- Once Upon a Time (1973 film)
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Once Upon a Time 
Original one-sheet posterDirected by Roberto Gavioli
Rolf KaukaProduced by Rolf Kauka Written by Roberto Gavioli
Rolf KaukaMusic by Peter Thomas Distributed by
West Germany: Constantin FilmRelease date(s) December 12, 1973 (West Germany)
October 1, 1976 (United States)Running time 83 minutes Country West Germany Language German Once Upon a Time (German: Maria d'Oro und Bello Blue) is a 1973 West German animated musical film written and directed by Roberto Gavioli and Rolf Kauka. The story is based on the German fairytale "Frau Holle", or "Mother Hulda".
Contents
Plot
Maria is the only daughter of wealthy widower Mr. Bottle, and her only companion is her dog, Bello Blue. Maria is a kind-hearted and gentle-natured girl who always helps others and is well-loved.
One day a girl named Mary-Lou and her con artist mother arrive in town. Mary-Lou is the exact opposite of Maria, in that she is nasty, spoilt and selfish. Mary-Lou's mother poses as a fortune teller to tell people their future. She then meets Mr. Bottle, and tells him that great mis-fortune will befall him if he doesn't get married. Mary-Lou offers herself, but her mother stops her and marries Mr Bottle herself. Mary-Lou and her mother torment Maria, treating her like a servant. Maria's father is helpless to stop them, and Maria copes as best as she can, because she does not want to bother her father.
One day during a royal hunt, the prince of their kingdom separates from his fellow hunters as he chases after a white stag. Eventually he loses sight of the stag, but catches sight of Mary-Lou bathing in the woods and bullying Maria with her bossiness, eventually slapping her. When Mary-Lou stalks off to change, the prince approaches the crying Maria to comfort her. Mary-Lou reappears, and thinking that the prince is just a common hunter, tries to ruin things by pretending to have a broken ankle, but then just steals his horse and rides off. The prince and Maria spend some time alone together and fall in love. The prince gives Maria a garnet stone necklace, telling her that it will bring them together again. They part ways.
One night Mary-Lou sees Maria admiring her garnet stone necklace by a well. Jealous, Mary-Lou grabs the necklace and drops it into the well, leaving Maria to cry over the loss.
In the royal castle, the king gives the prince his approval to marry a common girl. A proclamation is made to the people that the "girl with the garnet stone" has to go the castle, where she will wed the prince. All the girls of marrying age quickly find garnet stone necklaces and rush to the palace. Mary-Lou and her mother manage to get a garnet stone from the local cobbler, who is in love with Mary-Lou, but when they go to the palace Mary-Lou realises that the prince is the hunter from the woods, and the necklace she needs to become queen is the one that was given to Maria.
Maria herself is unaware of the proclamation. Mary-Lou slyly offers to help Maria retrieve the necklace from the bottom of the well. When Mary-Lou reveals her intentions, the two girls struggle and fall into the well. There they meet a Frog King, who tells them that the necklace has been taken by the magical Mrs. Holle.
The two girls end up in the magical realm of Mrs. Holle. They make their way to Mrs. Holle's house, along the way encountering various magical creatures and things in need of help. At each point Maria happily helps the creatures, while Mary-Lou refuses. When they end up at Mrs. Holle's house, Mrs. Holle explains that they have to stay a while, because the door leading to their world is closed. Maria agrees to stay and help Mrs. Holle with her chores, but Mary-Lou leaves to find her own way back. Maria gets help from Mrs. Holle's little girl servants, while Mary-Lou runs into all amount of trouble. In the end Mary-Lou reluctantly returns to the house, and Mrs. Holle sends both girls back home.
The entire village watches as the two girls are magically returned from the well. Mrs. Holle appears in the sky and says, "What you have done of your own accord, you both shall receive your just reward." Maria's clothes transform to a beautiful gown, and the garnet stone necklace appears around her neck. As for Mary-Lou, pitch falls on to her clothes. The prince arrives, and is reunited with Maria, taking her to the castle to be married. Mary-Lou reluctantly agrees to marry the cobbler.
Release
In West Germany, Gamma Films released Once Upon a Time in black and white during 1973; a colour version released in West Germany and Italy in 1975. The film opened in the United States on October 1, 1976 through G.G. Communications;[1] this English-dubbed version was released on Region 1 DVD on November 7, 2006. A comic book adaptation, drawn by Gino Gavioli (the director's brother), was published in Kauka's magazine Fix und Foxi shortly before the film's release. The Fix und Foxi short "Symphonie in Müll" ("Symphony in Garbage") initially accompanied the feature in theaters. Once Upon a Time is also known as Der Zauberstein ("The Garnet Stone") in German, and Cinderella's Wonderland in the UK.
See also
References
- ^ a b Beck, Jerry (2005). "Appendix 1: Limited Release Animated Features". The Animated Movie Guide. Chicago Reader Press. p. 325. ISBN 1-55652-591-5.
- ^ G.G. Communications (February 25, 1977). "Matinee advertisement for Once Upon a Time". Daytona Beach Morning Journal: p. 4B. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HmgpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ScoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2920,3527681&dq=gg-communications&hl=en. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
External links
Categories:- 1973 films
- German-language films
- Animated feature films
- Children's fantasy films
- Cinderella film adaptations
- German animated films
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