Marie Louise de la Ramée (1839-1908) wrote many popular novels of adventure and romance in the 1870s and 80s under the pen name of Ouida. She also produced a number of captivating stories for youngsters. One of the best, A Dog of Flanders,. First published in 1872, A Dog of Flanders tells the moving story of Nello, a gentle boy with aspirations of becoming a painter, and Patrasche — his devoted Belgian work dog. The two, along with Nello's grandfather, live in a little village near Antwerp where Nello's idol, the artist Rubens, once worked. Nello and Patrasche suffer countless hardships — poverty, hunger, cruelty, and rejection. But they persevere in the face of adversity, up to their tragic, bittersweet end.
Adaptations (8)
A Dog of Flanders has been adapted 8 times, across film and television series, from 1924 to 2015. The most recent is Tensai Bakavon: Yomigaeru Flanders no Inu (2015).
A Boy of Flanders1924 · film · 70 min · dir. Victor Schertzinger · IMDb ↗IMDb7.5An orphan boy wins a prize for his drawing.
A Dog of Flanders1935 · film · 72 min · dir. Edward Sloman · IMDb ↗IMDb6.3Adaptation of Ouida's sentimental classic about a poor Flemish boy (Frankie Thomas) whose ambition is to become a painter.
Dog of Flanders1975 · television series · 24 min · IMDb ↗IMDb8.1Nello Tarth is a poor but happy orphan who lives with his grandfather Jehan in a little village nearby Antwerp. Nello has a talent for drawing pictures and has been fascinated by it since he saw one of Rubens (a famous artist) pictures as a little boy. Helping Jehan with the daily milk delivery to Antwerp, Nello one day discovers Patrash, a working dog who has been mistreated and abandoned by his former owner. He treats the exhausted animal and after a little while a close and dependable friendship develops. Alois Cojez, the daughter of the richest and hence most influential man in Blacken Village, is Nellos best friend. When Nello decides to become an artist he has to experience firsthand the ignorance and cruelty of the villagers. Especially Alois father thinks of him as a slacker who cannot earn his living by drawing pictures. Nontheless Nello perseveres and never gives up to achieve his dream and to win their appreciation and respect while strenuously struggling with his poverty.
My Patrasche1992 · television series · IMDb ↗My Patrasche is a 1992 Japanese animated television series adaptation of Maria Louise Ramé's A Dog of Flanders, produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha. The series also became popular in the Philippines through its franchiser ABS-CBN.
The Dog of Flanders1997 · film · 93 min · dir. Yoshio Kuroda · IMDb ↗IMDb7.7Nello Tarth is a poor but happy orphan who lives with his grandfather Jehan and his dog Patrasche in a little village near Antwerp. He spends his days drawing and delivering milk. When Nello decides to enter an art contest, he experiences firsthand the ignorance and cruelty of the villagers of the town. Nonetheless, with the help of his beloved dog, Nello perseveres to achieve his dream.
A Dog of Flanders1999 · film · 100 min · dir. Kevin Brodie · IMDb ↗Poor but happy, young Nello and his grandfather live alone, delivering milk as a livelihood, in the outskirts of Antwerp, a city in Flanders (the Flemish or Dutch-speaking part of modern-day Belgium). They discover a beaten dog (a Bouvier, a large sturdy dog native to Flanders) and adopt it and nurse it back to health, naming it Patrasche, the middle name of Nello's mother Mary, who died when Nello was very young. Nello's mother was a talented artist, and like his mother, he delights in drawing, and his friend Aloise is his model and greatest fan and supporter.
- A Dog of Flanders? · film · dir. Howell Hansel · IMDb ↗
Nello was a little boy who lived with his aged grandfather near Antwerp. They were very poor, but because they loved each other so much were happier than many persons who enjoyed luxury. The child's only friend, outside of her grandfather, was an animal, who has gone down in history as "A Dog of Flanders."
