A Dog Of Flanders (A Dog of Flanders)

- Father! - Mary!

Papa!

I know you have little for yourself, Father.

Promise me you'll take care of Nello?

Do you still have my drawings?

Yes.

Please give them to my boy...

to help him remember me.

Even when I'm gone...

I'll be watching over you...

my little masterpiece.

God has so much planned for you.

I love you.

I love you, Nello.

I'll always be with you.

Can you hear your mother?

You must listen with your heart.

She talks through your God-given talent. You even make me look good!

Come on! I'll race you to the village.

Come on!

- I'll beat you, Grandpa! - Look at him go.

I'll beat you!

- Here you are, Nello. - Thank you.

Good day.

- Good morning, madam. - Hello. And good day to you, sir.

What have you been up to now?

Have you forgotten how old you are?

Oh, yeah.

I prefer to think of my spirit as ageless.

- Here. - No, no. The boy, the boy.

Thank you, sir.

If you please.

Thank you, ma'am.

Just a moment.

That's for you.

If you please.

- Thank you, ma'am. - And this too.

Move!

Move!

You know what, Nello?

I think tonight we'll have veal stew. Minus the veal, of course.

Grandpa, look.

Is he alive?

Barely.

Who could do such a thing?

Some men have no respect for life.

This is a dog of Flanders.

A hardworking breed of dog.

We can't just leave him here. Can we keep him?

He can share my food.

He's not hungry.

Well, it takes energy to eat.

Leave it.

Maybe later.

What else can we do?

A little broth and a lot of love.

He's starved for both.

I love you so much. So you'll have to get better, okay?

It's a magic necklace. It'll heal you.

What's that?

You should draw what you hope to see.

It's too sad, Nello.

That's better.

Grandpa, he's drinking it! He's getting better.

Well, I'm going to get me one of those magic necklaces!

That's the spirit.

So, what do you think?

Never underestimate the power of love, my boy.

He needs a name.

Patrasche.

Your mother's middle name.

Then they'll both be watching over me.

Grandfather, maybe you should see a doctor.

For him to tell me something I already know, that I'm old and tired?

I know that.

Grandfather...

you're never going to die and leave me like Mother, are you?

Why don't you take Patrasche and introduce him to Aloise?

No, I'd rather stay here with you.

Come on. Go. Have fun.

You're becoming an old man, like me.

Now we meet Aloise, my best friend.

Don't worry. She's not a dog. She's just a girl.

Hi, Aloise.

Hi, Nello.

Whose dog is it?

Mine. Aloise, meet Patrasche, my new best friend.

I thought I was your best friend.

I mean my best dog friend. Just like Posche is your best horse friend.

Okay, sounds reasonable.

Nello, how come you never go to school?

I don't know.

Is it because you have to help your grandfather?

I like helping Grandpa.

Besides, who cares about books anyway?

Grandpa?

I seem to be more trouble than help these days.

You're no trouble.

You just need a magic necklace too. I got you a present.

I got you a present too.

This was your mother's.

She wanted you to have it so you would always remember her.

Look at this.

Seems like yesterday I was walking along the canal with your mother.

This was your mother's favorite place.

Yes, God gave your mother a wonderful talent.

Just like you.

That looks like the statue of the man by the cathedral.

It's Peter Paul Rubens. Your mother's hero.

This was your grandmother, Rosa.

Influenza took her from me.

But, that is my favorite picture.

Your mother drew that for my birthday.

I wish I could've known Mother.

- Well... - Why did she leave the village?

Well...

She fell in love. She met your father.

- Did you know him well? My father? - Well, your mother was...

She was very secretive about her love. You know, she had her own mind.

She never told me who your father was, but...

well, she loved him dearly. Yes.

But were they in love?

Of course.

Of course they were in love.

Why would you think they weren't?

Of course.

And, you know, she told me that he was... He was a very good man.

Not feeling too well again, Jehan?

Just a touch of gout.

- I'll be fine. - Good.

Now, where's my rent?

I have most of it, Master Stephens.

This is all?

We'll pay you, Master Stephens. We always do.

You better had. Sadly, patience is one virtue...

I do not possess.

Good evening, gentlemen.

- I hate him. - No, you never hate.

Never lower yourself to the level of people like that.

Yes, Grandpa.

Cheer up, Nello.

Give me a smile.

Where's that smile.

I used to know.

Soon skies are going to clear up, Nello.

Cheer up, Nello.

Just be.

Glad you're you.

Cut it out.

What is it?

Crazy dog!

- He wants to help. - That's his nature.

That is a dog's dog.

Don't worry, Grandfather. You rest. We'll do the milk run today.

A boy and a dog.

I don't stand a chance.

There you go.

Nothing like milk in the morning.

He's healed up real nice.

You did a good job with him.

- What's your name, dog? - Patrasche.

If you're going to be seen with Nello Daas and bear his dear mother's birth name...

this rope will never do. Leave him with old William for a while.

Go on. Go draw me a nice picture of Aloise.

I don't work for free, you know? We'll fix you right up here.

Just think...

my mother once sat right here.

Just like me.

She was going to become a famous artist, but then she got sick.

I'm glad my mom never gets sick. I don't know what I'd do without her.

Come back. You're supposed to be modeling.

Well, models are supposed to get paid, you know.

Not if they don't sit still.

Aloise, sit...

Thank you, William. It's wonderful.

Such soft leather.

- Where did you get it? - Where'd you get it, William?

- Your apron! - Oh, no!

Look at your faces! What have you been doing?

Your father will blame me for sure.

Aloise, your mother's been looking for you.

Coming, Papa.

Look at you. Who's been painting your face?

- Hello, Master Cogez. - Nello, William.

Say, "Bye-bye, Nello."

Say, "Bye-bye, William."

Look at you.

Lucky man, Baas Cogez, huh?

Get that milk to town before you lose your customers.

Clean your face on the way.

- Thank you, William. - All right.

- Children! Children! Sit down. - Hi, Aloise.

There's a great painting inside that cathedral.

Grandpa says Mother once saw it.

Wish I could see it too.

- Are you an admirer of Rubens as well? - Yes, sir. He's my hero.

I'm sure the great master is happy to see bright new eyes looking up at him.

I want to meet him.

Rubens passed away many years ago.

Of course, his art lives on.