Reviews & Ratings for
The Little Mermaid More at IMDbPro »Malá morská víla (original title)

7 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
MAGIC !, 4 January 2001

Author: (chanatr@caramail.com) from Paris, France

Forget everything you may have seen regarding the "Little Mermaid". This movie is by far the best adaptation of the story. We all know more or less the story but there is some magic in this film, the way Kachyna used the colors (mostly blue).The main actress is just amazing and her submarine kingdom is beautiful. One word to describe this movie: MAGIC

6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
A beautiful film.., 1 August 2005

Author: (yasmin67) from United Kingdom

I first saw this film when I was ten in Germany. Quite by chance! I still remember listening to the little mermaid singing that bewitching beautiful haunting song at the beginning of the film and it stayed with me...until 15 years later, in England, they showed it... The film is far more than just another fairy-tale retelling! It is artful! It is more a film about unconditional love and the sacrifices one makes in life. The little mermaid gives up her father (who she loves above all else) and her home to be with the man whose life she saved. The film is beautifully shot - the mystical allure of the waves is captured and the music seems to dance with the waves. The Kingdom beneath the sea is somewhere magical and tangible. Her father laments on the nature of man who is bent on destruction and the film even touches on philosophy. It shows that man is subject to the laws of Nature. No-one can conquer the sea! There are things beyond Heaven and Earth. Other realms. It is a film rich in symbolism - from the little mermaid's bloodied feet upon the sand where she walks to the knife her father sends her through the ocean's waves so that she can kill her Prince and regain her immortality.I am now 39 and recorded this off German TV (have German satellite here in England!) and watch it every year..you can get the DVD at Amazon.de...it always reminds of me of why I am alive and that the secret of happiness is very simple indeed...This film is not a cartoon, but a proper film made in Czechoslovakia and will appeal to those of us who believe in the soul...The Little Mermaid is Innocence itself and her Beauty shines through every scene...

5 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Fabulous, 23 June 2005

Author: Jiri Kacetl (jiri.kacetl@tiscali.cz) from Znojmo, Czech Republic

Of course, this Czechoslovak film ranks among the best of the 70's. The movie came to being at the time after the ominous 1968, the directors were allowed to shoot either political (i.e. communist) propaganda pieces, or if they did not want it, they chose fairy tales. Kachyna tried the Little Mermaid and he did right.Time has not washed away its magic and inner beauty... The Safrankova sisters are excellent in their competing roles, the depiction of the Deep Blue Sea is flawless. The score is also fitting. The whole mood of the film is rather sad, the end, of course, tragic. If I compare the Czechoslovak films coming from those days to the films that are shot at present, it is clear that despite all modern computer methods and tricks the present ones lack the atmosphere of those in the past. It is not only the production that makes them worse but also the quality of screenplay and acting. Very sad.

2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
A better adaption of the classic tale!, 22 March 1999
Author: Jenova Synthesis

This is perhaps a better adaption of the classic Danish tale made in Eastern Europe."Mala morska vila" or "Little Mermaid" stays faithful to the story.There are no animal companions or real sugary cutsiness.It is both funny and sad,not just one or the other.

I reccomend this for people that are sick of Disney retellings of classic tales.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
little mermaid, 16 January 2007

Author: cherishedcat from Netherlands

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

When i saw this movie in 1977 on the TV i was impressed and touched by it. Remember crying at the end of the movie. It was very touching.The way the father appears at the beginning on the rocks. And the way the mermaid leaves the bloody footprints on the sand at the beach.The acceptance of her father of his youngest daughters choice. The flowers at the end on the water. The scene where she holds the dagger but can not strike. Her inner struggle between her love for the prince and the choice of staying with her family.The toys the girls play with. The dead sailors at the sea bottom.The make up. The clothes, the slow motion in the walking and running scenes when she visits the salt statue of her mother. Never have forgotten it and was given the DVD (german narrated) a few years ago as a present. Have not found the original version yet. The song the mermaid sang i still remember.It is a pity it never was on TV here again.

2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Very nice movie, we lack such ones now., 19 June 1999

Author: AMur (a_mur@yahoo.com) from Israel

One more wonderful "Barrandov Movie". Back in USSR we used to watch anything, that came from "Barrandov Studios", especially children movies. This one matches the great standards they had in Czechoslovaky at 60-70-80s. Maybe too many "blank spaces", where they just show the sky or sea, but generally, beautiful scenery, nice costumes and the very best actors of the genre make this move one of the best filming of Andersen's "Little Mermaid".

1 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
This film is available in Germany., 1 September 2007
Author: kehkehbia from United Kingdom

Hello, I wish I could understand German,or Czech, because this is a fantastic Film which I saw in 1974, and is now available on WWW.AMAZON.DE

That is the German Amazon. And also with WWW.YOPI.DE Its called "Die Kleine Meerjung Frau" it was directed by Karel Kachyna, and It is the best little mermaid film! I recently viewed you tube and someone claimed to have a clip of Mala Morska Vila but it was the Russian film , and although good its nothing compared to this Great Czech version, and its 2 great stars the Safrankova sisters Miroslava and Libuse Safrankova. excellent and timelessly haunting.

If anyone has a copy in English or subtitled in English please please email me at

Sabina@in box.com

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