De jongen uit het wilde westen

Summary

Children’s film by the pioneering children’s filmmaker Henk van der Linden.

De jongen uit het Wilde Westen is the first western ever shot in the Netherlands. It tells the story of twelve year-old Jimmie who helps his father at the family ranch. When he is out looking for some lost cattle, he is captured by a gang of desperadoes looking for gold. Helped by Jane, the granddaughter of gold digger Sam, he chases them off. They also have to keep out of the way of the Indians who happen to be on the warpath.

Van der Linden’s western did not make it to the cinema unscathed: the film board cut the scene in which Jane almost falls into a crater. It was thought to be too upsetting for children.

Self-taught director Van der Linden is regarded as the pioneer of the Dutch children’s film. Between 1952 and 1985 he made some forty feature length films, often based on popular children’s books and cartoons such ‘De avonturen van Dik Trom’, ‘Sjors en Sjimmie’ and ‘Billy Turf’ (Billy Bunter). Van der Linden not only directed, produced and edited the film, he also wrote the screenplay, designed the sets and worked behind the camera.