《苦兒流浪記》是十九世紀著名的法國小說，作者埃剋多•馬洛(1830-1907)是以發展並提高了當時的情節劇小說而載入法國近代文學史的作傢之一。馬洛是位多産作傢，一生寫過不下七十部小說，而《苦兒流浪記》是其中最為傢喻戶曉的一部。這部小說問世後，曾被譯成英、德、俄、日等多種文字，而且一直到一百多年後的今天，它依然在法國被重印出版，並多次被搬上銀幕。
《苦兒流浪記》-作品簡介
18世紀的時候，歐洲因為蒸汽機的發明，導致了許多人失業。勞工的待遇也很低，生産也沒有保障。路美是一個法國的鄉下孩子，本來他出生在英國，被壞人偷到巴黎鄉下，由貧窮的巴貝蘭媽媽撫養長大。可是因為他不擅長做農活，就被巴貝蘭媽媽的丈夫耶魯賣給了白鬍子爺爺彼達力的戲班子。這個戲班子除了路美和彼達力，就衹有三衹狗，一隻猴子。狗有：卡比、爾比羅和多爾。猴子是小寶貝。他們上路了。第一次表演是在於塞爾，非常成功。後來，他們又到了土魯斯，彼達力被警察抓住了。路美和動物夥伴們衹好一起逃離。路美恰巧在天鵝船上遇到了阿瑟和梅禮甘夫人，跟他們度過了一段快樂時光。轉眼，彼達力出獄了，他們又踏上了旅程。一個風雪交加的日子，他們找到了一座小房子。半夜，爾比羅和多爾被狼叼走了，小寶貝也死了。他們千辛萬苦終於來到巴黎，可晚上沒有地方睡，彼達力為了保護路美而死了。路美和卡比被亞根一傢救了起來。亞根一傢有四個孩子：阿列西、般尼、艾金、麗絲。就這樣，路美在亞根傢度過了兩年。一天，亞根帶上孩子們去朋友傢吃飯。突然下起了冰雹，把花床和溫室砸爛了。而亞根的房子都是借錢買來得，他衹好坐五年牢，把孩子交給親戚朋友照顧。路美就和卡比賺錢。路上，他們遇到了馬沙。從此，這個戲班子又多了一個人。他們路過了一個村莊，馬沙和路美彈奏樂器，卡比就跳舞。第一次演出，他們就得到了28個法郎。他們决定邊走邊看望亞根的四個孩子，攢足了錢，就買一頭母牛給巴貝蘭媽媽。他們路上看了阿列西和麗絲，還買了一頭健壯的奶牛給了巴貝蘭媽媽。巴貝蘭媽媽說路美的傢人在找他，他們就去找他的傢人。沒想到找到的人是把路美偷出來得人，他們還把卡比訓練成了小偷。最後，他們還是離開了。路美和馬沙準備去找梅禮甘夫人和阿瑟。聽說梅禮甘夫人把麗絲收留了。經過一條大運河，他們找到了天鵝號，證實了梅禮甘夫人就是路美的親生母親！終於，路美過上了幸福的生活。
《苦兒流浪記》-作者簡介
耶剋特•馬洛（一八三0年至一九0七年）是十九世紀法國小說傢，年輕時曾進入一傢律師事務所工作。在那裏，他開始了自己的小說創作。他的第一部小說在當時大獲成功，於是他轉嚮了專業寫作。在法國文學史上，馬洛的名聲並不像我們熟悉的巴爾紮剋、雨果等作傢那樣顯赫，不過，他可是個多産作傢，一生至少寫了七十部小說，而且大多在當時十分暢銷，其中《苦兒流浪記》更是傢喻戶曉，是十九世紀一部著名的小說。本書剛問世時，便受到了人們的普遍歡迎，間獲得法國教育部的文學奬，還被譯為多國文字。
《苦兒流浪記》-作品價值
小說《苦兒流浪記》無疑是一部在審美價值和認識價值上都已經提高了的情節劇小說。而電影《苦兒流浪記》則讓觀衆在對故事本身有所瞭解的基礎上有了更加直觀的認識，相信每一位看過影片的觀衆都會在心底為故事中的小主人公祝福，同時為生活在那個苦難年代的孩子們祈禱！
情節劇小說，顧名思義，是以情節取勝的小說，它追求傳奇性，強調戲劇性，因而往往偏離生活的真實。但是《苦兒流浪記》不同，它雖然穿的是情節劇的戲裝，表現的卻是當時法國天天都要發生的最真實的生活。
《苦兒流浪記》-人物形象
巴伯蘭媽媽是善良的，雷米被巴伯蘭先生賣給維泰利斯後，巴伯蘭媽媽如熱鍋上的螞蟻，在院子裏跑來跑去的情景，說明她失去兒子的焦灼與絶望。
維泰利斯是一個值得人敬重的角色， “讓雷米接受生活嚴峻的考驗，這要比他在你們傢過那種雖非您的本意、但實際上卻是類似僕童的生活為好。”這是當時維泰利斯要從米利根夫人身邊帶走雷米的理由，最終雷米又回到了自己的親生母親米利根夫人身邊，那是後話。維泰利斯教雷米讀書、寫字、唱歌，他教雷米唱的歌成了這部小說的主題麯，我們仿佛可以聽到雷米柔和而略帶凄涼的童聲。馬洛為維泰利斯畫出了一個具有不可玷污的道德觀和不可戰勝的自尊心的紳士形象。
維泰利斯被凍死後，雷米被麗絲一傢所救，麗絲傢裏洋溢着親情的溫暖，本是讓人滿心歡喜，偏偏好景不長，一場暴風雨，讓父親進了監獄，兄妹們各自投靠了親戚。讀時，自己不自禁地生出遺憾來。
特魯耶爾煤礦的水災是一出典型的現實主義戲劇，讓人感受到《苦兒流浪記》並不單純就是一部有着美好結局的童話故事。礦主衹用幾磅咖啡、幾片火腿就把工人輕而易舉地騙進兩百米深的地下去送命。
《苦兒流浪記》-內容分析
小說寫的是一個棄兒的歷險生涯。它的開捲第一個情節，便是一個八歲的棄兒被當作牲口一樣出租的一場討價還價的交易。從這第一個情節開始，棄兒雷米的命運就成了書中具有磁石般吸力的懸念；也是從這個情節開始，圍繞雷米的命運，展開了作者精心設計的、富於傳奇性的、諸如邂逅啞女、買牛報恩、身臨賊窩、蒙冤蹲獄、亡命跳車、親人團圓等情節。《苦兒流浪記》不僅在情節上和人物懸念上具有當時流行的情節劇特色，它還同情節劇一樣，有着一支主題歌。馬洛成功地把這支主題歌鑄進了棄兒雷米的性格和形象之中，使它成了這部小說的不可分割的一部分，也使這部小說具備了音樂感染力。讀者的心靈將在小說的哪個段落上顫動，作者也總是恰好在這個段落上舉起他的指揮棒，讓你聽到小主人公唱主題歌時柔和而凄涼的童音。情節劇小說，顧名思義，是以情節取勝的小說，它追求傳奇性，強調戲劇性，因而往往偏離生活的真實。但是《苦兒流浪記》不同，它雖然穿的是情節劇的戲裝，表現的卻是當時法國天天都要發生的最真實的生活。它是一面反映生活的明亮的鏡子，但是，又是一面離奇的鏡子。它映照出來的，既有本來面目的生活，也有塗上了斑斕的離奇色彩的生活。馬洛在《苦兒流浪記》中表露得如此頻繁的那種勸善性的道德觀，沒有吸引力，因為它們顯然太抽象而且有偏見；但是他在小說中施展得如此嫻熟的、如此得心應手的、以情節劇小說的面目出現的現實主義的藝術方法。小主人公雷米是真實的，因為他是千百個已經在天災人禍中被吞噬了小生命的棄兒的化身。從棄兒雷米身上，成百上千個已經死去的雷米的屍體。在藝術想象力中復活了的化身，是真實的。維泰利斯是真實的。
