Hans Christian Andersen's story 'The Little Mermaid' is one of my favourites, it's one of his most iconic stories more than justifiably, it is full of charm and magic and the ending touches me without fail every time. Have been a fan of Russian film for a long time, especially their animations and old fantasies ever since starting to watch and review more than what was familiar to me already in 2013 and then resuming last year.
This 1976 adaptation is just lovely. It is relatively faithful as an adaptation (or at least in spirit it is), though with some major differences that make sense and don't harm the storytelling or characters at all. It succeeds even better on its own merits, which to me has always been a fairer way to judge and have always tried to adopt it while making the odd exception depending on how big the difference in quality is. Anybody that loves Russian fantasy will find this 'The Little Mermaid' a delight, it was this sort of film that made me love their films and such in the first place.
My only real complaint is that at times the courtly scenes are a touch mannered.
On the other hand, it is a beautiful looking film with a first fifteen minutes that really takes the breath away. The settings really evoke a sense of wonder and the photography is some of the most beautiful for any non-recent, and even overall, film seen recently. Particularly underwater, which make for some pretty unforgettable imagery. The music similarly enchants, it fits perfectly and not only adds a lot to what is going on but at its best it enhances. Especially in the dance sequence, which is beautifully choreographed.
It was clearly written with love for the story, never loses its emotional impact and does nothing to make the story ramble or lack clarity. It may very likely make one intrigued enough into watching more Russian films if they are not familiar with them already. The story is truly enchanting and towards the end very touching as well, did shed tears at the end admittedly. The characters are interesting, especially the titular character who is also very rootable, and the actors all seemed engrossed in their characters and stay true to them. Viktoriya Novikova is never less than beguiling and Galina Volchek haunts the mind as the Witch.
Summing up, a delight. 9/10
