Tři oříšky pro Popelku facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tři oříšky pro popelku/Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel |
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DVD cover of the Norwegian version, Tre nøtter til Askepott
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| Directed by | Václav Vorlíček |
| Produced by | Jiří Krejčík |
| Written by | Božena Němcová (story) František Pavlíček (screenplay) |
| Starring | Libuše Šafránková Pavel Trávníček |
| Music by | Karel Svoboda |
| Cinematography | Josef Illík |
| Editing by | Miroslav Hájek Barbara Leuschner |
| Distributed by | Ústřední půjčovna filmů |
| Release date(s) | 1 November 1973 (Czechoslovakia) 8 March 1974 (East-Germany) 14 December 1974 (West-Germany) |
| Running time | 83 min. |
| Language | Czech (Czechoslovakia) German (Germany) |
Tři oříšky pro Popelku (which means Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella) is a classic fairy-tale movie from 1973. It was made by filmmakers from Czechoslovakia and East Germany.
The film is also known as Three Wishes for Cinderella. In the UK, it was shown as Three Gifts for Cinderella. It was directed by Václav Vorlíček. The story is based on a fairy tale by Božena Němcová. This Czech writer created a special version of the classic Cinderella story.
The movie first came out in East Berlin in 1973. Even today, it is a very popular Christmas film in many European countries.
Contents
The Story of Cinderella
Cinderella's Hard Life
Cinderella's stepmother is very busy. She is getting the village ready for the King and Queen. They will stop there on their way to the castle. Cinderella gets blamed for a kitchen accident. Her stepmother scolds her and her late father. Cinderella talks back, so she is punished. She must separate lentils and ashes mixed in a bucket.
Her friends, a group of white doves, help her. They quickly separate the mixture for her. Free from her chore, Cinderella goes to the stable. She visits her white horse. She used to ride this horse with her father in the forest. They would hunt with crossbows.
The Prince's First Meeting
A lookout shouts that the royal party is coming. Everyone gathers to greet them. But Cinderella is not allowed to go. Her stepmother wants to show off her own daughter, Dora. The Prince is expected to marry soon.
Cinderella uses this chance to sneak away with her horse. She visits her pet owl and enjoys the snowy forest. Her ride stops when she sees the Prince and his friends, Vítek and Kamil. They are hunting in the forest. They spot a doe stuck in the snow. The Prince shoots his crossbow, but Cinderella throws a snowball. It stops his shot.
The Prince and his friends chase her. They catch up and laugh at her. They think she is just a rude child. She escapes and jumps onto the Prince's horse, Dapples. They chase her again because Dapples is known to be wild. To their surprise, she rides him easily. Then she switches to her own horse. She sends Dapples back to the Prince.
The Royal Ball Invitation
The Stepmother uses the royal visit to get an invitation to the ball. The King gives it to her, but he is not happy about it. On their way to the castle, they meet the Prince's group. The King is annoyed by his son. He tells the Prince he must get married soon.
The Stepmother sends Vincek, the servant, to town. He needs to buy fabric for new dresses for her and Dora. On his way, he sees Cinderella. She is washing laundry in an icy stream. Vincek feels bad for her. He promises to bring her a gift. It will be whatever hits him on the nose.
The Prince hears his father's plan. He will be forced to get engaged at the ball. So, the Prince goes back to the woods. He sees Vincek asleep in his sled. The horses are pulling it home. The Prince uses his crossbow. He playfully shoots a bird's nest from a tree branch. It falls on Vincek's face. Vincek finds a twig with three hazelnuts in the nest. He decides this will be Cinderella's gift. Cinderella likes the nuts. But her stepmother says they are "fit for a squirrel."
The Magical Hazelnuts
The Stepmother and Dora realize they forgot to get new jewellery. They go to town to choose it themselves. The Stepmother punishes Cinderella again. She makes her separate corn kernels from lentils. Again, the doves come to help Cinderella. She visits her owl. She wishes she could be free to come and go. She wishes she had a disguise.
One hazelnut falls from the twig. It magically opens. Inside is a complete hunter's outfit. Cinderella puts it on. She goes into the woods. There, she sees the Prince and a large hunting party. The lead huntsman shows a large, jeweled ring. The King promises it to the first hunter who shoots down a bird of prey. The hunters, including the Prince, cannot do it. Cinderella shoots it down. Then she shoots the arrow from the Prince's hand.