小說是一個曾經蜚聲意大利聲樂舞臺的名歌手的悲劇下場。馬洛的《維泰利斯倒斃圖》，畫出了一個具有不可玷污的道德觀和不可戰勝的自尊心的強者的肖像。這並不是一幅表現好心腸的聖像畫，因為從畫中人的肌紋和眼神上，體現瞭瞭一八七一年的可敬的巴黎工人的硬骨頭精神，這是一幅現實主義的肖像畫。如果維泰利斯是小說中的一座雕像，那麽《特魯耶爾煤礦水災》就是小說中的重要的戲中之戲；是描寫礦主衹用幾磅咖啡、幾片火腿就把有些工人輕而易舉地騙進兩百米深的地下去送命的一出現實主義戲劇。馬洛用去了那麽多篇幅、而且連細節也不肯放過地描畫了那場災難，當然不衹是為了要表現幾個幸存者的蒼白的面孔，恐怕更主要是為了要讓沒有罹難的礦工們看到友愛互助是何等重要，也要礦主和神父們多聽聽絶望的寡婦們的呼號聲。
《苦兒流浪記》《苦兒流浪記》插圖
至於《心裏美先生病死客店》的故事，衹好用同“化身”相近的字眼來說明故事的真實性。心裏美並不是一隻具有奇異功能的馴猴，而是當時法國毫無生活保障、死於貧病的流浪小藝人的幽靈。在這個悲劇裏，當時法國行業作坊裏常見的、有着天才但過早地死去的貧窮的年輕學徒的冤魂。心裏美這個形象，也許是馬洛含着眼淚寫成的。《王子的奶牛》是馬洛巧妙地揉進在這部小說中、使小說本身和小說主人公都大放光彩的一個類似童話的故事。因為美好的童話總是既離奇而又真實的。馬洛描寫的，或者說，馬洛畫在畫布上的，是一顆潔白、知恩、無私但又帶點稚氣的童心；它多麽歡樂，多麽凄涼，因而也多麽真實！馬洛說過，他的這部小說，是為他的小女兒露西寫的；法國近代文學史上也說，《苦兒流浪記》迄今仍是法國青少年最愛讀的小說之一。《王子的奶牛》必然會激起青少年最美好的感情。然而真正使這部小說顯示較多現實主義色彩的，是作傢宏觀地描寫了他目睹的十九世紀七十年代末期，出現在法國地平綫上的，北自加萊海峽、南至地中海濱海地區的一個如此遼闊的充滿了苦難和不幸的世界。《苦兒流浪記》寫成於一八七八年，這是法國資産階級建立第三共和的第三年，也是羽翼已豐的資産階級準備實現工業化的前夕。馬洛手中的鏡子，對準的正是這個苦難世界中最具特徵意義的圖景，即：農村破産、工人們惡劣的勞動條件、童工數量的劇增和在法律允許下的對童工的剝削；在書中清楚地看到了資本主義工業化的災難性開端；看到了馬洛在這部小說中所表現出來的藝術才能：他搭起了一個貫穿法國南北的、滿目凄涼的大舞臺，讓維泰利斯和他的戲班子，阿根老爹和他的一傢子，加斯巴爾大叔和他的推車工，在畫着具有真實的時代特徵圖象的寬闊布景前，上演一個個有時使你哭泣、有時使你破涕為笑的“傳奇性”節目。《苦兒流浪記》無疑是一部在審美價值和認識價值上都已經提高了的情節劇小說。
《苦兒流浪記》-作品評價
《苦兒流浪記》作為十九世紀文學遺産中提高了的情節劇小說，具有重要的代表性。故事圍繞小主人公雷米的命運，展開了作者精心設計的、富於傳奇性的情節。《苦兒流浪記》不同於其他情節劇小說強調戲劇性從而脫離現實生活，它所表現的是當時法國每天都要發生的最真實的生活。
故事中的小主人公雷米是千百萬個已經在天災人禍中被吞噬了小生命的棄兒的化身，因此在藝術想像中復活了的化身是真實的。而法國小演員朱勒•西特魯剋在片中將雷米的天真善良毫無雕琢地表現了出來，他那一雙純潔透明的大眼睛讓觀衆從一看到這個命運坎坷的孩子就會發自內心的對他産生憐愛；曾經是蜚聲意大利歌劇界的名歌唱傢最終卻以悲劇收場的維達裏，被作者刻畫成一個具有不可玷污的道德觀及不可戰勝的自尊心的強者形象，讀者似乎可以從他身上看到那個時代巴黎工人身上令人敬佩的硬骨頭精神，因此維達裏也是真實的。這個維達裏由曾經主演過《金發男孩》、《夏日遺失的27個吻》的法國著名男演員皮埃爾•裏夏爾運用嫻熟的演技將這個錚錚鐵骨的漢子體貼溫柔的一面表現得淋漓盡致；甚至對於故事中小猴子美心的死，都可以被看做是當時法國毫無生活保障、死於貧睏的流浪小藝人的真實寫照。在這個悲劇中，讀者似乎還可以看到當時法國行業作坊裏常見的、有着天才卻過早死去的貧窮的年輕學徒的冤魂。正是這種真實，才能讓讀者流下同情的眼淚。
然而真正使這部小說顯示較多現實主義色彩的，是作者宏觀地描寫了他目睹的十九世紀七十年代末期，出現在法國地平綫上的北自加萊海峽，南至地中海濱海地區的一個如此遼闊的卻充滿了苦難和不幸的世界。
《苦兒流浪記》寫成於1878年，這是法國資産階級建立第三共和的第三年，也是羽翼豐滿的資産階級準備實現工業化的前夕。馬洛的小說正是這個苦難世界中最具特徵意義的寫照：農村破産、工人們惡劣的勞動條件、童工數量的劇增和在法律允許下的對童工的剝削。這使讀者在書中清楚的看到了資本主義工業化災難性的開端；同時也看到了馬洛在這部小說中表現出來的藝術才能。
《苦兒流浪記》-《苦兒流浪記》電影
導演：讓-丹尼爾·
主演：斯特法諾·迪 PhilippeNahRoseThiéryJulesSitrukPierreFores維羅尼卡·費...
