A Dog of Flanders (1935)

Tentative adaptation of Ouida's sentimental classic about a poor Flemish boy (Frankie Thomas) whose ambition is to become a painter.

Director:

Edward Sloman

Writers:

Ouida (novel), Dorothy Yost (adaptation),

Stars:

Frankie Thomas, O.P. Heggie, Helen Parrish

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Frankie Thomas	...	Nello Daas
O.P. Heggie	...	Grandfather Jehan Daas
Helen Parrish	...	Maria Cogez
DeWitt Jennings	...	Carl Cogez
Ann Shoemaker	...	Frau Ilse Cogez
Christian Rub	...	Hans
Richard Quine	...	Pieter Vanderkloot
Frank Reicher	...	Herr Vanderkloot
Nella Walker	...	Frau Vanderkloot
Addison Richards	...	Herr Herden
Josef Swickard	...	Monsieur de LaTour (replaced by Henry Kolker) (scenes deleted)
Sarah Padden	...	Frau Keller
Harry Beresford	...	Sacristan
Lightning	...	Leopold, 'Leo' the dog

Storyline

Tentative adaptation of Ouida's sentimental classic about a poor Flemish boy (Frankie Thomas) whose ambition is to become a painter.

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Plot Keywords:

boy | painter | grandson | veterinarian | prodigy | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 March 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

El perro de Flandes

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

72 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A contemporary news item listed Henry Kolker in the cast, but he never appeared.

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Connections

Referenced in Patrasche: A Dog of Flanders, Made in Japan (2007)

User Reviews

And Dream of More

The acting in this version of Ouida's sentimental story of a poor young boy who wants to be an artist definitely has its issues in terms of speaking lines; even O.P. Heggie, usually a very reliable talent, is poorly modulated. This I lay solely at the feet of the director, Edward Sloman, who had been directing for twenty years.

However, even though a dialog director might have aided some of the performances, the visuals in this are outstanding -- a hallmark of Sloman's work and veteran cinematographer J. Roy Hunt. The voice direction may be poor, but the physical acting is just fine. Given the story -- and the dialog -- references to Rubens, it should come as no surprise that the images refer to the artist, and make the point of the story thereby: that beauty is everywhere for those who can see it, and that faith hope and charity will be rewarded.

This may seem a naive sentiment in this day and age, but when was there a day and age where these virtues were not threatened? Surely a simple story is the place to begin to tell a simple tale.