The movie uses the Princess and the Pea story as a frame to introduce three more classical tales from Andersen. While the bedraggled princess keeps company to the King and the Queen, the Prince travels in search of a wife, and we have the story about the Princess and the Swineherd, The Princess and the Troll, and another one with a princess looking for the most sophisticated and talented suitor of all. Some endings to the stories are altered from Andersen's, though.
Although the cast includes some of the top Soviet actors (Freindlich, Smoktunovsky, Kalyagin, Kvasha), they play small parts, while the Prince himself is lacking any substantial charisma and cannot carry the film. The entire flick somehow feels awkward, it lacks momentum and doesn't draw you in as best fairytale films do.
For the soundtrack, they use Vivaldi's music, and it's a great idea. The music is probably one of the best elements in the film which says something about its quality. A tepid and mediocre retelling of four Andersen's stories.
Although the cast includes some of the top Soviet actors (Freindlich, Smoktunovsky, Kalyagin, Kvasha), they play small parts, while the Prince himself is lacking any substantial charisma and cannot carry the film. The entire flick somehow feels awkward, it lacks momentum and doesn't draw you in as best fairytale films do.
For the soundtrack, they use Vivaldi's music, and it's a great idea. The music is probably one of the best elements in the film which says something about its quality. A tepid and mediocre retelling of four Andersen's stories.