片長：産地：捷剋法國德國
類型：劇情顔色：彩色
分級：對白：法語
上映日期：2000年12月18日
First Volume
Jerome Barberin lives with his wife in a little French town, Chavanon. He usually isn't home, since he works in Paris as a mason. One day he finds a baby boy. The boy wears very fine clothes, so apparently his parents are rich. Barberin offers to take care of the child, hoping to get a good reward. He gives the boy to his wife, and calls him Remi. Afterwards, Barberin gets injured in an accident. He blames his employer and hopes to receive financial compensation in a trial. The trial costs a lot of money, and Barberin tells his wife to sell her cow (her main source of wealth) and to get rid of Remi. She does the former.
When Remi is eight years old, and this is where the story starts, Barberin comes home unexpectedly. He sees that Remi is still there and decides to lose no time getting rid of him. The next day Barberin meets a travelling artist in the local pub. His name is Signor Vitalis, and he travels through France with three dogs - Capi, Zerbino and Dolce - and a monkey, Joli-Cœur. Vitalis offers to take care of Remi and Remi leaves his childhood home, without even a chance to say goodbye to his foster mother (who would have done anything to prevent the transaction) and starts a journey of the roads of France. It turns out that Vitalis is a kind man, certainly better company than Barberin. Vitalis teaches him to play the harp and to read. Often Remi is hungry and has no roof over his head; but in the animals, especially in Capi, he gains dear friends, and in Vitalis he finds the father he lacks. Together they travel through France, and they earn a living by giving musical and stage performances.
When they are in Toulouse, a sad incident, which reflects the unjust social structure of 19th Century France, puts Vitalis into jail. It is not easy for a ten-year-old to feed himself and four animals under his care, and they nearly starve, when they meet the "Swan" - a little river ship owned by Mrs. Milligan and her ill son Arthur. They take Remi in to entertain the sick boy, but soon start seeing a person in Remi, and he becomes part of the family. He learns that Arthur used to have an elder brother, who disappeared before Arthur was born, and Mrs. Milligan's brother-in-law, James, has attempted in vain to find him back. This was advantageous for James Milligan, since, by the English law, he was to inherit all of his brother's fortune if he died childless. This did not work, because soon Arthur was born. After two months Vitalis is released from jail, Remi and the Milligans like to stay together, but Vitalis wants Remi back, and so they say goodbye. However, Mrs. Milligan judges that Vitalis is a very kind and honest man.
Vitalis tells Remi that he has done a good choice: one must eat his own bread. But on the way to Paris in a snowstorm Zerbino and Dolce are eaten by wolves in the woods, and Joli-Cœur catches pneumonia. In an attempt to raise money for the doctor, Remi and Vitalis give a performance and Vitalis sings. Remi has never before heard Vitalis sing so beautifully. And not only Remi is bewildered: a young, and apparently rich lady tells Vitalis that she is amazed to hear his wonderful voice. Vitalis reacts angrily. He explains his skill to the lady by telling that he used to be a singer's servant. The lady explains he has a resemblance to the singer Vitalo Pedrotti from the Scala di Milano who is disparated. He even shows no gladness when the lady gives a gold coin to Capi. They return to Joli-Cœur with the money, but it's too late, Joli-Cœur is dead.
They now continue their journey to Paris. Vitalis decides to leave Remi with a "padrone" for the winter, while he trains other animals. Another institution of 19th Century France, a "padrone" was a man who kept a group of boys, sold by their poverty-stricken parents, who worked for him. Vitalis brings Remi to a "padrone" he knows - Garofoli. Garofoli isn't home, and Vitalis tells Remi to wait there, and that he will be back soon. Remi passes there two horrible hours - waiting for Garofoli and talking to an ill-looking boy, Mattia, who keeps houseworking because Garofoli believes him too stupid and incapable of working outside, but keeping the soup pot locked so that Mattia could not eat from it. When the other boys and Garofoli return, Remi witnesses how terribly Garofoli abuses those who do not bring home the amount of money required: he beats and starves them. When Vitalis comes back and sees how the boys are being flogged, he tells Garofoli that he could go to the police, but Garofoli threatens back to tell "some people just one name which will make Vitalis red from shame". Vitalis takes the wondering and grateful Remi not to return to Garofoli ever.
But this act of love costs Vitalis his life. That night, unable to find a place to stay, Vitalis and Remi collapse in the snowstorm under a fence.
Remi wakes up in a bed, with people standing around him: a man, two boys and two girls. The little girl, of about 5-6 years old, watches Remi with talking eyes. Then Remi learns the terrible truth: Vitalis is dead. In an attempt to discover his identity, the policemen take Remi to Garofoli, who reveals the truth: Vitalis used to be the famous Italian singer Carlo Balzani. When he got older, his voice got worse, and he was so ashamed for this that he decided to disappear. He changed his identity to Vitalis.
The family take Remi and Capi in. Remi gets a real father, the gardener Pierre Acquin, two brothers, Alexis and Benjamin, and two sisters, Étienette and little mute Lise. Remi especially adores Lise. He teaches her to read and plays the harp for her. Lise loves a Napolitan song in particular. Remi becomes a gardener, and years of hard work and merry Sundays follow. But after two years a terrible hailstrom ruins the glass in the greenhouse, and Acquin is in debts which he cannot pay and has therefore to enter a debt jail. The children are to go to uncles and aunts, in several French towns. Although the children insist that Remi also belongs to the family, none of the uncles and aunts is willing to take care of Remi. Broken-hearted again, vowing to his brothers and sisters to visit them on his way and bring father news from them, Remi takes his harp and Capi and leaves to the big roads.
Second volume
He hasn't gone long until he meets a companion. Mattia, the boy from Garofoli, is starving on the streets of Paris. Garofoli is in prison for beating a boy to death. Mattia pleads Remi to take him into his troupe. Remi is scared: with him, Mattia might die of hunger as much as alone. But Mattia convinces him that two will never die of hunger because one helps the other. Thus, "Remi's troupe" consists now of two twelve-year-olds and a dog. Mattia is a gifted violinist, he plays other instruments too, and he worked some time in a circus, where they had two English clowns, so he knows some English.
