An appreciation for fine art, virtue, and relationships marks this family film set in Europe when Flanders was still Flanders before it was swallowed up by France and Belgium. But parents should be aware that this 95-minute video also features a good dollop of death, beginning with the demise of the hero's mother at the very beginning when he is just a baby. Raised by his impoverished grandfather (Jack Warden), Nello (Jeremy James Kissner) nevertheless finds happiness in the dog he finds left for dead, a neighbor girl who becomes his soul mate, and the talent for drawing he inherits from his mother. He even becomes the protégé of the town's premier painter (Jon Voight). But life holds many bitter lessons for Nello, including the death of his grandfather when he is a teen, betrayal by those he trusts, and his own near-death. Gorgeously shot on location by director and co-writer Kevin Brodie, this movie has many rewards, including, finally, a happy ending. For mature 7-year-olds and up.

I've just seen this movie on TV. When I saw it advertised, I thought that it would be interesting. And it was. The story of the kid all alone in the world, who is phorbidden to see his best friend and is unfairly accused of being a criminal and, above all dreams of being a great painter, accompanied by a dog was really going quite well. And when I saw that scene where the kid was watching is own funeral I thought it was going to end that way. But no! They had to put a cheesy, melodramatic ending with no sense at all. In my opinion, the movie would have been perfect if it had ended with the kid actually dying. It would make much more sense, given the evolution of the story. Like this it is a fantastic movie, with an horrible ending.

I don't know why they named this "A Dog Of Flanders" because the dog doesn't really have the lead in this movie. I think they used it to make people think it was a "Lassie Come Home" kind of movie. Yes, the dog is 'whipped' by a cruel master in the beginning and he does stay by the side of the little boy throughout the story but he doesn't do anything so outstanding that the movie should be named around his character. SPOILERS Be that as it may - I cried with this film and really didn't want to rent it because all animal/child stories can make me cry. I hate to see any animal or child mistreated and I figured that might happen. The little boy is orphaned by his dying mother and raised by his Grandfather in a poverty shack with a landlord who is your typical Simon Legree. The dead mother was a talented artist and the boy inherits the gift. He works to become a famous artist and falls under the wing of a rich art/patron/teacher who keeps running off to Rome. There are false accusations against the boy over the burning of a barn, the landlord tosses him out of the shack after his Grandpa dies, the dog does cause the accidental death of his original cruel master when the cruel master tries to take him away from the boy. The end is sort of hokey but caught me off guard because I really thought the kid died. By the end of the film I was crying like a baby and applauding the movie itself. I recommend it if you're in the mood for a good 'break my heart' movie.

This was a great film that the whole family can enjoy. It reminds us that not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth even though they may possess a great talent. The story is of course dramatic and is about a boy's struggle to become an artist even when faced with obstacles of a financial and personal nature. Warner Brother's deserves a thumbs up for this fine film.