Return to Website

The CBS Children's Film Festival

Share your thoughts, info and questions on CCFF films.

For a complete list and description of every film shown,
with info on those available for purchase or download,
click on the CCFF logo at left.

But be sure and search the Forum before you post -
your answer may already be here!

The CBS Children's Film Festival
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
Searching for Movie Title, Possibly Dutch or Danish

I am trying to recollect the name of a movie I saw on what I think was the CCFF, lo these many years ago. (Seems like it showed on a Saturday afternoon anyway.)

Plot Recollection: A young boy is in an unhappy family relationship. Perhaps a stepchild or living with relations. Doesn't get along with the male figure. no recollection of the female figure. Movie was set near water because i think the boy liked to row or scull. Anyway, he receives a small rowing boat as a present but the man uses the wood to patch a hole in the barn while the boy is away. At the end of the movie, the boy gets to go to a new family.

On reflection, the movie was most certainly foreign because I'm pretty sure there was a voiceover narration instead of dialogue, at least to some extent. The film seemed to be set in the Netherlands or perhaps somewhere in the Baltic.

Does this rung any bells with anyone? I mainly recall being devastated when his boat was used to patch the barn or shed and how happy he was at the end to be going to a new family. I'm pretty sure it was CBS and not the ABC Afterschool Special.

Thanks for any answers or leads.

Re: Searching for Movie Title, Possibly Dutch or Danish

The name of the film you remember is "Captain Korda". You didn't recognize it from the CCFF page because the original summary I provided (from the TV Guide) was really off! The film is Czech, and as you remembered, much of it took place near water.

The boy's name was Joey. He was sent from a children's home to live with Mr. and Mrs. Korda. He was happy there, but his birth mother decided she wanted him back.

The Kordas returned the boy to his mother, but Joey was very unhappy there with his new stepfather. The final straw is when his stepfather tears apart a boat that Mr. Korda built for Joey and uses it to patch the barn.

Joey runs away and falls asleep near the railroad tracks. His mother eventually calls Mr. Korda and admits that Joey would be better off with him. Mr. Korda finds the boy and takes him home for good, promising to build him another boat.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get any leads on whether this film is available commercially on VHS or DVD. Apparently this was a popular broadcast in Germany, under the name "Haifischorden für den Kapitän "; there are people there looking for it, also.

Re: Searching for Movie Title, Possibly Dutch or Danish

Thanks, Phil. I updated the entry on the main CCFF page.