Gorod masterov

A better translation of the Russian title "Gorod Masterov" would perhaps be "The City of Craftsmen", which was the version used by the BBC when the film was screened by the BBC in 3 parts for children's television in 1967.

And for children this is indeed a fairy tale, though for adults there is something much darker. For an adult, especially a Russian adult, the film is a wonderful parallel to Eisenstein's "Aleksandr Nevsky" - the choice of Tallinn's conical towers and bastions as a backdrop, the clothing and armour of the evil Duke's men to resemble the German Knights of the Order of the Sword, the quasi-religious character of Guillaume, the Duke's evil right-hand man, and the heroic resistance brought to victory by a man engaged in a humble occupation. There even seems to be a homage paid to the Robert Helpmann film of "Tales of Hoffmann" with similar use of views of stylised roof cocks, weather vanes and steep gabled houses.

The colour and design are superb, and so is the music. I loved this film when I first saw it 40 years ago, and even now catch myself whistling haunting melody Karakol' sings!