I also saw this movie on the Family Film Festival around 1980 and fell in love with it. I've been searching for a copy for years. It is now available on DVD through Amazon.com. My copy arrived today and I just finished watching it. It's everything I remember!!! I'm so glad to know there are other people besides me who remember it. The music is what has stayed with me more than almost anything, especially the prince singing "Maria, Maria" and the babies' song too! I'd forgotten about the shoemaker; he's so funny! It's a marvelous cartoon. I'm so glad it's now available for all of us who remember it so fondly, and for a whole new generation who, I hope, will love it too!

Like many a poster to these boards, I also remember seeing this film sometime in the late '70s-early '80s on a lazy Sunday afternoon on KTLA's Family Film Festival, hosted by the legendary Tom Hatten. The movie can be had at deepdiscountdvd.com for about 12 bucks.Certain images and elements of the film have always stuck in my head (possible spoilers here, but really more remembrances than anything else): the evil stepsister Mary Lou demanding the garnet stone from Maria by clapping her hands twice and holding out an outstretched hand, the totally surreal scene with all the babies being fed by Maria and Mary Lou, when they break out into song in praise of Maria (something like, "MARIA, MARIA, YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!!), the equally bizarre loaves of bread begging to be taken out of the oven before they burn (still gives me chills), and Maria's drunk dad, always looking for his bottle. There were also some apple trees, as I recall, that needed Maria and Mary Lou to pick their apples, and then there was something or other about dancing milk jugs going to someone called Mrs. Holly or something like that. I'm going to order it for my daughters.

For anyone who didn't get the chance to see this movie growing up.. you really missed out. For the past 15 years I've had sceens from this movie running threw my head... and I'd been committed to finding a copy for the last year. What's unfortunate about this movie is that if you haven't seen it.. you probably never will. I have came across only two other people who have an English copy. Getting the German version, Der Zauberstein, is not as easy as it sounds. At Amazon.de you can find the German version but it is in PAL format. If you live in the US or another country that doesn't use PAL format (in most of the America's we use NTSC), your going to have to pay to have it duplicated to your format. After buying the movie, the cost of shipping and handling, and the cost of getting a copy converted it starts to add up. But if you really want a copy, stick with it. I'm waiting on my German version to come back from being converted.Some additional names to look for when searching besides "Once Upon a Time" and "Der Zauberstein" are "Maria d'oro Und Bello Blue" and "Cinderella's Wonderworld". I think the difference in "Cinderella's Wonderworld" and "Once Upon a Time" is the year inwhich they were released and maybe the voices?! I'm not sure because I've not found much info on "Cinderella's Wonderworld". I just know it's the same Rolf Kauka cartoon.Also, there is no sites out really about this movie. If I ever get a chance I want to make one with all my posters I've bought and pictures and maybe type up the words from the movie and devote it to Kauka. Just to give everyone a little peak back into this wonderful fairy tale. If anyone is interested in seeing my site after I get it up let me know and I'll get you the address.For anyone who wants to see this movie, I hope you get a chance soon! :) Maria should be right along side Cinderella, Belle, and all the other princesses!Other Movies I recommend: The Last Unicorn (1982) directed by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass; Return to OZ (1985) directed by Walter Murch *THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL*; The Goonies (1985) directed by Richard Donner

This was my favorite movie growing up, and I would love to see it again. Even though I cannot speak German, I am very tempted to buy the VHS tape in German (Der Zauberstein). There is still a line from this movie that my family quotes to each other when we do something exceptionally dumb ("The stone is not right, the girl is not bright.") I hope that one day I can share this movie with my children.