Movie Review: A Boy of Flanders (United States, 1924)


Figure 1.--Here Jackie Coogan weas his little Dutch boy costume for the 1924 silent classic--"A Boy of Flanders". He play the poor little Dutch boy Nello. Actually he was from Flanders in Belgium, but as he spole Dutch (Flemish is a Dutch dialect), he is often referred to as a Dutch boy. He is surely the best known Dutch or Belgian boy literary character, ironically he is better known outside of Belgium and the Netherlands than in either country.

This is a production of the Ouida classic, A Dog of Flanders I'm nor sure why they changed the title, presumably to highlight the role of Jackie Coogan, the child star playing the little Dutch boy. Jackie was the first big American child movie star. He made it big with Charlie Chaplin in "The Kid" (1921). He was about 10 years old when he made this film and by this time well known to film audiences world wide. It was still the silent era and fims could easily be marketed world wide by just changeing the text segments. One review complained that Jackie was becoming a little less innocent and learning stage tricks. A reviewer writes, "Jackie does just what you might expect a small-time vaudevillian to do under given circumstances. There are many points of wistful appeal in the tale of the little Dutch orphan, persecuted by the narrow village as a tiny vagabond, who wins a prize and recognition with his drawing just as the snow mounts higher and higher around his ragged clothes. He shows his amazingly facile versatility by running through all emotions, by doing a clog dance and even by doing a Julian Eltinge in girl's clothes. But his inimitable naturalness and naivete are being crowded out by stereotyped gestures and muggings, such as no small 'boy does except at an amateur entertainment." He wears a variety of outfits like sterotypical little Dutch boy outfits. In one scene he disguises himself as a girl in order to attend a girl's party. He wears a traditional Dutch girl's outfit, consisting of white lace cap, ruffled white blouse, full skirted peasant's dress, and apron. He is discovered when he eats too many sweets and gets sick.

Filmology

This is a production of the Ouida classic, A Dog of Flanders I'm nor sure why they changed the title, presumably to highlight the role of Jackie Coogan, the child star playing the little Dutch boy.

Cast

Jackie Coogan was the first big American child movie star. He made it big with Charlie Chaplin in "The Kid" (1921). Jackie was especially noted for playing classic boy roles like Oliver Twist. Here is another of his classic roles. Jackie was about 10 years old when he made this film and by this time well known to film audiences world wide. It was still the silent era and fims could easily be marketed world wide by just changeing the text segments. One review complained that Jackie was becoming a little less innocent and learning stage tricks. A reviewer writes, "Jackie does just what you might expect a small-time vaudevillian to do under given circumstances. There are many points of wistful appeal in the tale of the little Dutch orphan, persecuted by the narrow village as a tiny vagabond, who wins a prize and recognition with his drawing just as the snow mounts higher and higher around his ragged clothes. He shows his amazingly facile versatility by running through all emotions, by doing a clog dance and even by doing a Julian Eltinge in girl's clothes. But his inimitable naturalness and naivete are being crowded out by stereotyped gestures and muggings, such as no small 'boy does except at an amateur entertainment." ["The new ...."]

The Book

A Dog of Flanders is a classic child's book about a boy named Nello and his massive dog Patrasche. The author was Marie Louise de la Ramée who used the pseudonym Ouida. The book was published in 1872 and was widely read by children in the late-19th and early 20th century. It may have had more of an impact outside of Belgium than within, in part because of the country's linguistic and cultural divide. A Dutch boy mat not have been all that appealing to French-spealing Belgians. And the teribly sad ending does not help. There is a small statue of Nello and Patrache at the Kapelstraat (Chapel Street) in the Antwerp suburb of Hoboken. Ther is also a commemorative plaque in front of the Antwerp Cathedral. although notably donated by Toyota. This book is very popular in Japan, probably more so than in Belgium. This classic book is real tear jearker. It is today seen as a children's book, but like other books at the time (like Tom Sawyer and Little Lord Fauntleroy) was not written specifically for children. The book is set in late-19th century Belgium, comtemporary to the publication date. A boy named Nello becomes orphaned when he is 2 years old. His mother dies in the Ardennes. His grandfather, Jehan Daas, who is very poor cares for him. He thus grows up with his grandfather in a small village, Hoboken, lcated near the great metropolitan center of Antwerp. Kind-hearted Nello discovers a dog had been viciously beaten. He takes him in and names him Patrasche. Johan and Nello nurse him back to health. Nello and Patrasche become inseparable, totally devoted to each other. As they are poor, Nello cannot attend school, but instead assists grandfather on his milk route. Patrasche also helps by pulling the milk cart into the village. Nello has a good friend, Aloise. She is the daughter of a well-to-do man in the village. The class-conscious father doesn't approve of the friendship ad Nello is so poor and has no schooling. While Nello is illiterate, he has an artistic bent. He enters a junior drawing contest in Antwerp, hoping to win a hansome prize--200 francs per year. That would allow him to study art. The prize jury awards the award to abnother boy. Then things really go down hill. Grandfather dies and Nello is accused of causing a fire. He is evicted and the boy is reduced to desperation. He goes to the cathedral of Antwerp to see Rubens' "The Elevation of the Cross", but he doesn't have the coin needed to enter. Nello and Patrasche on Christmas Eve go to Antwerp one final time and find the door to the Cathedral left open. The next morning they are found frozen to death in front of the Ruben's triptych. That is a rather tough ending for the kids. The film versions tend to change the ending.

Plot


Costuming

Jackie wears a variety of outfits like sterotypical little Dutch boy outfits. In one scene he disguises himself as a girl in order to attend a girl's party. He wears a traditional Dutch girl's outfit, consisting of white lace cap, ruffled white blouse, full skirted peasant's dress, and apron. He is discovered when he eats too many sweets and gets sick.

Other Productions

There are many other film versions of Ouida's A Dog of Flanders. The book has been adapted for quite a number of film and TV versions, including animated versions. The first was "A Dog of Flanders" (1914) directed by Howell Hansel. The Jackie Coogan version, "A Boy of Flanders" (1924) directed by Victor Schertzinger was the best known silent version. The first talkie was "A Dog of Flanders" (1935), directed by Edward Sloman. The best known version today is the color "A Dog of Flanders" (1960) directed by James B. Clark. David Ladd did a wonderful job as Nello. There are several Japanese animated versions. The lasted version was "A Dog of Flanders" (1999) directed by Kevin Brodie.

Sources

"The new picture," Time (April 21, 1924).






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Created: 4:06 PM 6/4/2008
Last updated: 10:06 PM 2/21/2013