Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...
1955, Czech. Directed by Bořivoj Zeman.
A selfish self-centered widowed ruler, barely tolerated by his subjects and called appropriately enough, 'King Myself, First' asks his three daughters to name the measure of their love for him. When one of them says, "more than salt", he banishes her from the kingdom. Not understanding what she meant the King assumes love can only be measured by precious metals or one's own talent, the 'correct' answers from his other two daughters. The arrogance of the King leads him to gather all the salt in the kingdom and destroy it. Of course, this backfires as he slowly learns the universal value of the substance, and of course, the essence of his daughter's reply. With the help of the wise and magical old 'herb woman', the King also learns what it means to be a true and wise ruler.
- Runtime
- 1h 47m
- Post-credits
- None listed
- Language
- Czech
- Rated
- Check local
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Where to watch Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... isn’t on a subscription OTT platform in India, but you can rent it or buy it online.
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Availability in India as of 11 November 2026. Streaming data by JustWatch.
Cast & crew
- Bořivoj ZemanDirector
- Jan Werichkrál Já I.
- Vlasta Buriankancléř Atakdále
- Irena Kačírkováprincezna Drahomíra
- Stella Májováprincezna Zpěvanka
- Milena Dvorskáprincezna Maruška
- František Černýkuchař
- Lubomír Lipskýprinc chrabrý, syn Děloslava VIII.
- Miloš Kopeckýchytrý princ
- Miroslav Horníčekprinc krásný, syn Alabastra XVI.
- Terezie Brzkovástařenka kořenářka
- Zdeněk Dítězahradník
- Josef Pehrdudák
Details
- Released
- 11 February 1955
- Original title
- Byl jednou jeden král...
- Country
- Czechoslovakia
- Written by
- Jiří Brdečka, Oldřich Kautský, Jan Werich
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News & fan talk
What Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... is based on
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... is adapted from a short story.
Source details from Wikidata and TMDB.
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Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...: quick answers
Is Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... worth watching?
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... doesn’t have enough ratings for a verdict yet.
How long is Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...?
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... runs 107 minutes (1h 47m).
Does Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... have a post-credits scene?
None is listed for Once Upon a Time, There Was a King.... Viewers tag these on TMDB, so a brand-new film may not be tagged yet.
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
No age rating is listed for Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... yet.
Which OTT platform is Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... on?
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... isn’t on a subscription OTT platform in India, but you can rent it or buy it online. (Checked 11 November 2026.)
What movies are like Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...?
If you liked Once Upon a Time, There Was a King..., try Godmothered, Beethoven's Christmas Adventure, Sketch.
Who directed Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...?
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... (1955) was directed by Bořivoj Zeman and stars Jan Werich, Vlasta Burian, Irena Kačírková.
What is Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... based on?
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... is adapted from a short story.