First the boys turn to visit Alexis, who now lives with his Uncle Gaspard (Father Acquin's brother) in the mining town Varses, where he works in the mine with his uncle. When Alexis is wounded and unable to work for a while, Remi volunteers to replace him. One of the miners is nicknamed magister, he is an old and wise man. He becomes a good friend and he explains the history of coal. One day the mine is flooded, probably by the river which flows overhead. Seven miners, including Uncle Gaspard, the magister and Remi, find shelter, but are trapped. They are waiting to be rescued, but don't even know if the rescue works are taking place. One of the men confesses a crime, blames himself for the disaster and commits suicide. The others spend a fortnight underground, hungry, beaten, but optimistic - and at last are saved. Capi is mad of happiness; Mattia is in tears. He says he never believed that Remi could be dead, and Remi is proud of his friend's strong belief in him. This incident shows the terrible state of child labour in 19th Century France but it also serves to bring closer Remi and Mattia: since that incident they are friends for life and death.
Remi wants Mattia to learn music and they visit a musician. Mr. Espinassous is shocked by Mattia's great talent and tries to convince him to stay and learn, but Mattia never wants to leave Remi. The boys now head for Chavanon where they hope to meet Remi's foster mother Barberin. During the trip they saved their money, hoping to buy a cow for mother Barberin. When they pass through Ussel, not far from Chavanon, they buy a cow, to replace beloved Rosette, who was sold when Barberin had his accident. To make sure that they will not buy a bad cow, they ask a vet for help. The vet is very friendly and the boys buy a wonderful cow.
In the next town the boys are accused of stealing the cow. Why would two street musicians have a cow, after all? They explain their story to the mayor. The mayor knows Mother Barberin, he heard about the accident in the mine, and he is willing to believe that the boys are honest. To make sure, the vet is called to testify, and the boys can continue their journey.
Remi and Mother Barberin finally meet. Mother Barberin tells Remi that Barberin is in Paris in search of Remi, because his real parents appear to be in search of him. However, Mother Barberin knows very little, because Barberin never told her any details. Remi is eager to know his real parents. Remi and Mattia decide to return to Paris and see Barberin.
On the way to Paris, they pass through Dreuzy, where they pay a visit to Lise Acquin. Remi and Lise are very fond of each other. When the boys arrive in Paris, they learn that Barberin has died. Remi writes a letter to Mother Barberin. Mother Barberin replies and she encloses a letter that was sent by Barberin before he died. It mentions the address of a lawyer's office in London, which is in charge of the search for Remi. So the boys go to London, where they are led straight to Remi's parents. Their name is Driscoll. Remi is terribly disappointed: the Driscolls are cold to him, his father keeps the boys locked. They turn out to be thieves and use Capi to help them in their work.
The Driscolls have a visitor. It is a man who seems to be interested in Remi, but Remi does not understand English well enough. The visitor does not meet Mattia, but Mattia overhears their conversation. The visitor is James Milligan and he appears to be Arthur's uncle. He hopes that Arthur will die, so that he will inherit the fortune of his late brother. The boys agree that Mrs. Milligan must be warned, but they have no idea where to find her. Mattia meets someone he knows. It is Bob, a clown from the circus where Mattia used to work. Bob turns out to be a very fine friend.
When Remi is accused of a robbery committed by his parents, Bob and Mattia help him escape from prison. With the help of Bob's brother, a sailor, they return to France. They go and search for Mrs. Milligan, to warn her for her brother-in-law. This is easier than it seems, since her boat, the "Swan", is a remarkable boat, and they soon hear that people have seen her. They only have to follow the rivers and canals. On their way they pass through Dreuzy where they hope to meet Lise again. However, they hear that Lise's uncle has died, and that a kind English lady, who journeyed on a boat, has offered to take care of Lise. That must have been Mrs. Milligan. Of course that is another incentive to go and find the "Swan". Remi and Mattia trace the "Swan" across France to Switzerland. They find the boat, but she is deserted. They inquire, and they find that the boat was unable to journey further up the river, and that the family continued their journey by coach, probably to Vevey. When they get to the town where "the English woman with the ill boy and the mute girl" are supposed to be, they start singing under every fence. It takes several days before they find the family. One day, when Remi sings his Napolitan song, he overhears a scream and a weak voice that continues the song. They run to the voice and find Lise, whose voice has returned to her when she heard her long-lost Remi. The boys now find that James Milligan is there too, and Remi is afraid to meet him, so he hides. Mattia is not afraid - James does not know Mattia. Mattia immediately tells Mrs. Milligan their story. Mrs. Milligan presumes that Remi must be her lost eldest son, but she tells Mattia that this should not be told to Remi until she is sure about it. She arranges that the boys can stay in a hotel, where they can have plenty of food, comfortable beds, and where they are visited by a barber and a tailor. After a few days Mrs. Milligan invites the boys, where they meet Mother Barberin. Mrs. Milligan has apparently sent for her. Mother Barberin shows Remi's baby clothes. Mrs. Milligan recognises these as the clothes her boy wore when he was stolen. Mrs. Milligan happily declares that Remi is her son, to join his "mother, brother and those - she pointed at Lise and Mattia - who loved you in your misery". It is clear that Mr. Driscoll has stolen the boy as a job for James Milligan.
This story has a happy ending: Remi finds his family, and discovers he is the heir of a fortune. Mattia's dearest little sister Cristina is sent for from Italy and they all grow up together. Arthur gets well and becomes an athlete. Mattia becomes a famous violinist. Remi marries Lise and they have a son named Mattia, whose babysitter is Mother Barberin.
The book ends with the score of the Napolitan song.
Film and television
Several movies were made after the novel, one of them Sans famille, starring: Pierre Richard (Vitalis), Veronica Ferres (Remi's mother), Bernard Fresson (Garofoli) and special guest starring: Claude Jade ("The Lady").
* Sans famille (F 1934) IMDb
* Senza famiglia (I 1946) IMDb
* Le Théâtre de la jeunesse: Sans famille (made for TV, F 1965) IMDb
* Ie Naki Ko (Japan 1977-78) - 51-episode anime TV series by Tokyo Movie Shinsha
* Sans famille (France 1981) - 6-part TV series by TF1 starring Petula Clark IMDB
* Bez semyi (Без семьи, SU 1984) IMDb
* Remi, Nobody's Girl (家なき子レミ, Ie Naki Ko Remi?) (Japan) - 26-episode anime TV series, the final installment in Nippon Animation's World Masterpiece Theatre series. This version made major changes to the storyline, transforming Remi (voiced by legendary pop star/voice actress Mitsuko Horie) into a girl and making her a child singer. The series was later translated into English by the anime television network, Animax, who aired the complete series (all 26 episodes) across its respective networks worldwide, including Southeast Asia and South Asia..
