Magic Horse, The

2965. THE MAGIC HORSE (1959-USSR) COLOR. Once upon a time, far beyond the rainbow, there existed a tiny kingdom in which three brothers resided. Michael is the eldest and strongest, but he also is the laziest. Next in line is Rupert. He is not as shiftless as Michael, but is trusted by no one. The youngest is Timothy, and he is the hero of this delightful animated adventure which is based on a famous Russian folk tale and will enchant one and all between the ages of five and 105! Timothy is neither lazy nor dishonest and is the best-liked of the brothers. One night, a strange drama begins to unfold. Someone or something has been stealing the brothers’ wheat and all three set out in search of this thief. Lazy Michael wishes that the burglar simply would disappear. Rupert is convinced that the culprit is from a nearby village. However, Timothy believes that the thief is none other than the mysterious and elusive “Firebird,” which no mortal has ever seenl His older brothers convince Timothy to stay up all night on guard and face single-handedly whatever danger might arise. As he spots a shooting star, Timothy is joined by a mighty horse which prances across the sky and then gallops to his feet. The horse must quickly depart, but before doing so it presents Timothy with a beautiful and faithful magical pony. What follows is a captivating fantasy involving Timothy and the pony. It features memorable characters (beginning with a beautiful Moon Maiden), not to mention adventure and excitement. An excellent film for the whole family. Recommended. 54 minutes. Animated Fantasy