sex in the book, enough for the foundation to refuse his offering as too controversial.
The story is as follows: Gerard, after a speaking engagement in the town of V., in the southern Netherlands, has a brief affair with a woman named Christine, with whom he spends the night.
[2] Paul Verhoeven's adaptation makes some changes to the original: the horror effects are emphasized, and the gay affair with Laurens is scrapped.
In addition, the film adds an encounter between Gerard (played by Jeroen Krabbé) and Herman (Thom Hoffman), and a sex scene in a tomb between them.