* Sans famille/Das Findelkind (F/D/CZ, 2000) IMDb
《苦兒流浪記》-作品簡介
18世紀的時候，歐洲因為蒸汽機的發明，導致了許多人失業。勞工的待遇也很低，生産也沒有保障。路美是一個法國的鄉下孩子，本來他出生在英國，被壞人偷到巴黎鄉下，由貧窮的巴貝蘭媽媽撫養長大。可是因為他不擅長做農活，就被巴貝蘭媽媽的丈夫耶魯賣給了白鬍子爺爺彼達力的戲班子。這個戲班子除了路美和彼達力，就衹有三衹狗，一隻猴子。狗有：卡比、爾比羅和多爾。猴子是小寶貝。他們上路了。第一次表演是在於塞爾，非常成功。後來，他們又到了土魯斯，彼達力被警察抓住了。路美和動物夥伴們衹好一起逃離。路美恰巧在天鵝船上遇到了阿瑟和梅禮甘夫人，跟他們度過了一段快樂時光。轉眼，彼達力出獄了，他們又踏上了旅程。一個風雪交加的日子，他們找到了一座小房子。半夜，爾比羅和多爾被狼叼走了，小寶貝也死了。他們千辛萬苦終於來到巴黎，可晚上沒有地方睡，彼達力為了保護路美而死了。路美和卡比被亞根一傢救了起來。亞根一傢有四個孩子：阿列西、般尼、艾金、麗絲。就這樣，路美在亞根傢度過了兩年。一天，亞根帶上孩子們去朋友傢吃飯。突然下起了冰雹，把花床和溫室砸爛了。而亞根的房子都是借錢買來得，他衹好坐五年牢，把孩子交給親戚朋友照顧。路美就和卡比賺錢。路上，他們遇到了馬沙。從此，這個戲班子又多了一個人。他們路過了一個村莊，馬沙和路美彈奏樂器，卡比就跳舞。第一次演出，他們就得到了28個法郎。他們决定邊走邊看望亞根的四個孩子，攢足了錢，就買一頭母牛給巴貝蘭媽媽。他們路上看了阿列西和麗絲，還買了一頭健壯的奶牛給了巴貝蘭媽媽。巴貝蘭媽媽說路美的傢人在找他，他們就去找他的傢人。沒想到找到的人是把路美偷出來得人，他們還把卡比訓練成了小偷。最後，他們還是離開了。路美和馬沙準備去找梅禮甘夫人和阿瑟。聽說梅禮甘夫人把麗絲收留了。經過一條大運河，他們找到了天鵝號，證實了梅禮甘夫人就是路美的親生母親！終於，路美過上了幸福的生活。
《苦兒流浪記》-作者簡介
耶剋特•馬洛（一八三0年至一九0七年）是十九世紀法國小說傢，年輕時曾進入一傢律師事務所工作。在那裏，他開始了自己的小說創作。他的第一部小說在當時大獲成功，於是他轉嚮了專業寫作。在法國文學史上，馬洛的名聲並不像我們熟悉的巴爾紮剋、雨果等作傢那樣顯赫，不過，他可是個多産作傢，一生至少寫了七十部小說，而且大多在當時十分暢銷，其中《苦兒流浪記》更是傢喻戶曉，是十九世紀一部著名的小說。本書剛問世時，便受到了人們的普遍歡迎，間獲得法國教育部的文學奬，還被譯為多國文字。
《苦兒流浪記》-作品價值
小說《苦兒流浪記》無疑是一部在審美價值和認識價值上都已經提高了的情節劇小說。而電影《苦兒流浪記》則讓觀衆在對故事本身有所瞭解的基礎上有了更加直觀的認識，相信每一位看過影片的觀衆都會在心底為故事中的小主人公祝福，同時為生活在那個苦難年代的孩子們祈禱！
情節劇小說，顧名思義，是以情節取勝的小說，它追求傳奇性，強調戲劇性，因而往往偏離生活的真實。但是《苦兒流浪記》不同，它雖然穿的是情節劇的戲裝，表現的卻是當時法國天天都要發生的最真實的生活。
《苦兒流浪記》-人物形象
巴伯蘭媽媽是善良的，雷米被巴伯蘭先生賣給維泰利斯後，巴伯蘭媽媽如熱鍋上的螞蟻，在院子裏跑來跑去的情景，說明她失去兒子的焦灼與絶望。
維泰利斯是一個值得人敬重的角色， “讓雷米接受生活嚴峻的考驗，這要比他在你們傢過那種雖非您的本意、但實際上卻是類似僕童的生活為好。”這是當時維泰利斯要從米利根夫人身邊帶走雷米的理由，最終雷米又回到了自己的親生母親米利根夫人身邊，那是後話。維泰利斯教雷米讀書、寫字、唱歌，他教雷米唱的歌成了這部小說的主題麯，我們仿佛可以聽到雷米柔和而略帶凄涼的童聲。馬洛為維泰利斯畫出了一個具有不可玷污的道德觀和不可戰勝的自尊心的紳士形象。
維泰利斯被凍死後，雷米被麗絲一傢所救，麗絲傢裏洋溢着親情的溫暖，本是讓人滿心歡喜，偏偏好景不長，一場暴風雨，讓父親進了監獄，兄妹們各自投靠了親戚。讀時，自己不自禁地生出遺憾來。
特魯耶爾煤礦的水災是一出典型的現實主義戲劇，讓人感受到《苦兒流浪記》並不單純就是一部有着美好結局的童話故事。礦主衹用幾磅咖啡、幾片火腿就把工人輕而易舉地騙進兩百米深的地下去送命。
《苦兒流浪記》-內容分析
小說寫的是一個棄兒的歷險生涯。它的開捲第一個情節，便是一個八歲的棄兒被當作牲口一樣出租的一場討價還價的交易。從這第一個情節開始，棄兒雷米的命運就成了書中具有磁石般吸力的懸念；也是從這個情節開始，圍繞雷米的命運，展開了作者精心設計的、富於傳奇性的、諸如邂逅啞女、買牛報恩、身臨賊窩、蒙冤蹲獄、亡命跳車、親人團圓等情節。《苦兒流浪記》不僅在情節上和人物懸念上具有當時流行的情節劇特色，它還同情節劇一樣，有着一支主題歌。馬洛成功地把這支主題歌鑄進了棄兒雷米的性格和形象之中，使它成了這部小說的不可分割的一部分，也使這部小說具備了音樂感染力。讀者的心靈將在小說的哪個段落上顫動，作者也總是恰好在這個段落上舉起他的指揮棒，讓你聽到小主人公唱主題歌時柔和而凄涼的童音。情節劇小說，顧名思義，是以情節取勝的小說，它追求傳奇性，強調戲劇性，因而往往偏離生活的真實。但是《苦兒流浪記》不同，它雖然穿的是情節劇的戲裝，表現的卻是當時法國天天都要發生的最真實的生活。它是一面反映生活的明亮的鏡子，但是，又是一面離奇的鏡子。它映照出來的，既有本來面目的生活，也有塗上了斑斕的離奇色彩的生活。馬洛在《苦兒流浪記》中表露得如此頻繁的那種勸善性的道德觀，沒有吸引力，因為它們顯然太抽象而且有偏見；但是他在小說中施展得如此嫻熟的、如此得心應手的、以情節劇小說的面目出現的現實主義的藝術方法。小主人公雷米是真實的，因為他是千百個已經在天災人禍中被吞噬了小生命的棄兒的化身。從棄兒雷米身上，成百上千個已經死去的雷米的屍體。在藝術想象力中復活了的化身，是真實的。維泰利斯是真實的。
