Ciske the Rat

“Ciske de Rat” belongs to the Dickensean “little man’s hard life” model and tells a deceptively simple story about a boy in modern Netherlands. Persecution, loneliness, adults’ hostility, fear, mixture of obstinacy and tenderness, and even an imprisonment. Excellent camera movement and delicate portraying of Ciske’s fragile soul put this film out of merely historical context and ensure its place in the history of great cinema.

Director: Wolfgang Staudte

Cast: Dick van der Velde, Kees Brusse, Jenny van Maerlant, Riek Schagen, Stine Lerou, Lies Franken, Katja Ernst, Rob de Vries

Audience-only score — full critic data not yet in the ReelXO vault.