Seeing 'Three Wishes for Cinderella' and 'The Girl with the Golden Star' made me compelled to watch more Czech films, having watched a good amount of East German and Russian fantasies/fairy tale films recently. Whether comedy, drama or ones based on fairy/folk tales. There are plenty more to see, some of which have already been noted down as things to watch, but what has been seen already has made me really eager to see more.
'The Girl on the Broomstick' is again another example of why it has been so far a pleasure familiarising myself with films from Czechleslovakia. Regardless of whether 'The Girl on the Broomstick' had any flaws or not (didn't notice any obvious ones and was too entranced and entertained to care that much), it is one of those films where it is very difficult to be hard on it. Is it recommended? Wholeheartedly, especially if you want a distraction (a much needed one in my case) or want to see something different.
It enchants visually, it's beautifully photographed and designed while the effects are appealingly quirky and have the right amount of magic. The music is an ideal fit for the film's tone and the type of film it is (fantasy-adventure), and never had any problem with how it was placed or how loud or not it was.
Also loved the quirky wit of the script, appealing to both children and adults, with some very funny sight gags. It never becomes too childish and nothing should go over children's heads. Nothing is heavy handed and it doesn't try to make any political statement or anything which if inserted would have felt completely misplaced. The story is always lively and has plenty of content to sustain the length, which didn't feel too long or too short, filled to the brim too with charm and childhood innocence. My only not so major problem, and it is my only issue with the film too, is a few outsmartings being a little convenient.
Saxana is an immensely engaging protagonist who is easy to get behind and the numerous colourful supporting characters are great fun. The acting never felt too theatrical and Petra Cernocka gives a central performance that is wholly believable and charming throughout.
Concluding, another Czech delight. 9/10
