Cipollino

Friendly, kind, cheerful inhabitants – vegetables and fruit live in a fabulous town. Their businesses and dreams are the same as human. Every morning begins in a common way: master Grapelet mends shoes, godfather Pumpkin looks for the bricks to build his house, professor Pear plays the violin, the Radishes and the Onions walk round the square, and all inhabitants enjoy a beautiful day and dance.

But today the visit of Signor Tomato has destroyed the whole day. He has announced that soon Prince Lemon is coming. And here he is… All inhabitants of the town have calmed down – great Lemon and his escort have come on and the prince is reading a new decree: everyone should pay him for the sunshine, the rain and the wind.

The citizens protest against such an injustice, and Cipollino, in the turmoil, steps on foot of the prince. The guards are furious – Prince has been insulted. «Rebel» must be punished. But Cipollino runs away and the guards arrest his father. The Onions and all citizens of the town are in despair, but the violinist Pear cheers everybody up with a wonderful melody.

Godfather Pumpkin has a problem, too – he cannot build his house. All residents of the town, headed by Cipollino, help him. But as soon as the construction is over, Signor Tomato appears again. He is getting mad when he sees the house. The reason is that it is built on the ground of Countesses Cherries. Nobody else has the right to use it. The guards of Prince Lemon destroy Pumpkin’s house. The poor old man is in despair. Cipollino decides to take revenge.

Count Cherry lives in the palace, but his life is sad and lonely. The only entertainment of Count is watching the wonderful flowers, which are taken care of by the gardener Cactus, and admiring a beautiful Magnolia. Cipollino and his girlfriend Radish come to the palace to release his father. Count Cherry decides to help them. He shows the dungeon where Cipollone is imprisoned. But they have no key and, by bad luck, an evil Signor Tomato appears. Count helps the friends escape and promises to get the key.

That is an appropriate occasion… Countesses Cherries give a ball in honour of Prince Lemon, exactly in that castle where Cipollone is. During a dance lesson Count Cherry imperceptibly transmits Cipollino the key of the prison and he liberates his father.

Prince Lemon’s guards and police are seeking the fugitives. Cipollino hides his father and Radish, but the little onion-boy is surrounded by the guards and thrown into prison.

It is very quiet in the castle. The beauty Magnolia sedates the guards with her intoxicating scent, and together with Count Cherry liberates Cipollino. Prince Lemon wants to punish the mischievous rebel, but finds out that he has escaped. Furious Prince orders to fire on the town from a cannon. But Cipollino and his friends push Prince Lemon and Signor Tomato into the cannon. The smoke from the shot dissipates… There is no Lemon, no cannon, no guards.

Henceforward, everyone will live in harmony in a fabulous town and the friends will always help each other in a difficult time!