Finding unexpectedly that a Eastern European viewing challenge was taking place on ICM,I frantically started checking the Czech flicks I had waiting to be viewed. Having picked this up earlier in the year after being taken by stills of the film,I got set to find out how proud the princess is.
The plot:
Being pushed by her dad the king, (a puppet for the privy council)to get married, Princess Krasomila holds firm and turns down a marriage proposal from King Miroslav. Passionate for Krasomila, Miroslav enters the kingdom undercover as a gardener for the palace. Seeing the locals suffer from the kind banning anyone from singing, Miroslav starts to sing his heart out to Krasomila.
View on the film:
Becoming a classic shown every Christmas on TV in the Czech Republic, co-writer/(with Henryk Bloch and Oldrich Kautsky) director Borivoj Zeman & cinematographer Jan Roth dance into becoming a seasonal tradition with a lovingly whimsical atmosphere of lavish wide-shots of the wild woods, and lined tracking shots down the corridors of the palace with sparkling attention to detail on the regal clothing and luxury appearance of the location. Breaking into song, Zeman gives the set-pieces a fairy tale romanticism, in layering dissolves of flowers growing to life to each ballad performed.
Whilst mostly care-free, the writers adaptation of Bozena Nemcova's fairytale slyly brings out an allegorical chorus for the grand final, from the locals having been banned by the king from freely expressing themselves in song, and dreams of being able to earn a fair wage. Entering undercover as a gardener, the writers bring a warmth to the romance between Miroslav and Krasomila, by giving Miroslav a Robin Hood vibe in rebelling against the kingdom,and teaching Krasomila the joy of singing and gardening (!)
Planting a seed of love when their eyes meet, elegant Alena Vranova gives an enchanting turn as Krasomila, whose toughness over not following all her dads orders,is paired by Krasomila with a sweet gentle tenderness. Swinging into the palace and professing his love in ballads, Vladimir Raz gives a sparkling performance as Miroslav,who is given a swashbuckling energy when supporting the locals, (filled with the outstanding faces of character actors) which is threaded by Raz with a bubbling sincerity over love for the proud princess.
The plot:
Being pushed by her dad the king, (a puppet for the privy council)to get married, Princess Krasomila holds firm and turns down a marriage proposal from King Miroslav. Passionate for Krasomila, Miroslav enters the kingdom undercover as a gardener for the palace. Seeing the locals suffer from the kind banning anyone from singing, Miroslav starts to sing his heart out to Krasomila.
View on the film:
Becoming a classic shown every Christmas on TV in the Czech Republic, co-writer/(with Henryk Bloch and Oldrich Kautsky) director Borivoj Zeman & cinematographer Jan Roth dance into becoming a seasonal tradition with a lovingly whimsical atmosphere of lavish wide-shots of the wild woods, and lined tracking shots down the corridors of the palace with sparkling attention to detail on the regal clothing and luxury appearance of the location. Breaking into song, Zeman gives the set-pieces a fairy tale romanticism, in layering dissolves of flowers growing to life to each ballad performed.
Whilst mostly care-free, the writers adaptation of Bozena Nemcova's fairytale slyly brings out an allegorical chorus for the grand final, from the locals having been banned by the king from freely expressing themselves in song, and dreams of being able to earn a fair wage. Entering undercover as a gardener, the writers bring a warmth to the romance between Miroslav and Krasomila, by giving Miroslav a Robin Hood vibe in rebelling against the kingdom,and teaching Krasomila the joy of singing and gardening (!)
Planting a seed of love when their eyes meet, elegant Alena Vranova gives an enchanting turn as Krasomila, whose toughness over not following all her dads orders,is paired by Krasomila with a sweet gentle tenderness. Swinging into the palace and professing his love in ballads, Vladimir Raz gives a sparkling performance as Miroslav,who is given a swashbuckling energy when supporting the locals, (filled with the outstanding faces of character actors) which is threaded by Raz with a bubbling sincerity over love for the proud princess.