小說是一個曾經蜚聲意大利聲樂舞臺的名歌手的悲劇下場。馬洛的《維泰利斯倒斃圖》，畫出了一個具有不可玷污的道德觀和不可戰勝的自尊心的強者的肖像。這並不是一幅表現好心腸的聖像畫，因為從畫中人的肌紋和眼神上，體現瞭瞭一八七一年的可敬的巴黎工人的硬骨頭精神，這是一幅現實主義的肖像畫。如果維泰利斯是小說中的一座雕像，那麽《特魯耶爾煤礦水災》就是小說中的重要的戲中之戲；是描寫礦主衹用幾磅咖啡、幾片火腿就把有些工人輕而易舉地騙進兩百米深的地下去送命的一出現實主義戲劇。馬洛用去了那麽多篇幅、而且連細節也不肯放過地描畫了那場災難，當然不衹是為了要表現幾個幸存者的蒼白的面孔，恐怕更主要是為了要讓沒有罹難的礦工們看到友愛互助是何等重要，也要礦主和神父們多聽聽絶望的寡婦們的呼號聲。
《苦兒流浪記》《苦兒流浪記》插圖
至於《心裏美先生病死客店》的故事，衹好用同“化身”相近的字眼來說明故事的真實性。心裏美並不是一隻具有奇異功能的馴猴，而是當時法國毫無生活保障、死於貧病的流浪小藝人的幽靈。在這個悲劇裏，當時法國行業作坊裏常見的、有着天才但過早地死去的貧窮的年輕學徒的冤魂。心裏美這個形象，也許是馬洛含着眼淚寫成的。《王子的奶牛》是馬洛巧妙地揉進在這部小說中、使小說本身和小說主人公都大放光彩的一個類似童話的故事。因為美好的童話總是既離奇而又真實的。馬洛描寫的，或者說，馬洛畫在畫布上的，是一顆潔白、知恩、無私但又帶點稚氣的童心；它多麽歡樂，多麽凄涼，因而也多麽真實！馬洛說過，他的這部小說，是為他的小女兒露西寫的；法國近代文學史上也說，《苦兒流浪記》迄今仍是法國青少年最愛讀的小說之一。《王子的奶牛》必然會激起青少年最美好的感情。然而真正使這部小說顯示較多現實主義色彩的，是作傢宏觀地描寫了他目睹的十九世紀七十年代末期，出現在法國地平綫上的，北自加萊海峽、南至地中海濱海地區的一個如此遼闊的充滿了苦難和不幸的世界。《苦兒流浪記》寫成於一八七八年，這是法國資産階級建立第三共和的第三年，也是羽翼已豐的資産階級準備實現工業化的前夕。馬洛手中的鏡子，對準的正是這個苦難世界中最具特徵意義的圖景，即：農村破産、工人們惡劣的勞動條件、童工數量的劇增和在法律允許下的對童工的剝削；在書中清楚地看到了資本主義工業化的災難性開端；看到了馬洛在這部小說中所表現出來的藝術才能：他搭起了一個貫穿法國南北的、滿目凄涼的大舞臺，讓維泰利斯和他的戲班子，阿根老爹和他的一傢子，加斯巴爾大叔和他的推車工，在畫着具有真實的時代特徵圖象的寬闊布景前，上演一個個有時使你哭泣、有時使你破涕為笑的“傳奇性”節目。《苦兒流浪記》無疑是一部在審美價值和認識價值上都已經提高了的情節劇小說。
《苦兒流浪記》-作品評價
《苦兒流浪記》作為十九世紀文學遺産中提高了的情節劇小說，具有重要的代表性。故事圍繞小主人公雷米的命運，展開了作者精心設計的、富於傳奇性的情節。《苦兒流浪記》不同於其他情節劇小說強調戲劇性從而脫離現實生活，它所表現的是當時法國每天都要發生的最真實的生活。
故事中的小主人公雷米是千百萬個已經在天災人禍中被吞噬了小生命的棄兒的化身，因此在藝術想像中復活了的化身是真實的。而法國小演員朱勒•西特魯剋在片中將雷米的天真善良毫無雕琢地表現了出來，他那一雙純潔透明的大眼睛讓觀衆從一看到這個命運坎坷的孩子就會發自內心的對他産生憐愛；曾經是蜚聲意大利歌劇界的名歌唱傢最終卻以悲劇收場的維達裏，被作者刻畫成一個具有不可玷污的道德觀及不可戰勝的自尊心的強者形象，讀者似乎可以從他身上看到那個時代巴黎工人身上令人敬佩的硬骨頭精神，因此維達裏也是真實的。這個維達裏由曾經主演過《金發男孩》、《夏日遺失的27個吻》的法國著名男演員皮埃爾•裏夏爾運用嫻熟的演技將這個錚錚鐵骨的漢子體貼溫柔的一面表現得淋漓盡致；甚至對於故事中小猴子美心的死，都可以被看做是當時法國毫無生活保障、死於貧睏的流浪小藝人的真實寫照。在這個悲劇中，讀者似乎還可以看到當時法國行業作坊裏常見的、有着天才卻過早死去的貧窮的年輕學徒的冤魂。正是這種真實，才能讓讀者流下同情的眼淚。
然而真正使這部小說顯示較多現實主義色彩的，是作者宏觀地描寫了他目睹的十九世紀七十年代末期，出現在法國地平綫上的北自加萊海峽，南至地中海濱海地區的一個如此遼闊的卻充滿了苦難和不幸的世界。
《苦兒流浪記》寫成於1878年，這是法國資産階級建立第三共和的第三年，也是羽翼豐滿的資産階級準備實現工業化的前夕。馬洛的小說正是這個苦難世界中最具特徵意義的寫照：農村破産、工人們惡劣的勞動條件、童工數量的劇增和在法律允許下的對童工的剝削。這使讀者在書中清楚的看到了資本主義工業化災難性的開端；同時也看到了馬洛在這部小說中表現出來的藝術才能。
《苦兒流浪記》-《苦兒流浪記》電影
導演：讓-丹尼爾·
主演：斯特法諾·迪 PhilippeNahRoseThiéryJulesSitrukPierreFores維羅尼卡·費...
