Wish upon a Pike
About Wish upon a Pike
In winter the peasant's son Yemelya cannot haul wood because the tsar has taken his last horse. Drawing water, he catches a pike, lets it go, and is told his wishes will come true. The tsar wants a man who can make his sullen daughter laugh, and offers her in marriage. A herald sees Yemelya's loaded sled go home with no horse and brings him in. He makes the soldiers dance, then the princess. The tsar will not marry her to a peasant. Yemelya and the princess leave, shake off the pursuit, and settle with his mother. The pike says goodbye.
Cast & crew
More about Wish upon a Pike
Alexander Rou's first film as director, shot at Soyuzdetfilm. Yelizaveta Tarakhovskaya wrote the play, drawn from the tale At the Pike's Behest and other Slavic stories. Ivan Gorchilin photographed. Vladimir Kochetov wrote the music. Released 30 December 1938. Runtime 56 minutes. Wikidata also lists Gorky Film Studio, the later name of the studio, and locations in Murmansk Oblast and Apatity. Also known in English as The Magic Fish.
Themes
Making
Rou's debut at Soyuzdetfilm. Winter exteriors were shot around Apatity in Murmansk Oblast.
Look
Ivan Gorchilin photographed it, including the Apatity winter scenes.
Music
Vladimir Kochetov wrote the music.
Preservation
A copy is on Wikimedia Commons.
Notes
- Pyotr Savin plays Yemelya. Georgy Millyar plays Tsar Gorokh. Sofia Terenteva plays the princess who never smiled. Maria Kravchunovskaya plays Yemelya's mother.
- Lev Potyomkin plays General One-Two. Andrei Fayt plays Mohammed Aha. Vladimir Lepko plays the cook.
- The Russian title, Po shchuchemu veleniyu, is the formula the pike gives him.
- A file is on Wikimedia Commons as 1938. По щучьему веленью.webm.
Scenes
- Yemelya wishes the loaded sled home and it goes without a horse.
- He makes the princess laugh, and the tsar still refuses the marriage.
Influenced by
- The tale At the Pike's Behest, via Yelizaveta Tarakhovskaya's play
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (1938. По щучьему веленью.webm)
