Tři zlaté vlasy děda Vševěda

There are fairy tales that appear on TV screens every Christmas and there are fairy tales that have somewhat fallen into oblivion and few people remember them anymore. This is one of the lesser known ones. Its plot certainly needs no further introduction. After all, the fairy tale story of the Swimmer, the charcoal-maker's son, to whom the judges attribute the hand of a royal princess born at the same moment, is one of those which are not forgotten. And the Swimmer's difficult journey in pursuit of an almost impossible task, the three golden hairs of Grandfather Allfather, who is the Sun and dislikes mankind, is as fabulous as the advice he brings to three towns beset by strange woes.

Directed by Jan Valášek, Tři zlaté vlasy děda Vševěda leans on a strong ensemble — Radovan Lukavský, Alfred Strejček, Jana Kasanová — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about family titles of 1963.