Television version of the 1934 musical based on Johan Fabricius' 1927 novel. New songs had to be added to the existing score to fill out the four episodes. When Daan Pieters (Huib Rooymans), the most decent and gullible character ever put on film is drafted he starts singing a song in his head. At first I was unsure if this was really him doing the singing, or some kind of narrator, but I guess that in any musical you should start singing as soon as possible. On the train to The Hague to join his regiment, Daantje spots the Girl in the Blue Hat (Jenny Arean) and serenades her with the title song (but only in his head, being too shy to speak to her). Once in the barracks, he immediately gets put down because of his common surname, is given some hand-me-downs to wear (accompanied by a song) and meets his bunkmate Toon Bulthuis (André van Duin) who soon becomes his best friend and worst enemy.
In a refreshing contrast to the dimwits Van Duin normally plays, Toontje is the smartest and sneakiest guy in the barracks. At first the gullible Daantje is the subject of his practical jokes, but soon Toontje is doing his best to help Daan look for that girl from the train (the fact that Daantje did not rat him out also helps). When they spot her bluishness at a table with a fellow soldier, Toontje swiftly manages to get rid off the other guy and Daantje gets to walk the girl of his dreams home. But his decent small town upbringing prevents him from catching on to her hints and he even neglects to memorize her address. The only thing he knows apart from her name (Betsy) is that she works in a department store. So now they start checking out every shop looking for her (another great opportunity for a musical number).
It seems to me these soldiers have an awful lot of free time on their hands. When they are not singing and dancing in the barrack, they are out on the town or at the funfair trying to pick up girls. One character expresses early on that in the late twenties to mid thirties people really felt that The Great War (1914-1918) had brought an end to all other wars. In any other Teleplay you might expect this to be an ominous bit of foreshadowing, but since this was obviously written long before WWII reared it's ugly head, we can all relax and enjoy the show. Like most television plays from the seventies the contrast between location shoot and studio scenes is highly visible, but this hardly matters when every character proves unashamed to burst into song. Still, this is not you're average fluffy love story. The three main characters are well drawn and the dialog is witty and full of clever observations. Most compelling of all, you can tell this relationship is basically doomed from the start.
Although Betsy loves to hang out with all the soldier boys, she does develop special feelings for that shy and unassuming Daantje, even going as far as to get engaged and meet his parents in their little village. Here her forward ways and big mouth are not appreciated. Back in the Hague things are getting worse with the rest of the garrison still interested in a piece of Betsy. Spurned on by Toontje, Daan gets extremely jealous. You can't help but wonder if writer Fabricius was more of a Daantje or a Toontje. It just goes to show you that times may changes but human nature stays the same: nice guys finish last. However, actors Huib Rooymans and Jenny Arean did get married in real life, so maybe there's still hope for all the Daantje's in the world.
9 out of 10
In a refreshing contrast to the dimwits Van Duin normally plays, Toontje is the smartest and sneakiest guy in the barracks. At first the gullible Daantje is the subject of his practical jokes, but soon Toontje is doing his best to help Daan look for that girl from the train (the fact that Daantje did not rat him out also helps). When they spot her bluishness at a table with a fellow soldier, Toontje swiftly manages to get rid off the other guy and Daantje gets to walk the girl of his dreams home. But his decent small town upbringing prevents him from catching on to her hints and he even neglects to memorize her address. The only thing he knows apart from her name (Betsy) is that she works in a department store. So now they start checking out every shop looking for her (another great opportunity for a musical number).
It seems to me these soldiers have an awful lot of free time on their hands. When they are not singing and dancing in the barrack, they are out on the town or at the funfair trying to pick up girls. One character expresses early on that in the late twenties to mid thirties people really felt that The Great War (1914-1918) had brought an end to all other wars. In any other Teleplay you might expect this to be an ominous bit of foreshadowing, but since this was obviously written long before WWII reared it's ugly head, we can all relax and enjoy the show. Like most television plays from the seventies the contrast between location shoot and studio scenes is highly visible, but this hardly matters when every character proves unashamed to burst into song. Still, this is not you're average fluffy love story. The three main characters are well drawn and the dialog is witty and full of clever observations. Most compelling of all, you can tell this relationship is basically doomed from the start.
Although Betsy loves to hang out with all the soldier boys, she does develop special feelings for that shy and unassuming Daantje, even going as far as to get engaged and meet his parents in their little village. Here her forward ways and big mouth are not appreciated. Back in the Hague things are getting worse with the rest of the garrison still interested in a piece of Betsy. Spurned on by Toontje, Daan gets extremely jealous. You can't help but wonder if writer Fabricius was more of a Daantje or a Toontje. It just goes to show you that times may changes but human nature stays the same: nice guys finish last. However, actors Huib Rooymans and Jenny Arean did get married in real life, so maybe there's still hope for all the Daantje's in the world.
9 out of 10
