''The Cross-Patch'' ( nl, De Kribbebijter) is a

1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude Franco-Italian Agreement of 1935, an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * ...

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

directed by

Henry Koster Henry Koster (born Hermann Kosterlitz, May 1, 1905 – September 21, 1988) was a German-born film director. He was the husband of actress Peggy Moran. Early life Koster was born to Jewish parents in Berlin, Germany. He was introduced to cin ...

and

Ernst Winar Ernst Winar (3 September 1894 – 28 June 1978) was a Dutch actor and film director. He appeared in 34 films between 1916 and 1955. He also directed 14 films between 1922 and 1955. In 1920 he published ''Peccavi...???'', a then-scandalous n ...

. It is based upon the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

three-act play "Willis Frau" ("Willy's Wife") by

Max Reimann Max Reimann (31 October 1898 – 18 January 1977) was a German communist politician and member of the Bundestag. Biography Reimann was born in Elbing (Elbląg), West Prussia (today Poland). He worked as a riveter at the Schichau yards in 19 ...

and

Otto Schwartz Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants ''Audo'', '' Odo'', '' Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity". The name is recorded ...

Plot

In a

mansion lives Baron van Hegershuizen, a quick to anger man who has tantrum after tantrum. Among the residents is his daughter Mary, who is in love with Hans van Maren; a twitchy young man her father despises. Mary gets into a fight with Van Maren when the latter doesn't dare to stand up for himself in front of her father. The baron's son Willy does not reside in Hergershuizen Mansion, since the baron disowned and disinherited him for marrying Loes, a bourgeois girl who works as a typist. Willy is searching for a job in order to prove that he can get by without his father's help. Mary decides to sneak out of the palace and pay Willy a visit on his wedding anniversary. She finally gets to meet Loes, who has given up her job as a typist to become a housewife. Although they have only just met, Loes makes sure that Mary reconciles with Van Maren. On the same day, Mary and Van Maren get engaged. When the baron discovers that his son has a job in an office, he gets furious and has him fired immediately. When Loes is informed of this, she refuses to fall silent on the matter and decides to visit the palace and speak to her father-in-law. The baron however, never having actually seen his daughter-in-law, mistakes her for the new housekeeper. Before she can explain who she actually is, good-hearted uncle Moekie jumps in and confirms that she will indeed do the house-keeping in the palace, introducing her as 'Louise Hildebrand'. Loes decides to take part in the plot and win the heart of her father-in-law. Slowly but surely, the baron becomes attached to his new housekeeper. Meanwhile, Willy wonders why his wife has been away for so long and returns to the mansion for the first time in years. At first the baron is furious, but when Moekie pretends to him that Willy has been abandoned by his wife, his anger quickly turns to joy. The baron reconciles with his son and announces that he will settle the divorce. He also wants to marry off his daughter to odd mr. Schimmelman. He invites him to ask what he thinks about it, but Schimmelman takes the baron's words differently and thinks he wants to offer him kitchen maid Katrien. Not much later the true housekeeper arrives, forcing Loes to reveal her true identity. The baron is not angry, but happy to learn that his beloved housekeeper is really Willy's wife. He is, however, less pleased to learn of Mary's engagement to Van Maren... De Kribbebijter still

Cast

Cor Ruys Cor Ruys (Cornelis Ruijs, 10 February 1889 – 22 September 1952) was a Dutch actor, stage director and comedian. He is best known for playing the character of 'Potasch' in ''Potash and Perlmutter'' by Montague Glass several times and his lead ...

... Baron Coenraad 'Kribbebijter' van Hergershuizen * Louis De Bree ... Uncle Moekie *

Philip Dorn Philip Dorn (born Hein van der Niet; 30 September 1901 – 9 May 1975), sometimes billed as Frits van Dongen (his screen name for German films prior to World War II), was a Dutch American actor who had a career in Hollywood. He was best kn ...

... Willy van Hergershuizen * Mary Dresselhuys ... Mary van Hergershuizen * Dolly Mollinger ... Loes *

Louis Borel Louis Borel (6 October 1905 – 24 April 1973) was a Dutch stage and film actor. During the 1930s, he appeared in a number of British films, such as the musical '' Head over Heels'' (1937).Larkin p.203 He later moved to the United States ...

... Hans van Maren * Chris Baay ... Schimmelman * August Kiehl ... Frans * Sien De la Mar-Klopper ... Katrien * Mary Smit ... Roos

Production

Pre-production

In January 1935, Holfi (''Hollandsche Film-industrie''), the recently established Dutch subsidiary of Universal Film Agency, announced plans to film Max Reimann's popular play. A month later it was announced that director Herman Kosterlitz was committed as a director. Stage actress Mary Dresselhuys was asked to audition for the lead role, but the test recordings were disastrous; Kosterlitz did not find her was photogenic enough and told her: 'Leider gnädige Frau, sind Sie nicht zu fotografieren' ('Unfortunately, dear madam, you are impossible to photograph'). Since advertisements with her name had already been placed in the newspapers, she was offered the significantly smaller role of Mary instead. The experience scarred Dresselhuys for life; she would only accepted a handful of film roles in her life. After this, theatre star

Lily Bouwmeester Lily Geertruida Maria Henriëtte Bouwmeester (28 September 1901 – 12 July 1993) was a Dutch theater and film actress, who was crowned with a Golden Calf for being "the best actress in Pre-War Dutch cinema".Cissy van Bennekom and Magda Janssen were also mentioned at an early stage. The role eventually went to Dolly Mollinger, an unknown and inexperienced secretary who was discovered by accident when cameraman Henk Alsem - in the absence of director Haro van Peski, for whom she was working at the time - filmed test shots for her. In March 1935 a decision by the Dutch National Employment Office caused difficulties; conditions were set regarding the cooperation of the foreign director and a cameraman, and objections were raised against the granting of permits for three other foreign workers. In response, Holfi threatened to shoot the film abroad. The Dutch Cinema Association (''Nederlandse Bioscoopbond'' or ''NBB'') discussed the matter with the Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Employment on Wednesday 3 April.

