The Snow Queen (Faerie Tale Theatre episode)

Infobox Television episode


Title=The Snow Queen
Series=Faerie Tale Theatre
Season=4
Episode=2
Airdate=March 11 1985
Writer=Maryedith Burrell
Director=Peter Medak
Prev=The Three Little Pigs
Next=The Pied Piper of Hamelin

"The Snow Queen" is the 17th episode of the television anthology "Faerie Tale Theatre". The story is adapted from the Hans Christian Andersen story of The Snow Queen and stars Melissa Gilbert as Gerda and Lee Remick as the Snow Queen, with Lance Kerwin as Kay. The teleplay was written by Maryedith Burrell, who has also appeared in the series as a performer.

Plot

The story featured in this episode is a simplified version of the original tale, with the backstory and motivations of Gerda and Kay kept the same. However, in this version the Snow Queen's actions are based on kindness, and she takes Kay away with the purpose of helping him.

The distorting mirror is a creation of a wicked goblin who flies above the Earth looking for tricks he can play on mortals. One winter's day he spots Gerda and Kay playing on the roof of Grandmother's house and smashes the mirror. The shards fall and one piece enters Kay's left eye. As he is mocking Gerda he falls off the roof and lands in the snow below. When he wakes, the Snow Queen is standing before him. She tells him that he does not have much time, and she takes him away to her castle at the North Pole. There she teaches him various things to keep him occupied, and as a final test she gives him is a word puzzle he has to solve.

Spring arrives and all the villagers believe that Kay has died. Gerda does not believe this and sets out to find him. Gerda's search is similar to the original story except that she only encounters a talking tree, the Witch of Eternal Summer and the Robber Girl. All other characters have been omitted. Once Gerda reaches the Snow Queen's castle she has to solve a riddle by the guards before she can enter. Then after Kay is healed by her warm tears, they solve the Snow Queen's word puzzle and are free to return home.

At the very end, the Snow Queen sends a fierce wind to blow the goblin to the edge of the universe as punishment for his wicked deeds. However, we are told that the goblin is not gone for good. He will return someday...

Cast

ee also

*List of Faerie Tale Theatre episodes