Diamanten an Bord

I suppose there is a type of elderly female relative who would think that this is just the sort of movie to see with a youngster. It's filled with such lovely images of Holland. We are still supposed to call it Holland, aren't we? They haven't changed the name because it's an oppressive remnant of some colonial past? No? Well, that's nice. Sean Scully is a nice boy, a bit rambunctious, but he'll settle down, off to visit his pen pal, Jacques Verbrugge, who is so well behaved. He knows all the rules, and no doubt had a fine career as an EU bureaucrat. And then there's Sandra Spurr as Jacques' little sister. She looks so nice and neat and her shoes are so well polished! It's a shame they had to get involved with those diamond thieves, but they noticed them, and they actually rescued the diamonds and outwitted the thieves. Because, thieves aren't very bright, dear. They don't think, and if they did, they would make better plans and study hard and go to college. Now, sit quietly and watch the lovely movie, and if I doze off, don't wake me.

I am surprised to find that there are still people commenting on this film as late as 2021, I wasn't aware it was still available to view. It was made in 1960, when I was just ten years old and played the part of Annike den Helder. I watched it again two years ago, when my daughter arranged a private viewing at our local boutique cinema for a lot of my family and friends. I must admit, the acting is at most, wooden, but it was fun at the time, being chaperoned all over Holland and treated like royalty, chauffeur driven around and staying in some of the best hotels in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Made by the CFF for Saturday morning minor clubs.This is more of a travelogue with a rather ridiculous plot.The crooks ,with a gun,are scared by the kids throwing tomatoes.Sean Scully,from Australia,playing an English boy is rather too raucous and is not a very good actor.

As commented on by virtually all other reviewers, this has a silly story (even for a children's film) and so-so acting, but it's a jolly nice travelogue of 1960 Holland filmed in attractive, muted Eastmancolor, with a decent music score.

Interesting to see that the Holland shown seems relatively unscathed by WW2 (unlike the usual CFF "bombsite" London films). Bikes are much in evidence and I trust that it is still safe to leave them anywhere unlocked as shown here! Interesting also to note quite a few big German cars already around, and a few gigantic American ones (they were fairly common right up to the '70s).

Not one of these early CFF films is unworthy of attention; thanks again to UK's Talking Pictures channel. If small channels like these are allowed to thrive, who cares what the BBC does!

I am working my way through the CFF films currently being shown on Saturday mornings on Talking Pictures TV and this one has the silliest story and worse acting so far. Over acting by just about everyone in it with plenty of shots of the locals watching the action which ruins the believability still further. Not CFF's greatest effort by a long way.