片長：産地：捷剋法國德國
類型：劇情顔色：彩色
分級：對白：法語
上映日期：2000年12月18日
First Volume
Jerome Barberin lives with his wife in a little French town, Chavanon. He usually isn't home, since he works in Paris as a mason. One day he finds a baby boy. The boy wears very fine clothes, so apparently his parents are rich. Barberin offers to take care of the child, hoping to get a good reward. He gives the boy to his wife, and calls him Remi. Afterwards, Barberin gets injured in an accident. He blames his employer and hopes to receive financial compensation in a trial. The trial costs a lot of money, and Barberin tells his wife to sell her cow (her main source of wealth) and to get rid of Remi. She does the former.
When Remi is eight years old, and this is where the story starts, Barberin comes home unexpectedly. He sees that Remi is still there and decides to lose no time getting rid of him. The next day Barberin meets a travelling artist in the local pub. His name is Signor Vitalis, and he travels through France with three dogs - Capi, Zerbino and Dolce - and a monkey, Joli-Cœur. Vitalis offers to take care of Remi and Remi leaves his childhood home, without even a chance to say goodbye to his foster mother (who would have done anything to prevent the transaction) and starts a journey of the roads of France. It turns out that Vitalis is a kind man, certainly better company than Barberin. Vitalis teaches him to play the harp and to read. Often Remi is hungry and has no roof over his head; but in the animals, especially in Capi, he gains dear friends, and in Vitalis he finds the father he lacks. Together they travel through France, and they earn a living by giving musical and stage performances.
When they are in Toulouse, a sad incident, which reflects the unjust social structure of 19th Century France, puts Vitalis into jail. It is not easy for a ten-year-old to feed himself and four animals under his care, and they nearly starve, when they meet the "Swan" - a little river ship owned by Mrs. Milligan and her ill son Arthur. They take Remi in to entertain the sick boy, but soon start seeing a person in Remi, and he becomes part of the family. He learns that Arthur used to have an elder brother, who disappeared before Arthur was born, and Mrs. Milligan's brother-in-law, James, has attempted in vain to find him back. This was advantageous for James Milligan, since, by the English law, he was to inherit all of his brother's fortune if he died childless. This did not work, because soon Arthur was born. After two months Vitalis is released from jail, Remi and the Milligans like to stay together, but Vitalis wants Remi back, and so they say goodbye. However, Mrs. Milligan judges that Vitalis is a very kind and honest man.
Vitalis tells Remi that he has done a good choice: one must eat his own bread. But on the way to Paris in a snowstorm Zerbino and Dolce are eaten by wolves in the woods, and Joli-Cœur catches pneumonia. In an attempt to raise money for the doctor, Remi and Vitalis give a performance and Vitalis sings. Remi has never before heard Vitalis sing so beautifully. And not only Remi is bewildered: a young, and apparently rich lady tells Vitalis that she is amazed to hear his wonderful voice. Vitalis reacts angrily. He explains his skill to the lady by telling that he used to be a singer's servant. The lady explains he has a resemblance to the singer Vitalo Pedrotti from the Scala di Milano who is disparated. He even shows no gladness when the lady gives a gold coin to Capi. They return to Joli-Cœur with the money, but it's too late, Joli-Cœur is dead.
They now continue their journey to Paris. Vitalis decides to leave Remi with a "padrone" for the winter, while he trains other animals. Another institution of 19th Century France, a "padrone" was a man who kept a group of boys, sold by their poverty-stricken parents, who worked for him. Vitalis brings Remi to a "padrone" he knows - Garofoli. Garofoli isn't home, and Vitalis tells Remi to wait there, and that he will be back soon. Remi passes there two horrible hours - waiting for Garofoli and talking to an ill-looking boy, Mattia, who keeps houseworking because Garofoli believes him too stupid and incapable of working outside, but keeping the soup pot locked so that Mattia could not eat from it. When the other boys and Garofoli return, Remi witnesses how terribly Garofoli abuses those who do not bring home the amount of money required: he beats and starves them. When Vitalis comes back and sees how the boys are being flogged, he tells Garofoli that he could go to the police, but Garofoli threatens back to tell "some people just one name which will make Vitalis red from shame". Vitalis takes the wondering and grateful Remi not to return to Garofoli ever.
But this act of love costs Vitalis his life. That night, unable to find a place to stay, Vitalis and Remi collapse in the snowstorm under a fence.
Remi wakes up in a bed, with people standing around him: a man, two boys and two girls. The little girl, of about 5-6 years old, watches Remi with talking eyes. Then Remi learns the terrible truth: Vitalis is dead. In an attempt to discover his identity, the policemen take Remi to Garofoli, who reveals the truth: Vitalis used to be the famous Italian singer Carlo Balzani. When he got older, his voice got worse, and he was so ashamed for this that he decided to disappear. He changed his identity to Vitalis.
The family take Remi and Capi in. Remi gets a real father, the gardener Pierre Acquin, two brothers, Alexis and Benjamin, and two sisters, Étienette and little mute Lise. Remi especially adores Lise. He teaches her to read and plays the harp for her. Lise loves a Napolitan song in particular. Remi becomes a gardener, and years of hard work and merry Sundays follow. But after two years a terrible hailstrom ruins the glass in the greenhouse, and Acquin is in debts which he cannot pay and has therefore to enter a debt jail. The children are to go to uncles and aunts, in several French towns. Although the children insist that Remi also belongs to the family, none of the uncles and aunts is willing to take care of Remi. Broken-hearted again, vowing to his brothers and sisters to visit them on his way and bring father news from them, Remi takes his harp and Capi and leaves to the big roads.
Second volume
He hasn't gone long until he meets a companion. Mattia, the boy from Garofoli, is starving on the streets of Paris. Garofoli is in prison for beating a boy to death. Mattia pleads Remi to take him into his troupe. Remi is scared: with him, Mattia might die of hunger as much as alone. But Mattia convinces him that two will never die of hunger because one helps the other. Thus, "Remi's troupe" consists now of two twelve-year-olds and a dog. Mattia is a gifted violinist, he plays other instruments too, and he worked some time in a circus, where they had two English clowns, so he knows some English.
