If there was a fairytale I wish more people outside of Eastern Europe knew about, it would be "Zlatovlaska." Originally written by Karel Jaromír Erben, this Czech story is beloved by those living in Eastern Europe. Most people know this story from the 1973 film adaptation which is as magical as they come. The movie is an extremely faithful adaptation and is almost exactly like how the original story was written. The scenery and costumes are gorgeous, the soundtrack is whimsical and charming, and the acting gives me a warm sort of feeling. I also enjoyed the chemistry between the two leads, even if they only had a few interactions alone together.
I did not grow up with this movie. The only reason I know about it is because my mom was showing me movies from her childhood, and this was one of them. I did not sit down and watch it until years later and I can safely conclude that it is still a fun watch no matter how many times you've seen it.
The story follows Jirík (pronounced YIR-zhik), a king's chef who is told to prepare a "fish" (though it more resembles a snake) that an older woman gave to the king one morning. The king strictly orders that Jirík cannot taste the "fish", but will not explain why. Jirík disobeys as he feels that because he is a chef, he should make sure the meals are prepared correctly. After he takes a bite of the "fish", he begins to understand the animals around him. The king eventually finds out about this and orders Jirík to bring him the princess that they overheard two birds talk about. On his journey, Jirík helps multiple animals and in turn has them help him. Most of the animals in this movie are actually some sort of puppets. Some may find it silly, but I feel that it adds to the charm of this movie. It is also technically a musical, so there are a lot of songs throughout the film that actually sound quite nice. The end song that plays throughout the film is catchy and there is another song that the princess's family sings to her as they say goodbye that actually made me tear up. While there isn't a lot of action in this movie like others I've seen, I don't think it affects the quality of the film.
If you are a fan of fairytales or movies from this time period, there is a chance you will like this one. While it may not be as known as "Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella", for example, it is still charming in its own right and tells you a story that you probably haven't heard of before. This movie will give you plenty of things to enjoy and may even have you looking into other fairytale movies!
