A Dog of Flanders

I remember back in 1961 seeing David Ladd and Donald Crisp as young Nello and his grandfather in that version of A Dog Of Flanders and liking it very much. So I'm glad I finally got to see this most famous version of the story. Being from RKO Studio it hardly had the money put in it like the other one did which was I believe shot in the story's location of Belgium. In fact looking at the sets it kind of reminded me of sets from RKO's Anne Of Green Gables or Little Women. RKO like every other studio never built sets for one film. They got charming use out of them for this film.

Nello is played here by Frankie Thomas who would go on to play all American boy types like Ted Nickerson in the Nancy Drew series, or the minister's son in One Foot In Heaven or the intrepid Tim Tyler in the Tim Tyler's Luck serial. A little younger here Thomas is both winning and refreshing. His scenes with the rich girl Helen Parrish are most appealing.

Thomas has two passions, drawing and a German Shepherd dog he and Heggie took in after his cruel master left him for dead. He wants to enter an art contest with his sketches, but might not be able to afford the entry fee and they're so poor.

This version of A Dog Of Flanders is now 80 years old, but it still pulls the heartstrings. There is a silent version of this story and a more recent one that 1961. Still Frankie Thomas's will moisten your eyes unless you're a statue.