Ciske de Rat (1955)
Date: 1955
Director: Wolfgang Staudte
Production Company: NV Filmtrust, Filmproductie My. “Amsterdam” N.V.
Stars: Dick van der Velde, Kees Brusse, Jenny van Maerlant, Riek Schagen, Stine Lerou, Lies Franken, Katja Ernst, Rob de Vries, Cees Laseur, Jan Teulings
Location(s): Amsterdam
Region(s): Netherlands
Storyline:
The story is set in the Amsterdam of the 50s, and told from the perspective of a teacher named Bruis. The narrative is centered around Cis Vrijmoeth, an oaf who never sees his father, because he is a sailor, and who is neglected by his mother. Time after time he is expelled from school. Only teacher Bruis can really handle and restrain the boy. In a fit of rage and fear, Ciske kills his mother with a knife and is sent to a youth detention center. In the end, his father returns from the sea and decides, together with Aunt Jans, to take care of him.
Additional Information:
Screen captures and uncredited comparative shots provided by Frank van den Berg and uploaded by Richard Lovejoy
With 2,433,000 viewers it is the third best visited movie of the Dutch cinema. The film was shown at the Venetian Movie Festival, where it won a Silver Lion of San Marco. It has also received an honourable mention from the Office Catholique Internationale du Cinéma.
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If you have any information regarding this production, the locations or, even better, some comparison shots please contact us. Images submitted must be in Landscape orientation, as would be seen on the cinema screen, not Portrait.
We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.
- Capture 1
- 02 Mar 2021
In the opening scene of the movie we see a canal tourist cruise boat entering the old town of Amsterdam. The same location can also be seen in the film 'Amsterdamned', Captures 28, 29 and 30 and in 'Modesty Blais' Capture 17. Location: Oudezijds Voorburgwal and we are looking at the Oudezijds Kolk, Amsterdam
Seems to Frank that not much has changed here over the years except for the non parking sign for boats.
- Capture 2
- 02 Mar 2021
Cis Vrijmoeth with the nickname Ciske de Rat (Dick van der Velde) is watching the boat passing by in front of his house. Location: Oudezijds Voorburgwal and we are looking at the Oudezijds Achterburgwal, Amsterdam
Not much changed in the oldest part of Amsterdam.
- Capture 3
- 02 Mar 2021
The typical Amsterdam barrel organ is playing right in front of Ciske’s home. Location: Oudezijds Voorburgwal/ Nieuwebrugsteeg, Amsterdam
From a barrel organ to all love in 2020.
- Capture 4
- 'Now' required
Ciske runs away from school after a conflict with the director of the school. His teacher Bruis (Kees Brusse) tries to calm Ciske down but nothing works for this troubled child. Location: Unknown
- Capture 5
- 02 Mar 2021
One of the few people Ciske can trust is his father (Rob de Vries) and Ciske’s father is a sailor who is on land at the moment. Location: Javakade 766, Amsterdam
In the 1990s, the area was redeveloped into a residential area, based on a plan by the Amsterdam architect Sjoerd Soeters. All buildings were demolished, except for a building belonging to the Cooperating Port Companies (SHB). There is nothing to recognise anymore.
- Capture 6
- 02 Mar 2021
The ship Ciske’s father is working on. Location: Javakade 766, Amsterdam
No boats, no cranes…. Just a strange looking bridge.
- Capture 7
- 02 Mar 2021
Ciske’s father is in conversation with Ciske’s guardian Mister Alarm (Ben Groenier) and this man is complaining about Ciske. Wisely Ciske’s father advises the guardian to take away Ciske from his horrible mother. Location: Javakade 766, Amsterdam
On the original shot can be seen in the background a building of the SMN (Stoomvaart- Maatschapij Nederland). That beautiful building is demolished and replaced by starship, eh sorry, Hotel Jakarta Amsterdam. Another one of the 6.384.971 hotels that are situated in Amsterdam.
- Capture 8
- 'Now' required
Ciske’s best friend, the sick Dorus in a wheelchair, is referee in a game of football on the street. Location: Unknown
- Capture 9
- 'Now' required
A police officer takes away the beloved football and all the children are angry about it. Location: Unknown
- Capture 10
- 02 Mar 2021
Ciske tries to steal the ball back but that doesn’t work out. As a payback he picks up a brick and throws it through the window of the police station. Location: Linnauesstraat 121, Amsterdam
The police station in Amsterdam east has been closed for years now and is replaced by the Portehouse bar. It’s better to drink a beer in an ex police station than sitting in a cell with a glass of water!
- Capture 11
- 'Now' required
With great haste Ciske and Dorus flee from the ‘crime scene’. Location: Unknown
- Capture 12
- 'Now' required
Ciske cannot stand the heat at home and takes his homework outside and his father comes by to see how his son is doing. Steve Randall has established the location as Oudeschans, there have been changes to the facade of the terrace, but the Dutch website https://www.amsterdamsebinnenstad.nl/binnenstad/lamp/oudeschans3.html provides an interesting read with regard to one of the properties.
- Capture 13
- 02 Mar 2021
Father and son talk about the miserable situation Ciske is in and his father promises to help him more in the near future. Location: Oude Waal, shot has been taken from Oude Waal 19, Amsterdam
It is remarkable that so many houseboats have appeared over the years.
- Capture 14
- 02 Mar 2021
Ciske’s teacher Bruis pays a visit to Ciske and his mother to see how the home situation is and he finds out that she is dating another man instead of Ciske’s father. Bruis tells her that he has become the new guardian of Ciske. She is not amused. Location: Oudezijds Achterburgwal and we are looking at the pedestrian Vredenburgerbrug at the Spooksteeg, Amsterdam.
