While the most popular fairy tale in Václav Vorlíček’s filmography remains Tři oříšky pro Popelku (Three Nuts for Cinderella, 1973), the successful director also employed his experience of the fantasy genre to good effect in Princ a Večernice (The Prince and the Evening Star) (1978), a fairy tale about the power of familial love, and the romantic tale Jak se budí princezny (Best Way to Waking Up Princesses) (1977), inspired by the classic Sleeping Beauty narrative. The screenplay for the latter was written by Bohumila Zelenková; primarily a TV screenwriter and dramaturge, she was the wife and close collaborator of the better known Otto Zelenka. Zelenková had worked with Vorlíček on Three Nuts for Cinderella, on which she used her name to cover up the authorship of the then banned František Pavlíček... As the heroine is rather inactive when it comes both to selecting a groom and breaking her evil curse, and sleeps for most of the well-known fairy tale, Zelenková amended the plot. In her rendition, the comely princess has a jealous older sister Melánie; fortunately, the curse causes the old maid to soften. While the smug prince Jiří is keen on the princess, she loves his younger brother Jaroslav. When the curse is fulfilled and the princess pricks her finger, Jaroslav has to overcome various adversities in order to awaken his love and the entire kingdom… The lead in the stylish, engaging fairy tale was performed by the then 18-year-old Marie Horáková, who had previously only been seen in small parts. Jaroslav was played by Jan Hrušínský, who had already proven the ideal beau in Vorlíček’s Dívce na koštěti (The Girl on The Broom, 1971). Jan Kraus, popular for his portrayals of hooligans, also appeared in that picture and here played prince Jiří. Jaroslav’s valet Matěj, played by Vladimír Menšík, became a popular character in the movie.
The king Dalimil and the queen Eliška waited to see a longed-for offspring - a daughter Růženka. But Eliška's envious and bad sister Melánie curses her. When Růženka becomes 17 years old she will prick her finger and she will fall asleep for ages together with the entire kingdom. Only the old maid makes the curse milder when she reminds to the heart-broken parents that love is stronger than death. The king had better removed all plants with thorns. Růženka became beautiful. Jiří, the crown prince of the Midnight kingdom came together with his parents and his younger brother Jaroslav to woo her. The self-sufficient young man is taught by his parents how to be self-confident as a future king rather in a bad way. They let him win games and competitions and they keep back that the bear with which he likes to fight successfully is the servant Matěj disguised as a bear. But Růženka falls in love at first sight to Jaroslav. In a horse race Jaroslav better falls into the pond in order not to run over a child. Also Jaroslav loves the princess and still he leaves the kingdom before the engagement party. He believes to his brother's lie that Růženka wishes so. The following day Růženka will refuse Jiří in front of all guests because she does not love him. Melánie lures on Růženka and the girl pricks her on a rose thorn. The princess and the kingdom fall asleep. Gardener Jakub calls in Jaroslav to help. The prince overcomes the obstacles and learns many things before he hews his way through the thorns to the princess. Then his affectionate kiss awakes her and the entire kingdom.
král Dalimil I.
královna Eliška
Voice by Naďa Konvalinková
princezna Růženka, dcera Dalimila a Elišky
sluha Matěj
baron, první ministr
princ Jaroslav
princ Jiří
královna Anežka, matka Jiřího a Jaroslava
Voice by Lubor Tokoš
král Vendelín
Melánie, Eliščina sestra
zahradník Jakub
Bětka, Jakubova žena
stará služka u Melánie
písař
sluha prince Jiřího
hajný Tomáš
Miroslava, komorná Růženky
dvorní dáma
dvorní dáma
dvorní dáma
dvorní dáma
velitel granátníků
vousatý granátník
dvořan
dvořan
dvořan
dvořan
dvořan na stráži
dvořan na stráži
velitel stráže Půlnočního království
strážný Půlnočního království
strážný Půlnočního království
kuchař
kuchař
selka na trhu
porodní bába/selka
švadlena
strážný
strážný
kočí
plačící voják
spící strážný
hofmistr
spící číšník
maršálek
pomocník zahradníka
Kubík, zahradníkův syn
komorná
strážce pokladu
sloužící
babka s nůší
švec
dubl za Vladimíra Menšíka
dubl za Jana Hrušínského
Božena Němcová (O Šípkové Růžence – pohádka)
Miloslav Dvořák, Martin Růžička, Richard Staněk, Jiří Žůček
Vlasta Mathauserová, Věra Winkelhöferová
Ladislav Hanousek
Nevjana Raduilská (klapka), Jitka Bylinská (fotografka)
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)
Song Composer Karel Svoboda
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Borovec
Singer Helena Vondráčková
Song Composer Karel Svoboda
Jak se budí princezny
Jak se budí princezny
The Best Way of Waking Up Princesses
film
featuretheatrical distribution
fairytale
Czechoslovakia
1977
1977
literary Screenplay approved 3 February 1976
start of filming 1 February 1977
technical Screenplay approved 18 March 1977
end of filming 17 November 1977
projection approval 28 November 1977
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1995
preview 5 March 1978 (kino Světozor, Praha)
premiere 24 March 1978 /suitable for youths/
Dramaturgická skupina Oty Hofmana, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Věry Třeškové, Věra Třešková (vedoucí výrobní skupiny)
feature film
83 min
2 372 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,66
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Exhibition: 20. přehlídka avantgardních a neorealistických filmů Avellino
1979
Avellino / Italy
Festival: 3. mezinárodní festival filmů pro děti a mládež Štrasburk
1979
Štrasburk / France
Festival: 18. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov
1978
Zlín / Czechoslovakia
Festival: 16. festival českých a slovenských filmů České Budějovice
1978
České Budějovice / Czechoslovakia
Karel Svoboda