The Prince is impressed by the "young huntsman." He puts the ring on Cinderella's gloved hand. He asks her to shoot a pine cone from the top of a tree. She does it. Then she slips away. The Prince is amazed by her shooting skills. He chases her. He finds her high in a tree, in her own clothes. She refuses to say where the "young huntsman" went.
The Grand Ball
The Stepmother and Dora leave for the castle ball. Cinderella visits her owl again. She wishes she could go to the ball. She wonders if she can get another outfit. A second hazelnut opens. It reveals a beautiful ball gown. Her horse is magically saddled with a fancy sidesaddle.
She rides to the castle. She makes her way to the ballroom. Everyone stares at her. She puts on a veil. She greets the Prince. He was tired of all the other guests. He finds the veiled stranger mysterious and charming. The King and Queen are surprised by how gentle he has become.
She refuses to accept his marriage proposal. She says he must solve a riddle first. The riddle is about their earlier meetings. She runs out. The Prince chases her. He follows her back to her village. The villagers first make fun of the handsome stranger. They think he is looking for a princess in their village. Then they realize who he is.
The Prince asks the women to try on the slipper Cinderella lost. The Stepmother and Dora return. They see the Prince. They plan to trick him. They tie up Cinderella and steal her clothes. When the Prince asks the disguised Dora to try on the slipper, the Stepmother grabs it. They ride away in a sled. The Prince chases them. The sled falls into a small pond. He sees that it is Dora. He takes the slipper and goes back to the village.
A Happy Ending
Cinderella visits her owl one last time. She is very happy. The final nut holds a wedding dress. She puts it on. She rides out on her horse. The village and the Prince are surprised. The slipper fits her foot perfectly. She wants to give back the King-of-the-Hunt ring. But he puts it back on her finger.
She offers the riddle again. The Prince remembers his meetings with her. He proposes to Cinderella. She accepts without saying a word. The entire village cheers for her.
Meet the Cast
- Libuše Šafránková plays Popelka/Aschenbrödel (Cinderella).
- Pavel Trávníček plays the Prince.
- Carola Braunbock plays the Stepmother.
- Rolf Hoppe plays the King.
- Karin Lesch plays the Queen.
- Daniela Hlaváčová plays Dora, the Stepmother's daughter.
- Vladimír Menšík plays Vincek, the servant.
- Jan Libíček plays the Preceptor (who teaches the Prince).
- Vítězslav Jandák plays Kamil, one of the Prince's helpers.
- Jaroslav Drbohlav plays Vítek, another of the Prince's helpers.
- Míla Myslíková plays the Stepmother's Housekeeper.
- Jiří Růžička plays the fat kitchen boy.
- Helena Růžičková plays Princess Droběna (the princess in red at the ball).
The movie was made in two versions: Czech and German. The actors came from both countries. They spoke their own languages. Then, their voices were dubbed into Czech or German for each movie version.
The actress Jana Preissová was first chosen to play Cinderella. But she was pregnant, so she could not take the role. Libuše Šafránková was then chosen instead.
Filming Locations
The movie was filmed in several places. Some scenes were shot at the DEFA studios in Potsdam-Babelsberg, Germany. Other parts were filmed in the Barrandov studios in Prague, Czech Republic.
Many outdoor scenes were shot in Bohemia, which was part of Czechoslovakia back then. This included the Švihov castle in western Bohemia. Parts of the movie were also filmed in the beautiful Bohemian Forest. The Schloss Moritzburg in Saxony, Germany, was also used.
Soundtrack
The music for the film was created by Karel Svoboda. The main love song is called "Kdepak ty ptáčku hnízdo máš." This means "Where Is Your Nest, Little Bird?" It was sung by the famous Czech pop singer Karel Gott.
Digital Restoration
The film Tři oříšky pro Popelku was made to look new again. It was given modern image quality. This project was helped by Norway. The Czech Film Archive and the National Library in Mo i Rana worked together. This effort was funded by the EEA and Norway Grants. These grants help countries in the European Economic Area. Norway gave money to help make ten older Czech films digital. This work was finished by December 2015.
See also
In Spanish: La cenicienta y el príncipe para niños
