This is one of the great French filmmaker's last fairy stories (since the audiences at the time were tired of Melies' theater style) and one of Melies' last films in 1908. It's basically a moral story more than anything else. A princess, who is a complete jerk and psychopath, doesn't want her son associating with a poor shepherdess, so she separates them every chance she gets. However, a good fairy then takes the side of the shepherdess and gets rid of the princess for good so they can marry.
I personally find it overlong at 13 minutes. One of the reasons is because the scene in the shepherdess's hut is really drawn out too much. The real magic come at the ending, where Melies brings in all his cut outs and fantastic creatures. It is as stagy as could be wished for, but so long as you're used to Melies's fantasy style this is worth seeing.
I personally find it overlong at 13 minutes. One of the reasons is because the scene in the shepherdess's hut is really drawn out too much. The real magic come at the ending, where Melies brings in all his cut outs and fantastic creatures. It is as stagy as could be wished for, but so long as you're used to Melies's fantasy style this is worth seeing.