The Crab With the Golden Claws (1947) - The First Tintin Movie

Guide written by Tintinologist.org UK Correspondent Oliver Battrick

Last modified: 21 March 2004

Crab with the Golden Claws (1947) First Tintin movie
Image © Hergé/Moulinsart.
The Crab with the Golden Claws
Production details:
Director - Claude Misonne
Writer - João B. Michiels
Colour, 75 mins.

This first Tintin movie was made by Wilfried Bouchery and Cle Keerbergen-Malines Belg. The film was made using limited resources, but really captures the flavour and storyline of the book on which it was based. Unfortunately, the film was only shown publicly once in the ABC Cinema in Brussels, as Winfried Bouchery declared bankruptcy, and the film was seized. The first people to see the movie were the guests at the ABC Cinema on the 11th January 1947. A copy of the film survives today and is archived at Belgium's Cinémathèque Royale.

An interesting drawing Hergé created for the film
Herge drawing for The Crab with the Golden Claw movie (1947)
Image © Hergé/Moulinsart.
Sources:
  • The Pocket Essential Tintin (Pocket Essentials, 2002)
  • Hergé and His Creation by Harry Thompson (Sceptre, 1992)
  • Tintin at the Movies by Benoît Peeters (tintin.com)

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