Madieke van het red huis – Du är inte clock Madicken (1979)

Directed by: Goran Graffman | 98 minutes | family | Actors: Jonna Liljendahl, Liv Alsterlund, Monica Nordquist, Björn Granath, Lis Nilheim, Birgitta Andersson, Allan Edwall, Sebastian Håkansson, Fredrik Ohlsson, Yvonne Lombard, Ted Åström, Fillie Lyckow, Jan Nygren, Kerstin Hansson, Cecilia, Hans Orlando Pettersson, Mikael Eriksson, Dan Mähl, Anna Engwall, Björn Gustafson, Sif Ruud, Karl Ragnar Fredriksson, Karin Miller, Göran Graffman, Hanna Zetterström

‘Madieke van het red huis’ is a film adaptation of a number of chapters from the book by Astrid Lindgren, known in the Netherlands as ‘Madieke en Liesbet’. Played convincingly by the cute Jonna Liljendahl, Madieke conquers the hearts of the viewers. A bit more naughty and rebellious in the book than in the film, but the girl’s golden heart has remained. Astrid Lindgren was a progressive woman, she became pregnant at the age of eighteen, refused to marry the father and gave the child to foster parents. It wasn’t until she met the love of her life that she married and formed a close-knit family with her first son and daughter. This progressiveness and unconventional attitude is also reflected in the story about Madieke. Madieke’s parents, a well-to-do couple, have leftist ideas, and that sometimes clashes with other notables in the village, such as the mayor’s wife lifted over a horse. Madieke’s father is a journalist. Madieke’s younger sister Liesbet is her opposite, round, chubby and cute, but just as naughty as the main character.

Just like in the books about the children of the Bolderburen, ‘Madieke’ lacks a real storyline. They are more isolated experiences from the life of the girl and her family. We see how she befriends Mia, the girl who threw away Madieke’s new sandal during the May fire. Mia’s family is so poor that there is hardly any money for food, and as a result, the girl has built an imaginary wall around herself. She is brutal to the teachers, even to the headmaster and Madieke can’t stand them. Yet Madieke manages to make friends with her classmate thanks to her sincerity and warmth.

One of Madieke’s other friends is Abbe, her boy next door. He also plays a big role in the life of the Swedish girl. Abbe’s father is a drunkard and the theme of alcoholism plays a role more than in ‘Bolderburen’. However, this is done in a child-friendly way, Madieke’s neighbor always remains friendly, even if he has looked too deeply into the glass. Social status is also clearly addressed in the film, such as when maid Alva is taken to the autumn ball by Madieke’s parents as an introduction.

The film looks neat, a lot of attention has been paid to authentic clothing and surroundings. This ensures a credible whole. Because there is a lot of variation in the different stories, the film has enough momentum to keep today’s viewers interested. The occasional religious scenes, when people sing or have to pray for a sick neighbor, do not disturb, but reinforce the truthful image of that time. Parents are advised to explain (young) children about the punishment that Mia will receive from the schoolmaster, because this can probably give rise to question marks or perhaps feelings of fear. For the rest, ‘Madieke van het red huis’ is well acted, beautifully filmed, with recognizable characters. What more could you want from a children’s film?