Konyok-Gorbunok

I watched this animated feature in the 1950's on a New York City Saturday morning show, The Children's Hour, hosted by Ed Herlihy. I had no idea what the title was, and just found it on a link to old children's tv shows.

The animation is beautiful - up to Disney's standards in Snow White, Fantasia and Bambi. I knew it was Russian film, but do not remember reading the subtitles. It was a tale of fantasy concerning a young boy who had to rescue a princess by passing through a series of "tests." Typical folk take fodder, but the great moment when he has to jump into each of three cauldron - one freezing, one boiling and I don't remember the third - kept me breathless, each and every time they aired the film. When he jumps into the third cauldron it seems to take forever before he emerges. I was sure he had died. But he emerges, no longer a slight young man, but a hearty grown man, worthy of winning the princess.

Ah, such were the tales I grew up on. A prince would rescue me and I'd never have to worry about doing anything with my life again! Sad, but when the animation is breathtaking, I can forgive the society that perpetuated such myths.