Children perform the story of Sleeping Beauty, a classic fairy tale written by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, which involves a beautiful princess, a sleeping enchantment, and a handsome prince. This film is part of the Newcastle & District Amateur Cinematographers Association (ACA) collection.  Title: The Sleeping Beauty Credit: Produced by C. H. Garrett Credit: Directed by Daphne Percy Title: “Once upon a time – “ Credit: “Many many years ago, there was born to the King...

Children perform the story of Sleeping Beauty, a classic fairy tale written by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, which involves a beautiful princess, a sleeping enchantment, and a handsome prince. This film is part of the Newcastle & District Amateur Cinematographers Association (ACA) collection.  Title: The Sleeping Beauty Credit: Produced by C. H. Garrett Credit: Directed by Daphne Percy Title: “Once upon a time – “ Credit: “Many many years ago, there was born to the King and queen of a faraway land, a daughter” At the castle, the king’s messenger, flanked by two guards in tin helmets, sounds his horn to gather people together for an announcement. The castle folk huddle below the castle battlement to hear the news, the girls in colourful dresses and headscarves, looking up towards the messenger. The messenger reads out the news. Title: “There has this day been born an heir to the Throne.” The crowd cheer. The messenger continues. Title: “A Princess of the Royal House” They cheer again. The messenger steps back. [Kodachrome footage] Brief shot of the sky at dusk. Brief shot of the sky at dawn. Girls and boys, many in couples, arrive at the castle for the christening of a king and queen's long-wished-for child. Good fairies are invited to be godmothers to the infant princess. A fairy (played by an older girl) arrives at the castle, her way barred by two guards. She is allowed to pass. The other fairies at the christening greet her. She curtsies low before the King. The king gestures towards his wife. The fairy curtsies again. Three of the fairies stand chatting together merrily. The Christening commences. Suddenly there is a puff a smoke and an old fairy (dressed like a witch in dark witch’s hat and robe) appears. The “Bad” fairy, called Uglyane, is angry that she was not invited. Title: “And why, Sir King, was I not invited?” Title: “Am I less worthy than my younger sisters?” The King walks down the steps to greet the old fairy. The fairy sits on a wall and broods. A younger fairy goes to greet her.  The messenger arrives and blows his horn. The guests gather on the lawn and climb the steps below the King and Queen’s throne. The messenger bows before the King and Queen. Title: “Her Lightness, the Fairy Primrose!” The fairy approaches the King and Queen and the baby’s crib. She offers a spell as a gift. Title: “I give you gracefullness. [sic]” She curtsies. The messenger announces the next fairy guest. Title: “Her Lightness, the Fairy Snowdrop!” The fairy offers her gift to the new princess. Title: “I will give you beauty” She retreats and curtsies. The messenger announces the next fairy. Title: “Her Lightness, the Fairy Uglyane!” Uglyane approaches with her walking stick. Title: “This is my gift to you, Princess Aurora” Title: “When you are fifteen years [sic], you shall prick your finger on a spindle.” Title: “And you shall die!” Uglyane brings no gift to the child, she brings a curse. The Queen buries her head in her hands. The King looks troubled. The King gets up to lash out with his sword. The good fairy approaches (named Hippolyta) and tells the stricken court that, although she cannot reverse the spell of Uglyane, she can alter it. Title: “She shall sleep for many years, till awakened by a King’s son.” The child, with her blessing, will not die, but will merely sleep for a long period of time. She will then be awakened by the kiss of a handsome Prince who will fall in love with her. The Fairy Uglyane leaves the christening as she appeared, disappearing in a cloud of smoke. The guests observe. The Queen gratefully kisses the hand of the good fairy. The king writes a letter at his desk. Title: “Take this to the Lord Chancellor.” The King’s subjects read a proclamation pinned to a tree. Title: The proclamation forbade the bringing of any sharp implement anywhere near the princess, without mishap, all seemed well. Then on her sixteenth birthday … Alone in a castle tower, an old woman (who the princess believes to be her old servant) is spinning. The beautiful young Princess Aurora happens upon the room and is intrigued by the spinning process, which she has never seen before. Title: “What are you doing, Goody?” Title: “Spinning, pretty one.” Title: “How pretty it is, do let me try!” The old woman gets up and allows Princess Aurora to try out the spinning wheel. Title: “Certainly, my pretty.” The princess sits at the spinning wheel and begins to learn how to spin. But she pricks her finger on a spindle. Her finger starts to bleed. Title: “Pretty little Princess, and a pretty little prick I’ve given you.” The princess looks up angrily. With a flash of smoke, the servant Goody is transformed into the bad fairy. The Princess cowers. Title: “You witch! You wicked witch!” She falls to the ground, apparently dead. The old witch kneels down beside her and checks her finger and her breath. She angers when she finds that the princess is not dead but only asleep. The Queen appears. Title: “Please, please bring her back!” Title: “No! No! Vengeance is mine!” The witch disappears in a cloud of smoke. The Queen hides her face in despair, then rushes to her daughter. She sees the bleeding finger. She looks at the spindle and realises what has happened. She falls onto her daughter’s sleeping figure, distraught. The princess now lays on a bed in the castle gardens. The good fairy appears and walks towards the sleeping Princess. The King comforts the Queen beside the bed. The good fairy approaches them. Title: “Have courage, there is but one thing to do.” The royal couple listen to the good fairy. Title: “I shall send you and all the others in the palace to sleep!” Title: “So that Aurora shall not be alone when her Prince comes.” The King and Queen depart. The good fairy waves her silver wand over the Princess. The Messenger blows his horn to gather the town folk together. Title: “Your Majesty. All are assembled.” The King falls asleep, and gradually, one by one, all the people at the palace fall asleep. Title: Around the slumbering castle an impenetrable magic forest grew up. The years passed, and still the enchanted Princess slept on. Then one day … Prince Florimond ties his horse to a tree branch. He walks through the countryside with his gentleman companion. In the distance he can see a castle. Brief shot of castle battlements. [This may be Ravensworth Castle?] Title: “Who lives in yonder castle?” His companion approaches four youths lounging in the field. Title: “Whose castle is that?” The youth will not reply and the companion returns to his Prince. The Prince approaches the youths. Title: “Why will you not answer? What castle is that?” The youth look surly and do not answer. Then a youth with a beard comes forward. Title: “Highness, My father told me that in that castle a Princess lies sleeping.” Title: “Until awakened by the king’s son for whom she is destined.” Title: “This hedge has sprung up to guard her whilst she sleeps.” Title: “Many Princes have tried to reach her but none have come back.” The Prince draws his sword and charges into the tangled hedge that guards the castle. The youth pulls back the Prince’s companion before he follows. The Prince wanders through a dark wood on his way to find a path to the castle. At the entrance to the castle grounds, the guard is asleep. He walks past into the gardens. The beautiful Princess is asleep on her bed in the garden. The Prince puts his sword back into his sheath and approaches the beautiful Princess. He kneels beside the bed. He touches her hair and kisses her on the head. Suddenly, she awakens. He looks surprised. Title: “Is it really you my Prince?” Title: “I have waited so long for you!” He falls on his knee and kisses her hand. Title: “Her Highness is awake!” The people of the castle begin to wake up. They rush to the throne to wake the King. Gradually, he awakes and looks around. The Prince kneels before the King and kisses the hand of the Queen. The Princess hugs her father. The Messenger blows his horn and the people gather. The King announces the marriage of the Princess Aurora and her Prince. Title: I declare the betrothal of my daughter and Prince Florimond!” The Prince and Princess are married. The crowd are happy. The King and Queen walk away. The good fairy appears and watches the Prince and Princess holding hands in the garden, so in love. There’s a misty fade out. Title: “And they all lived happy ever after.” Title: The End