The Snow Queen (1957)

When the Snow Queen, a lonely and powerful fairy, kidnaps the human boy Kay, his best friend Gerda must overcome many obstacles on her journey to rescue him.

Director:

Lev Atamanov (as L. Atamanov)

Writers:

Hans Christian Andersen (story), Lev Atamanov (screenplay) (as L. Atamanov)

Stars:

Vladimir Gribkov, Yanina Zheymo, Anna Komolova

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vladimir Gribkov	...	Ole Lukoje (voice)
Yanina Zheymo	...	Gerda (voice)
Anna Komolova	...	Kay (voice)
Mariya Babanova	...	The Snow Queen (voice)
Sergey Martinson	...	Karraks (voice) (as Sergei Martinson)
Galina Kozhakina	...	The Robber Girl (voice)
Art Linkletter	...	English Prologue
Billy Booth	...	English prologue
Rickey Busch	...	English prologue
Jennie Lynn	...	English prologue
Tammy Marihugh	...	English prologue
Paul Frees	...	Ol Dreamy / the Raven (voice)
Sandra Dee	...	Gerda (voice)
Tommy Kirk	...	Kay (voice)
Lillian Buyeff	...	Granny (voice)

Storyline

Gerda and Kay are best friends; however, the depth of their bond is tested when the beautiful Snow Queen strike's Kay's eyes and heart with shards of ice that make him cruel. After breaking Gerda's heart with his bullying, Kay is kidnapped by the Snow Queen, who takes him to her palace in the north, where she hopes to erase all memories and emotions from the child. Gerda's love for Kay motivates her to leave home and find Kay. She encounters a variety of strange and sometimes sinister characters during her quest. But can she rescue Kay in time, or will the Snow Queen succeed in turning his heart to ice?

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Plot Keywords:

part live action | russia | memory | memory loss | amnesia | 

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Taglines:

Miracle...Magical...Musical Entertainment For All Ages of the Heart!!!

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hayao Miyazaki has stated that this film is one of his inspirations to work in animation. When he started his career, Miyazaki had a rough start and was thinking of leaving animation. But when he saw The Snow Queen, he admired it and continued working in anime.

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Quotes

Granny: Look, the snow is falling again, and every snowflake is like a little white bee.
Gerda: Grandmother, tell us, where do these white bee snowflakes come from?
Granny: From the north. They fly here over cold seas, in icy winds, through blizzards and fogs. They are loyal servants of the Snow Queen.

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Alternate Versions

Original version runs only 63 minutes and has two songs in Russian. US version runs 70 minutes, with a 5-minute live-action prologue and a 2-minute montage added. It has three new songs in English, one in the montage and two replacing the russian songs.

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Connections

Version of The Snow Queen (1976)

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Soundtracks

Do It While You're Young
(english version)
Words and Music by Diane Lampert and Richard Loring

User Reviews

"Fly splinters of ice! Fly!"

This is such a beautiful film. Seeing this as a child really spoiled me! As an adult, I searched high-and-low for it for years, then, one day, found it in a bargain-basement-bin for $1.50 at a no-name video store--isn't that irony? I just wish it would be restored and re-released--without the Art Linkletter prologue!

Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian English

Release Date:

20 November 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Snow Queen

Company Credits

Production Co:

Soyuzmultfilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1