Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Movie
Review: I simply love this Movie I saw this as a child, it seemed it only showed for a few years after that and then just went away to the film locker. But I kept it in my memory and decided to see if I could find it. My kids would find it boring and OLD but to those of us Oldies who remember it and loved it it is a Wonderful memory filled movie to watch.

Rating:
Summary: Warm story with memories
Review: I'm not quite sure how this movie would do with young people today. I saw it once nearly 30 years ago and I loved and felt the need to buy it just to see it again when it was released on DVD. I found myself remembering certain parts of it and images in an uncanny sort of way.

The story is a bit simplistic, but the scenery is interesting and there is a surreal little dream sequence which is great, though not brilliant. Overall, I got out of it what I wanted and would gladly share this movie with other young people...though I'm not sure how much of their attention it would hold in this modern age...?

Rating:
Summary: Classic Story, Classic Disney Storytelling
Review: This movie was filmed for the Disney anthology TV series "Walt Disney's Wonderful World Of Color" (also known as "The Wonderful World Of Color") and was shown in two parts on January 7 & 14, 1962. The film was released theatrically outside the United States in 1964. I consider this film among Disney's best live-action films of its time.

The film is based on Mary Mapes Dodge's classic 1865 book of the same title. It is a shame that the book and film are both unknown by most people, because both are very special.

The story has everything I want in a film - characters I can admire and care about, who overcome numerous hardships and earn their happy ending.

The scenery is beautiful - filmed in the Zuider Zee area of Holland near the scenic communities of Comperduin and Volendam, as well as at Rembrandt's home in Amsterdam. The winter scenes for the skating races were filmed in Sweden.

The basic plot is of a brother and sister trying to win a skating race for money for their father's operation. He needs an operation due to brain damage from a head injury. The family is also desperately poor, because only the father knows where their savings are hidden - and he cannot remember. The story is full of adventure, hardship, mystery, and the love of a family for each other.

I first remember this film from seeing it on the Disney Channel in the mid 1980s. I have enjoyed watching the film numerous times over the years and am thrilled to finally have a chance to buy it on DVD.