The Bear and the Ghosts

Summary

These two short children’s tales – O medvědu Ondřejovi (The Bear and the Ghosts) and Jak se Franta naučil bát (How Franta Learned to Fear) – directed by Jaroslav Mach were jointly released in Czechoslovakia under the name Medvěd a strašidla (The Bear and the Ghosts, 1960). In the first story, Princess Blanka falls in love with huntsman and gamekeeper Ondřej. Rather than a common swain, her father, naturally, had someone of noble birth in mind for a son in-law. When his daughter rejects all the suitors with the right pedigree, the king locks her up in the castle tower promising her hand to the one who is able to find the secret entrance, while favouring suitor prince Hynek in every possible way. Ondřej, the princess’s lover, ultimately finds his way into the castle disguised as a dancing bear... The interpreters of the two lovers, Aglaia Morávková and Jiří Papež, never managed to leave a significant mark on Czech cinema. In its supporting parts, however, the film relies on Czech stars of the likes of Jaroslav Marvan (the king), Miloš Nedbal (the chamberlain) and Jiřina Bohdalová (chambermaid Anežka).

Synopsis

Note

The Bear and the Ghosts – joint title for the two medium-footage fairytales that were shot in parallel (length 2 544 meters) but finally distributed separately under the titles How Franta Learnt to Fear and About Ondřej the Bear.