Ciske is expelled from his school after pouring ink over his teacher's head (looks like he was punished in a corner when he did it--not enough to know what the motivation was)... he returns to a tavern where his mother works, and he helps. What an awful existence for a child his age. He worshiped his father, who, as a seaman is often away, and his mother clearly has very little use for him. His mistreatment continues by his mom (who is constantly entertaining male guests much to Ciske's (short for Franciskus) chagrin. Her "boyfriends" join in the mistreatment of the lad, including beating him. His dad on a rare visit tells Ciske he is leaving his mother and introduces him to his new girlfriend/fiancée, who takes to him immediately--she becomes his one ray of light in a very bleak world.
At his new school he befriends a lad (Dorus) stricken with polio, and is relentlessly harassed by the other boys. One can't help but like this feisty kid, who clearly has a good heart. Dorus eventually dies, but leaves Ciske his favorite book (I think Gulliver's travels), and the boy in tears brings it home and gingerly wishes to make a book cover for it. While thus engaged, his mother (for lack of a better word) snatches the book, and begins to tear pages out of it throwing them on the floor. In a rage the boy blindly grabs a knife and swipes at her, striking her in the neck, where she apparently bleeds to death. He is sent to a juvenile prison and is once again fending for himself in a rough world.
Enough of the spoiler stuff, the child eventually reunites with his much beloved father, and reunites HIM with his estranged fiancée (he divorced Ciske's mom--big surprise!)... He performs an act of great heroism, courage and selflessness after being mistreated, becomes a hero, and we have a happy ending to a truly moving story. If one can get the words to the theme Danny de Munk (Ciske) sings: "Ik Voel Me Zo Verdomd Alleen".. (I just feel so damned alone)... the song truly says it all in as touching a manner as the movie relates his story. I would recommend this to anyone; but would highly recommend some familiarity with this plot, or at the very least a captioned one in their native language.
At his new school he befriends a lad (Dorus) stricken with polio, and is relentlessly harassed by the other boys. One can't help but like this feisty kid, who clearly has a good heart. Dorus eventually dies, but leaves Ciske his favorite book (I think Gulliver's travels), and the boy in tears brings it home and gingerly wishes to make a book cover for it. While thus engaged, his mother (for lack of a better word) snatches the book, and begins to tear pages out of it throwing them on the floor. In a rage the boy blindly grabs a knife and swipes at her, striking her in the neck, where she apparently bleeds to death. He is sent to a juvenile prison and is once again fending for himself in a rough world.
Enough of the spoiler stuff, the child eventually reunites with his much beloved father, and reunites HIM with his estranged fiancée (he divorced Ciske's mom--big surprise!)... He performs an act of great heroism, courage and selflessness after being mistreated, becomes a hero, and we have a happy ending to a truly moving story. If one can get the words to the theme Danny de Munk (Ciske) sings: "Ik Voel Me Zo Verdomd Alleen".. (I just feel so damned alone)... the song truly says it all in as touching a manner as the movie relates his story. I would recommend this to anyone; but would highly recommend some familiarity with this plot, or at the very least a captioned one in their native language.