De Witte (1980)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 106 minuten
Alternative title: De Witte van Sichem
Country:
Belgium
Directed by: Robbe De Hert
Stars: Eric Clerckx, Blanka Heirman and Willy Vandermeulen
IMDb score:
6,7 (814)
Releasedate: 17 December 1980
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
De Witte plot
1901. His name is Louie but they call him Wittekop, after his hair. When he is sentenced again, he is locked in a junk room at school, where he sees the work of Henry Conscience. The Lion of Flanders has a lot of influence on him. In the meantime, socialism is growing, a movement with which he subconsciously agrees. Based on the book De Witte by Ernest Claes.
Actors and actresses
Louis Verheyden/De Witte
Vader van de Witte
Moeder van de Witte
Teacher
Lisa
Rosette
Reviews & comments
Alathir
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- 2162 messages
- 1657 votes
It's hard to put a specific number on this right now. A typical Flemish film with the necessary humour. De Witte is looking for it himself, but you actually feel sorry if he gets [/i] under his screw again. [i] Personally I thought the movie would be much longer but maybe I'm confusing it with the series. I had seen the movie once before, but since it was so long ago, I decided to watch it again. A lot was certainly still recognizable, which shows how legendary some scenes are. I liked the fights the least. I couldn't immediately name another film to mirror this one. I do think that you really have to be Belgian or Flemish to really appreciate this. The budget also doesn't seem to be very high to me plus there are already cars on display from the 70s at the end. There are probably still flaws, but you can easily see through them with the antics of De Witte.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Filmkriebel
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- 10326 messages
- 4837 votes
The good old days, they can have it, said my blessed great-grandmother, whom I have known. In her old age she did not want to experience this again. I had to read Claes's book at school but I couldn't remember it being such a sad story. I especially remember the antics of De Witte. It is a portrait of poor Flanders in 1900, where the church still has a lot to say and gets involved in politics, where daily life revolved around hard work and the people were harsh and blunt, where it was growing up in loveless families. Was the White so much worse than other guys at the time? No, the time was just like that. But things get really bleak when the 12-year-old boy is driven to suicidal thoughts when everyone keeps turning against him. Strange moment in the film during the "Golden Spurs Battle" when you suddenly hear planes pass by. De Witte van Zichem isn't bad at all, but the film lacks light moments because it felt heavy.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Fisico
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- 10039 messages
- 5398 votes
Typical nostalgic Flemish film that probably only comes into its own in Flanders. Seen several times at the grandparents' house and De Witte van Sichem can safely be counted as part of the canon of the Belgian film world.
Perhaps nothing special in terms of content, with twelve-year-old Louis - Wittekop - Verheyden playing pranks to the despair of his parents. Working has killed him before. When he discovers the book “The Lion of Flanders” by Conscience, he is completely absorbed in reenacting the battle as the pinnacle. The film is quite fragmentary, but still gives a good idea of the zeitgeist. At the beginning of 1900, the now contested Leopold II was still king and his bust also adorns the classroom.
The strongly religious farming community and the influence of local dignitaries such as the teacher and the pastor are hard to imagine today. Socialism is devilish if it were already on the rise in the cities around the same period. That is also why some looked suspiciously at the work in the factories in the cities.
Nice supporting role by Raymond van het Groenewoud as ticket cutter. Otherwise well acted, although rather flat and theatrical at times. Might seem a bit strange today.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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