The film "Three Nuts for Cinderella" was and remains one of the most beloved by the audience. On the eve of Christmas, the film is traditionally shown on television in the Czech Republic and Germany. The history of filming a popular movie fairy tale is also interesting.
Director Vaclav Vorlicek planned to shoot his own version of the story of the prince and Cinderella. For the picture, he needed decorations and costumes in the Renaissance style. They did not fit into the amount of the standard budget. The director offered the script to German friends, employees of the more financially secured DEFA film studio.
Instead of a summer fairy tale - winter
Unlike the version of the Brothers Grimm in the narration of Bozena Nemtsova, according to whose fairy tale the film was filmed, the fairy godmother was replaced by the fruits of the magic hazel.
They invested enough funds in the production, provided they were filmed in Germany, with the participation of German artists.
The main action developed on the border of Bavaria with the Czech Republic. It was originally planned to shoot the film in the summer. However, adjustments had to be made because of the German side: the studio was provided only in October for three months.
Since it was decided to start working immediately, the summer story turned into a winter one. True, at that time the costumes of the heroes were already ready, it was too late to alter. Therefore, all the artists were filmed in summer clothes.
Actors and sets
The house where the movie heroine lived was located in the picturesque West Bohemian town of Shvihov. The Gothic castle of the 15-16th centuries has been perfectly preserved. For the royal palace, castles were chosen near Dresden, in Moritzburg and in the Czech Lednice. Shrouded in a haze of secrets, they looked magical in the film.
Czech actor Pavel Travnichek was invited to play the role of the prince. Cinderella was offered to become 19-year-old Libusha Shafrankova. Since 1973, their Prince and Cinderella have remained the most beautiful in cinema.
The actress was a great rider. She played almost all the scenes herself. The director decided to use the services of a stuntman only once. It was a scene in the forest, when Cinderella literally flies on horseback over a fallen tree. The director was afraid to risk the health of the performer.
The prince and the company of his friends had to master the intricacies of horse riding right on the set. Until that moment, none of them had any idea about communicating with horses or riding them. The dedication of the performers helped to cope with the difficult task.
At the time of filming, Daniela Glavachova, who played Cinderella's half-sister, Dora, was expecting a baby. The actress was surrounded with increased attention and care. She did not take part in the complex scene with the fall from the sled into the wormwood. Yes, and the Stepmother was not in them: the performers were replaced by stuntmen.
Costumes
The most spectacular final scene was born out of improvisation. According to the scenario, the main characters hide away together. But the weather decided otherwise. If during the entire work there was not much snow, then by the end of filming it fell so much that the Prince's horse fell into a huge snowdrift. Travnichek, barely getting out, only looked after Shafrankova, who had rushed away. It was decided that the Prince should catch up with Cinderella.
The whole group enjoyed working on the film with great pleasure. Lucky for a family movie and with a costume designer. Theodor Pishtak made the clothes of the heroes both historical and fabulous at the same time. The master subsequently received an Oscar for his costumes in the film Amadeus by Milos Forman. The uniform of the guards at Prague Castle is also the work of Pishtak.
After the filming was over, the costumes were not left idle. They are exhibited constantly. So, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the painting, the exhibition was held at Moritzburg Castle, which played the role of a royal residence in the painting. From November 10, 2012 to March 3, 2013, the organizers recreated scenes from the famous film using original costumes and props.
