Sangue fiammingo

On May 30th, 1640, the great Flemish Painter, Peter Paul Rubens, died leaving a plethora of great works. It is among these masterpieces, The Raising of the Cross, which became the foundation of perhaps one of the most beloved Hollywood films of all time. The movie is called " A Dog of Flanders " and is directed by James B. Clark. " It tells the story of a young boy named Nello Dass (David Ladd) who with his grandfather, Jehan (Donald Crisp) reside in the city of Antwerp and make a modest living delivering milk. Nello does his best to aid his aging, ailing grandfather, who plans of sending the boy to sea or have him become an apprentice miller. Nello on the other hand dreams of one day becoming a great artist like Rubens. Unfortunately, their poverty prevents their ambitions. Instead,during their delivery rounds, they discover a badly abused cart dog lying in a ditch. With care and compassion they nurse the dog back to health and with the new name Patrasche, becomes part of the impoverished family. However, several obstacles confront Nello, namely, his grandfather's sudden death and the cruel former owner of the dog returns to claim him. Theodore Bikel plays Piet van Gelder, is the gruffy painter who befriends the boy and does a remarkable job of adding sympathetic cohesion to this story. With a touch of humanity, love and endearment, the audience is allowed a moment to believe that a single act of kindness can bring tears and inner joy. Easily Recommended to all. ****

Back when I was 14 I saw A Dog of Flanders and viewing it today showed it is a fresh and appealing as I remember it.

Young David Ladd is Nello Daas the aspiring young artist who lives with his elderly infirm grandfather, Donald Crisp. The two of them take in a cruelly treated dog and name it Patrasche after the dog that famed artist Peter Paul Rubens had.

Life's pretty hard for the Daases, becomes doubly so after Crisp dies and young Nello can no longer care for Patrasche. Life also has a funny way of resolving things as well.

Besides Ladd and Crisp the only other English speaking player in the film is Theodore Bikel. The continental locations in Belgium and the Netherlands which were one country back at the time this story takes place are well photographed. Ladd, Crisp, Bikel as the artist who recognizes the talent in Ladd give wonderful performances.

There was another version of A Dog of Flanders done by RKO studios in the Thirties. It might be nice to see for comparison, but I doubt it matches this one.

For this A Dog of Flanders is a timeless family classic.

Early effort of producer Robert Radnitz (SOUNDER, WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS) is distinguished by colorful location photography (in the Netherlands), fine acting and an uncondescending script.

David Ladd (son of Alan) gives a believable, unmannered performance as the orphan boy with artistic longings, and veteran Donald Crisp shines, as always, as his loving grandfather. Character actor Theodore Bikel is also an asset, playing the prickly artist who somewhat reluctantly takes the boy under his wing.

Dog-lovers should note that the title canine's role in this story is important yet not central, serving mainly to set the plot in motion. But it's a lovable pooch nonetheless, and goes through its paces with perfect doggish realism, a tribute to its skilled handlers and a refreshing change of pace from such modern CGI manipulations as SNOW DOGS.

This film is unflinching in its portrayal of what can be a harsh and uncaring world, and younger and/or sensitive children may find it tough going before the ultimately happy ending. My daughter saw this when she was 8; two-thirds of the way into it she was weeping openly and was only somewhat mollified by the heart-warming conclusion. Recommended for 10 and up.

I went to see this movie in 1961, when I was fourteen, and it became one of only four movies seen during my life that actually moved me to tears in the cinema (for the record, the others were LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING; THE PROUD REBEL and THE STORY OF RUTH). A DOG OF FLANDERS is a superb tear-jerker, filmed on location in Holland and Belgium in 1959, but set in 1900. It stars the then twelve-year-old David Ladd as the orphan Nello and veteran actor Donald Crisp as his elderly and infirm grandfather. Although devoted to one another, they live a very poor life selling milk from a hand cart they pull around Antwerp. Nello is an artistic, intelligent and sensitive little boy who wants to paint like his idol, Peter Paul Rubens, but he has no money to enable him to study or to buy proper materials to paint with. They find a badly treated dog, left to die at the roadside by his heartless owner and take him home and care for him. Because he's been so badly treated, it takes time for him to accept them as his friends. But eventually, they gain his trust. Nello names him Patrasche...the name that Rubens had given to his dog...and he becomes part of the small family, even pulling the cart when grandfather is unable to do so any more. One day, Nello has just finished a sketch of the old man dozing in a chair outside their one-roomed hut and goes to show him the finished drawing. But he cannot awaken him and slowly, he comes to realize that his beloved grandfather is dead. Completely bereft and unable to keep up the rent on their home, Nello and Patrasche are evicted by an uncaring landlord in the middle of winter. Somehow, they have to learn how to survive without his grandfather in a harsh and bitter world. A DOG OF FLANDERS, from the 1872 novel by Ouida, had been filmed previously, notably in 1934, but never so well as this. It really is beautifully done all round and everyone connected with it should feel very proud of the result. The music score by Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter is very haunting and David Ladd, who had previously given such a truly wonderful performance alongside his father Alan in THE PROUD REBEL (1958), is superb. David and I shared the same Christian name, were both the same age and had similar looks, which made it easy for me to identify with him in A DOG OF FLANDERS, which became one of my all time favorite movies. Theodore Bikel has a good character role in it as an artist who befriends Nello, eventually adopts him and helps him to realize his dreams. Beautifully filmed in CinemaScope and Color by De Luxe, this is a wonderful film and you really would have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by it. I give it ten out of ten.

Maybe it is a tad old fashioned, but this film still can knock one on one's ass with its simple and powerful story. If only films today could be as simply endearing as this one. The acting is not award winning, yet it is heartfelt,honest and straightforward. The score is fantastic as it is truly an organic part of the film's fabric and the photography is breathtaking as it should inspire a visit to Antwerp and leave one in wonder when one realizes how beautifully the camera has captured it's energy, it's town square,it's gorgeous cathedral and especially the Peter Paul Reubens paintings. Classic may be an overused and well worn word but it perfectly describes this film. Small, honest and completely unpretentious it still stands as one of the most perfect children's stories that all ages can enjoy,weep and rejoice at.