Little Rascal Seamen's Wives

German director Douglas Sirk made Little Rascal while in Holland between his flight from the Nazis and his arrival in the U.S. The last Dutch silent film, Seamen's Wives was supposed to be the Netherlands' first talkie.

Second feature start time: 8:40 pm. Little Rascal tells the story of a street urchin in Rotterdam who's reformed by a kindly priest. It was Douglas Sirk's last European film before he arrived in the U.S. and embarked on the Hollywood career that produced such classics as All That Heaven Allows, Magnificient Obsession, and Imitation of Life. Sirk left the Netherlands the same day the last shots were filmed. (Douglas Sirk, 1939; 90 mins.)

Seamen's Wives is an atmospheric period film about a woman torn between a worthy sailor and her own criminal past. It was intended to be the first Dutch sound film but was released as a silent following problems with the then-new sound technology. It's shown here in an experimental 2003 version that adds synchronized dialogue (constructed from reading the actors' lips), new music by Dutch composer Henny Vrienten, and sound effects. (Henk Kleinman, 1930; 85 mins.)

The Human Dutch was conceived by the UCLA Film and Television Archive and the Nederlands Filmmuseum in association with the Consulate General of the Netherlands, Los Angeles. The program is presented with the support of the Dutch Cultural Fund.


support credits

Season support provided by the Rohauer Collection Foundation and the Corporate Annual Fund of the Wexner Center Foundation.

Contemporary films, international films, and visiting filmmakers presented with support from the Ohio Arts Council.