''Si Pitoeng'' is a film from the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) that was released in 1931. Directed by the

Wong brothers The Wong brothers were three ethnic Chinese film directors and cameramen active in the cinema of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). The sons of an Adventist preacher, the brothers – Nelson (1895–1945), Joshua (1906–1981), and Othn ...

and starring Herman Shim and Ining Resmini, it was the first film based on the life of

Si Pitung Si Pitung (Old spelling: Si Pitoeng; or sometimes written just Pitung) was a 19th-century bandit in Batavia, Dutch East Indies (modern-day Jakarta, Indonesia). His exploits have since become legendary, with numerous accounts of his life, deeds, an ...

, a bandit from

Batavia Batavia may refer to: Historical places * Batavia (region), a land inhabited by the Batavian people during the Roman Empire, today part of the Netherlands * Batavia, Dutch East Indies, present-day Jakarta, the former capital of the Dutch East In ...

(modern-day Jakarta).

Background

The historical

was a 19th-century bandit in

, Dutch East Indies (modern-day Jakarta, Indonesia). He began his criminal career in 1892 by robbing Hadji Sapiudin, a wealthy landowner who lived northeast of Batavia. He then continued stealing, although some tellings have him only stealing from people who collaborated with the Dutch colonial government. He was eventually caught in an ambush and killed by the police officer A.W.V. Hinne and several assistants. Later folklore led to him becoming an Indonesian

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...

, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, and attributed mystical powers.

Plot

Pitoeng (Herman Shim) is a Muslim bandit of Betawi descent. He steals from the rich citizens while dealing with a love interest (Ining Resmini) and police officer (Zorro).

Production

''Si Pitoeng'' was produced by Halimoen Film. The Indonesian film historian

Misbach Yusa Biran Misbach Yusa Biran (11 September 1933 – 11 April 2012) was an Indonesian writer, director and columnist who pioneered the Indonesian film archives. Personal life Biran was born in Rangkasbitung, in the Lebak Regency, to a Minangkabau ...

suggests that the theme was chosen by the film's financiers. ''Si Pitoeng'' was the first film about Pitung. The ''

kroncong Kroncong (pronounced "kronchong"; id, Keroncong, nl, Krontjong) is the name of a ukulele-like instrument and an Indonesian musical style that typically makes use of the kroncong (the sound ' comes from this instrument, so the music is called ' ...

'' singer Ining Resmini, who had previously acted in ''Rampok Preanger'' (1929), was cast as Pitoeng's love interest, while the

peranakan The Peranakans () are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang (), namely the British Colonial ruled ports in the Malay Peninsula, ...

Chinese actor Herman Shim was cast as Pitoeng. Filming was completed in Bojong Loa, Bandung. The film was directed by the

, who had studied film in the United States. The brothers' influence led to the film, despite being based on an Indonesian bandit, coming across as an American film; some viewers have described as a sort of

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

. The brothers had been directing films since ''

Lily van Java ''Lilly van Java'' (''Lily of Java''), also known as ''Melatie van Java'' (''Jasmine of Java''), is a 1928 film from the Dutch East Indies directed by Wong brothers, Nelson Wong. Initially meant to be produced by South Sea Film and shot by an A ...

'' (''Lily of Java'') in 1927 and generally dealt with Chinese-Indonesian themes.

Release and reception

''Si Pitoeng'' was released by 6 February 1931, although little is known about its box office performance. Another film about the bandit, also entitled ''Si Pitung'', was released in 1970 and was the best performing Indonesian film of the year; this later production had three sequels.

References

;Footnotes ;Bibliography * * * * *

External links