Lotte Reiniger's only wartime movie is a straightforward version of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale. However, for those who, like me, love her exquisite silhouette animation, it is a pleasure to see this rather rare piece.
Reiniger, who directed the first animated feature, THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED, had a rare talent for her chosen form of animation. Her beautifully ornamented and articulated figures have had a few imitators and some compeers like Tony Sarg, but no equals. The version I saw was narrated by someone with a Scots accent, and that may have interfered with the screen magic and the air of eavesdropping on a private story that most of her pieces possess, but the visuals should charm you anyway.