One of the most beautiful places of whole Amsterdam. Luckily the place were Frank stood to take this photo is again accessible after many years of closure.
- Capture 15
- 02 Mar 2021
A couple of weeks later despite the sound of the barrel organ there is a loud scream to be heard and seconds later Ciske runs away from his mother’s house……… after numerous humiliations Ciske stabbed his mother to death in a rage of anger. Almost the same shot can be seen in 'Operation Amsterdam' Capture 31. Location: Oudezijds Voorburgwal at the intersection with Nieuwebrugsteeg and Sint Olofssteeg, Amsterdam
Frank wonders what kind of beer they served in the 50’s. Now it is Heineken of course.
- Capture 16
- 'Now' required
During the trial of Ciske, Bruis tells the Judge a story that he met Ciske and his friend Dorus and that Dorus gave a book to Ciske and that his mother did tear it apart for no reason. It made Ciske more angry day by day. Frank, whilst researching another film, found an old photograph of Kattenburg, the westernmost of the three Eastern Islands of Amsterdam, an area now totally re-developed. Additional photographs and maps would suggest that the buildings opposite were on Kattenburgerkade.
- Capture 17
- 'Now' required
Ciske with the book he got from Dorus. As with the previous capture Frank, was able to identify this as Kattenburg, the westernmost of the three Eastern Islands of Amsterdam, an area now totally re-developed. Once again, the buildings opposite were on Kattenburgerkade.
- Capture 18
- 'Now' required
Ciske is convicted to a disciplinary school and not to a jail because of the eased circumstances. After a while Bruis does visit Ciske just to see how this child is doing. He promise Ciske that he will visit the judge to ask him if Ciske can go to his aunt Jans after his release. Location: Garden of the observation house, Vosmaerstraat 1, Amsterdam
- Capture 19
- 02 Mar 2021
After Ciske’s release Ciske is indeed going to live with his aunt Jans but Bruis still does not know if he will take Ciske back to his school. Ciske decides to meet his former class again while they are playing. Location: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 2, Amsterdam
Street lights have the tendency to slowly, very slowly move in Amsterdam.. We only notice this fact because of Reelstreets.com!!
- Capture 20
- 02 Mar 2021
The children are indeed playing. Location: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 2, Amsterdam
For sure there was more graffiti in the 50’s. And who needs bars in front of your window these days!
- Capture 21
- 02 Mar 2021
Suddenly Ciske appears and some want them to join and some of them don’t want to play with him, but the majority wants to play with Ciske with the exception of Jantje Verkerk. Location: Oudezijds Achterburgwal and we are looking at the pedestrian Vredenburgerbrug at the Spooksteeg, Amsterdam
This bridge was closed for years and reopened a while ago. There are still in Amsterdam dozens of these locations that are closed because everything is so narrow and therefore uncontrollable.
- Capture 22
- 02 Mar 2021
The children are playing in a huge truck that stands there and Ciske is in front of the car behind the steering wheel. Location: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 2, Amsterdam
These two houses in the middle may look very old but here is the proof that they are not!
- Capture 23
- 02 Mar 2021
Jantje Verkerk is angry and removes a rock that has a function as a brake. Location: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 2, Amsterdam
In 2020 we did find a well here.
- Capture 24
- 02 Mar 2021
Accident strikes when the truck starts moving. All the children manage to jump of the truck except for Ciske. Location: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 2, Amsterdam
Remove that ugly fence!
- Capture 25
- 02 Mar 2021
The truck with Ciske in it falls into the canal and Ciske is about to drown. By a miracle Ciske survives and recovers at aunt Jans house. Location: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 2, Amsterdam
Since the filming of 'Ciske de Rat' no trucks dare come here!
- Capture 26
- 02 Mar 2021
The former boyfriend of Ciske’s mother has lost all faith and spends his days in the pubs drinking and drinking. Here he got kicked out a pub. Location: Zeedijk 46, Amsterdam
Nowadays there is a pizzeria in this location.
- Capture 27
- 02 Mar 2021
He talks to some random people on the street and complains about his life. Funny detail is that if you look closely to this shot you see on the background a sign from a pub called 'San Francisco'. This pub still exist and is one of the few original pubs that are still there today. Location: Zeedijk 44, Amsterdam
Nowadays there is a store located in Café Brabant called: 'Mary Go Wild'. Frank wonders what store there will be situated next year.
- Capture 28
- 02 Mar 2021
Screaming and shouting about his former girlfriend. Location: Spooksteeg, Amsterdam
Another fence that would be better removed!
- Capture 29
- 02 Mar 2021
Jantje Verkerk feels so guilty about what he did to Ciske that he and his class are going to aunt Jans house to pay their respect to Ciske. All the children do sing in front of aunt Jans house and Ciske may return to his former class once he is recovered. Location: Oude Waal 34, Amsterdam
This house has been conserved perfectly by the years!
- Capture 30
- 02 Mar 2021
Jantje Verkerk has given a book to Ciske and there is peace now in the class. Ciske stays with aunt Jans, Bruis will stay the guardian of Ciske and……. Ciske’s Father is coming home today! Ciske and aunt Jans are waiting on the quay for the ship to arrive. Location: Javakade 766, Amsterdam
The only thing left from the 50’s is that if you look closely on the left of the original shot there is an iron bollard that is still standing today.
- Capture 31
- 02 Mar 2021
At the end all is good when his father arrives and he promise to find a job on land instead of the sea. Location: Noordwal, Amsterdam
We see the Javaeiland here in the middle of the river Ij. The Javaeiland was completely demolished and rebuild in the 90’s.