Movie contains elements from Serbian fairytale "Bas Celik" (means "Head of steel") but has it's own plot that, although follows standard patterns of fairy tales, is original in it's presentation. The final battle can be seen as a fairytale version of the First Serbian Uprising, and Bas Celik as a metaphor for Ottoman empire.
One day while hunting, little boy Nebojsha (means "Not afraid")ends up among ruins of an old castle. There he finds a big barrel, from which a voice comes asking for water. After he pours water on the barrel, evil Bas Celik is released. The boy realizes that he has done bad although he intended to help. But Bas Celik lets him live - he gives Nebojsha one life as a reward. Years pass and the boy is now a young man ready to marry. He is in love with Vida, but but he is poor. None the less Vida loves him and wants to marry him. But everything goes wrong when another young man, Gritsko - who is rich but rude and superficial, overhears two lovers' plan to get married. He finds out how to trick the maiden's father to allow him marry his daughter. So the girl is on the test. She has to choose one of the gifts that two men has brought. The one whose present she chooses will be her husband. But loving Nebojsha and only Nebojsha she is not tricked by the gold. She chooses her true love's modest gift and the wedding is organized the same day. At that very time, Bas Celik is passing through the woods near by and thanks to enraged Gritsko he finds out about Vida. On the night of Nebojsha and Vida's wedding he steals her and locks her in the castle with an intent to marry her. This time, Nebojsha's pure love is not enough. He needs an extraordinary weapon. He takes on a difficult quest to find this weapon and save his lovely maiden.
Movie is filmed in beautiful and authentic locations! Actors are great, especially Rade Markovic as Nebojsha and Mihajlo-Bata Paskaljevic as Gritsko. There are beautiful close-ups with dramatic shadows on the faces. The light is beautiful throughout the movie and there are some interesting shots. (ie. the shot of Vida in the prison cell, viewed through the necklace that Bas Celik is holding; also shot of the shadows on the wall of the women dancing)
I would recommend this movie to anyone interested in fairy tales or old epic movies. A true gem of Yugoslavian cinema!
8/10