First the boys turn to visit Alexis, who now lives with his Uncle Gaspard (Father Acquin's brother) in the mining town Varses, where he works in the mine with his uncle. When Alexis is wounded and unable to work for a while, Remi volunteers to replace him. One of the miners is nicknamed magister, he is an old and wise man. He becomes a good friend and he explains the history of coal. One day the mine is flooded, probably by the river which flows overhead. Seven miners, including Uncle Gaspard, the magister and Remi, find shelter, but are trapped. They are waiting to be rescued, but don't even know if the rescue works are taking place. One of the men confesses a crime, blames himself for the disaster and commits suicide. The others spend a fortnight underground, hungry, beaten, but optimistic - and at last are saved. Capi is mad of happiness; Mattia is in tears. He says he never believed that Remi could be dead, and Remi is proud of his friend's strong belief in him. This incident shows the terrible state of child labour in 19th Century France but it also serves to bring closer Remi and Mattia: since that incident they are friends for life and death.
Remi wants Mattia to learn music and they visit a musician. Mr. Espinassous is shocked by Mattia's great talent and tries to convince him to stay and learn, but Mattia never wants to leave Remi. The boys now head for Chavanon where they hope to meet Remi's foster mother Barberin. During the trip they saved their money, hoping to buy a cow for mother Barberin. When they pass through Ussel, not far from Chavanon, they buy a cow, to replace beloved Rosette, who was sold when Barberin had his accident. To make sure that they will not buy a bad cow, they ask a vet for help. The vet is very friendly and the boys buy a wonderful cow.
In the next town the boys are accused of stealing the cow. Why would two street musicians have a cow, after all? They explain their story to the mayor. The mayor knows Mother Barberin, he heard about the accident in the mine, and he is willing to believe that the boys are honest. To make sure, the vet is called to testify, and the boys can continue their journey.
Remi and Mother Barberin finally meet. Mother Barberin tells Remi that Barberin is in Paris in search of Remi, because his real parents appear to be in search of him. However, Mother Barberin knows very little, because Barberin never told her any details. Remi is eager to know his real parents. Remi and Mattia decide to return to Paris and see Barberin.
On the way to Paris, they pass through Dreuzy, where they pay a visit to Lise Acquin. Remi and Lise are very fond of each other. When the boys arrive in Paris, they learn that Barberin has died. Remi writes a letter to Mother Barberin. Mother Barberin replies and she encloses a letter that was sent by Barberin before he died. It mentions the address of a lawyer's office in London, which is in charge of the search for Remi. So the boys go to London, where they are led straight to Remi's parents. Their name is Driscoll. Remi is terribly disappointed: the Driscolls are cold to him, his father keeps the boys locked. They turn out to be thieves and use Capi to help them in their work.
The Driscolls have a visitor. It is a man who seems to be interested in Remi, but Remi does not understand English well enough. The visitor does not meet Mattia, but Mattia overhears their conversation. The visitor is James Milligan and he appears to be Arthur's uncle. He hopes that Arthur will die, so that he will inherit the fortune of his late brother. The boys agree that Mrs. Milligan must be warned, but they have no idea where to find her. Mattia meets someone he knows. It is Bob, a clown from the circus where Mattia used to work. Bob turns out to be a very fine friend.
When Remi is accused of a robbery committed by his parents, Bob and Mattia help him escape from prison. With the help of Bob's brother, a sailor, they return to France. They go and search for Mrs. Milligan, to warn her for her brother-in-law. This is easier than it seems, since her boat, the "Swan", is a remarkable boat, and they soon hear that people have seen her. They only have to follow the rivers and canals. On their way they pass through Dreuzy where they hope to meet Lise again. However, they hear that Lise's uncle has died, and that a kind English lady, who journeyed on a boat, has offered to take care of Lise. That must have been Mrs. Milligan. Of course that is another incentive to go and find the "Swan". Remi and Mattia trace the "Swan" across France to Switzerland. They find the boat, but she is deserted. They inquire, and they find that the boat was unable to journey further up the river, and that the family continued their journey by coach, probably to Vevey. When they get to the town where "the English woman with the ill boy and the mute girl" are supposed to be, they start singing under every fence. It takes several days before they find the family. One day, when Remi sings his Napolitan song, he overhears a scream and a weak voice that continues the song. They run to the voice and find Lise, whose voice has returned to her when she heard her long-lost Remi. The boys now find that James Milligan is there too, and Remi is afraid to meet him, so he hides. Mattia is not afraid - James does not know Mattia. Mattia immediately tells Mrs. Milligan their story. Mrs. Milligan presumes that Remi must be her lost eldest son, but she tells Mattia that this should not be told to Remi until she is sure about it. She arranges that the boys can stay in a hotel, where they can have plenty of food, comfortable beds, and where they are visited by a barber and a tailor. After a few days Mrs. Milligan invites the boys, where they meet Mother Barberin. Mrs. Milligan has apparently sent for her. Mother Barberin shows Remi's baby clothes. Mrs. Milligan recognises these as the clothes her boy wore when he was stolen. Mrs. Milligan happily declares that Remi is her son, to join his "mother, brother and those - she pointed at Lise and Mattia - who loved you in your misery". It is clear that Mr. Driscoll has stolen the boy as a job for James Milligan.
This story has a happy ending: Remi finds his family, and discovers he is the heir of a fortune. Mattia's dearest little sister Cristina is sent for from Italy and they all grow up together. Arthur gets well and becomes an athlete. Mattia becomes a famous violinist. Remi marries Lise and they have a son named Mattia, whose babysitter is Mother Barberin.
The book ends with the score of the Napolitan song.
Film and television
Several movies were made after the novel, one of them Sans famille, starring: Pierre Richard (Vitalis), Veronica Ferres (Remi's mother), Bernard Fresson (Garofoli) and special guest starring: Claude Jade ("The Lady").
* Sans famille (F 1934) IMDb
* Senza famiglia (I 1946) IMDb
* Le Théâtre de la jeunesse: Sans famille (made for TV, F 1965) IMDb
* Ie Naki Ko (Japan 1977-78) - 51-episode anime TV series by Tokyo Movie Shinsha
* Sans famille (France 1981) - 6-part TV series by TF1 starring Petula Clark IMDB
* Bez semyi (Без семьи, SU 1984) IMDb
* Remi, Nobody's Girl (家なき子レミ, Ie Naki Ko Remi?) (Japan) - 26-episode anime TV series, the final installment in Nippon Animation's World Masterpiece Theatre series. This version made major changes to the storyline, transforming Remi (voiced by legendary pop star/voice actress Mitsuko Horie) into a girl and making her a child singer. The series was later translated into English by the anime television network, Animax, who aired the complete series (all 26 episodes) across its respective networks worldwide, including Southeast Asia and South Asia..
* Sans famille/Das Findelkind (F/D/CZ, 2000) IMDb