Filming

Shooting began in April 1935 at Cinetone Studios and lasted for only thirteen days. Exterior scenes were shot at Landgoed Duin en Kruidberg in

Velsen Velsen () is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located on both sides of the North Sea Canal. On the north side of the North Sea Canal there is a major steel plant, Tata Steel IJmuiden, formerly known a ...

Music

Max Tak, the best-known Dutch film composer at the time, provided the score. At an early stage operetta-composer

Paul Abraham Paul Abraham ( hu, Ábrahám Pál, links=no; 2 November 1892 – 6 May 1960) was a Jewish-Hungarian composer of operettas, who scored major successes in the German-speaking world. His specialty – and own innovation – was the insertion of ...

was set to write the score, but the negotiations broke down.

Distribution

Theatrical Release

The Gala Premier took place on August 8, 1935 in the Passagetheater in

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

; a week later than planned because of renovation work delays.

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Salomon Jean René de Monchy Salomon may refer to: People * Salomon (given name) * Salomon (surname) Companies * Salomon Brothers, a former investment bank, now a part of Citigroup * Salomon Group, a company manufacturing sporting equipment (which was a part of Adidas-Salom ...

of The Hague and multiple prominent members of the

Netherlands Red Cross The Netherlands Red Cross ( nl, Rode Kruis) was founded in 1867. It is among the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It adopts branch governance structure which leads to approximately 214 branches that enables it to serve the whole country. It ...

board attended the premiere, and afterward Mary Dresselhuys, Dolly Mollinger,

, Chris Baay and August Kiehl appeared on stage. That day marked Kiehl's sixtieth anniversary as a stage actor, for which he received a speech by Van Dorn. The proceeds of the event were donated to the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

. Soon after, on August 27, the movie premiered in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

—even before the

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

premiere.

attended the screeing at the prestigious Maxim-theater of

Surabaya Surabaya ( jv, ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or jv, ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; ; ) is the capital city of the Provinces of Indonesia, Indonesian province of East Java and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. L ...

. In the Amsterdam 'Cinema Royal' popular Dutch cabaret artist

Louis Davids Louis Davids (born Simon David; 19 December 1883 – 1 July 1939) was a Dutch actor, singer, comedian and revue artist. He is widely considered one of the biggest names in Dutch performing arts. Biography Early years Davids was born in the ...

opened the screenings on multiple occasions. In April 1936 'Vereniging Neerlandia', a London-based social and cultural club aimed at Dutch expats, held a special screening of ''De Kribbebijter''. The screening was such a success, that the London Academy Theatre on Oxford Street decided to show the film as well. A nationwide release followed in August 1936, making it the first Dutch film to receive a British release. During the 2020 online edition of the German ''Cinefest'', with the theme 'Kino, Krieg und Tulpen' (Film, War and Tulips), the film was shown with German subtitles under the title ''Der Griesgram''. In November 2021, the film was screened live for the first time in years by

Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...

-based study association ''Nieuw Nederlands Peil''.

Home Media

In 2007, ''De Kribbebijter'' was released by TDM Entertainment on a one-disc standard DVD in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

as part of the ''"Dutch Classics"'' series of the

Nederlands Filmmuseum Eye Filmmuseum is a film archive, museum, and cinema in Amsterdam that preserves and presents both Dutch and foreign films screened in the Netherlands. Location and history Eye Filmmuseum is located in the Overhoeks neighborhood of Amsterdam in t ...

Reception

Dutch audiences loved the comedy; for seven years, until December 1942, the film played in all cinemas in the country. The Dutch press was also enthusiastic: performances and direction received favourable reviews, and over all the film was seen as a big step forward compared to the popular but rather wacky ‘Jordaan films’. While British audiences were equally enthousiastic (the

Manchester Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

reported a great many "bursts of laughter"), reactions of the international critics were mixed. Writing for ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'' in 1936,

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

gave the film a relatively poor review. While noting there were some funny scenes, Greene took especial umbrage with the direction, which he described as "that grim slow kind which never shows you a car without following it to the horizon or lets a character leave one room for another without a prolonged study of opening and closing, and then reopening and re-closing doors, with a glimpse of the passage perhaps as well, lest the imagination should bear too heavy a burden". Arthur Vesselo of ''

Sight & Sound ''Sight and Sound'' (also spelled ''Sight & Sound'') is a British monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). It conducts the well-known, once-a-decade ''Sight and Sound'' Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time, ongoing ...

'' also criticised the direction, noting faults in construction and weak transitions, but stated that these minor faults were redeemed by the cast: "The chief factor on the other side is the acting, which, coming from a cast of practised stage-players, is often witty."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cross-Patch, The 1935 films Dutch black-and-white films Dutch comedy films 1935 comedy films 1930s Dutch-language films