Catalogue of Czech Television Programmes
King Dobromil is a good and just monarch. But he spent more time away from his kingdom, waging wars, than on the throne and so the rule of the land fell into the hands of his greedy Minister who has an interesting pact with the Devil. He was to bring the king to rack and ruin and then to hell and in return the Minister would mount the throne himself. The powers of hell gradually seep into the land and honourable people decide to flee. Princess Annie spends all her time with Apolena, a wise though somewhat scatter-brained old herb woman, who believes that the kingdom would be rescued by an as yet unknown saviour. But the only new arrival is Philip, an inconspicuous and merry young man who became the cook in the royal kitchens. Nobody knows that he is the prince of the neighbouring land, which has already been conquered by Hell. Things go from bad to worse and the unhappy King Dobromil finally signs his soul away to the devil. Everything seems to be lost. But in the end Philip manages to save the land from Hell through his courage, wit and his true love of Annie. Because real, selfless love overcomes all obstacles - even the plots of Hell.
35mm | 100´ | © 2003
director(s): Roman Vávra
producer(s): Czech Television and VERBASCUM s.r.o.
scriptwriter(s): Ondřej Šulaj, Roman Vávra, Miloš Macourek
director of photography: Ramunas Greičius
cast: Tatiana Pauhofová, Ivan Schvedoff, Iva Janžurová, Josef Somr, Jiří Lábus, Eva Holubová and others
rights available: TV, Video, Internet, Theatrical
original language: Czech
subtitles available: English