The Salt Prince
| The Salt Prince | |
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Theatrical release poster by V. Vavrek
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| German | Soľ nad zlato, Der Salzprinz |
| Directed by | Martin Hollý |
| Written by |
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| Starring |
Libuše Šafránková Karol Machata Gábor Nagy (actor) Jozef Kroner |
| Music by | Karel Svoboda |
| Cinematography | Dodo Šimončič |
| Edited by | Maximilián Remeň |
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Production
company |
Slovenský film Koliba, Omnia film Munchen
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| Distributed by | Slovenská požičovňa filmov Bratislava |
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Release date
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Running time
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85 minutes |
| Country | Czechoslovakia, Germany |
| Language | Slovak |
The Salt Prince (Slovak: Soľ nad zlato, Czech: Sůl nad zlato, German: Der Salzprinz, Italian: Il Solto Prinzzo) is a Slovak fairy-tale movie based on a novel by Pavol Dobšinský. The movie's central lesson is that salt, as it is necessary for life, is more precious than gold and emeralds.
Though ostensibly a fairy-tale, The Salt Prince makes several profound and idealistic observations about life and human nature. It also probes into Slovak cultural heritage and values.
The story tells a story about old king Pravoslav who wants to pass his throne on to one of his three daughters. The closest to his heart is the youngest one Maruška, but he wants to confirm his decision by reason not only by feelings, so he follows the advice of court clown to decide according to their confessions of daughterly love towards him and their bridegrooms. At the ceremony of confessions the oldest of the sisters, who loves money and power, pleases father with the confession that she loves him more than gold. Her bridegroom promises power and order to his country. The younger one, who's obsessed with jewellery, confesses that she loves him more than any of expensive jewels. The youngest one Maruška confesses that she loves him more than salt, because salt is inevitable for life. Her bridegroom, the Salt Prince promises love to his daughter prosperity, justice and charity towards his people if he and Maruška will reign. The king is offended by Maruška's confession, because there is enough salt and everybody, even the poor ones have some. The Salt Prince tries to defend Maruška, but her father expels Maruška from his kingdom. While this event is taking place, the King of Nature, the father of Salt Prince appears and utters a curse upon Pravoslav's kingdom. From now on every grain of salt would turn gold. This event would not only influence the kingdom, but also Salt prince, because as his ideas of good, and good will were taken in wrong turn he disappears and is turned into salt pillar in the underworld. Maruška expelled from the country of her father undergoes a journey of finding her lost love Salt prince. She finds the way to the kingdom of Underworld, the kingdom of Salt prince's father.
Meanwhile Pravoslav and his other two daughters enjoy the gold they have, but after a while when the food is dry in taste the two bridegrooms starts quarreling about the money and people of the kingdom strive for an ingredient which makes their bread tasteful. When illnesses start to spread, Pravoslav decides to give up gold and exchange it for salt in the neighboring country. As the carriages with gold cross the border it changes to salt and other way back it returns to the kingdom of Pravoslav it is again gold. After this they recognize that their kingdom is cursed.
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Wikipedia