Good King Wenceslas

We taped this years ago from the Family Channel (which I think became PAX). It's our favorite holiday movie; we watch it every year. I wish they'd release it on DVD, but it's not even currently available on VHS.

Wenceslas (played by Jonathan Brandis) is the crown prince, but his father the king is dead and his wicked stepmother (Stefanie Powers) wants her own son to be king. Wenceslas has been raised Christian, and the stepmother is trying to make the uneducated citizens hate him by burning churches, raising taxes, and passing cruel laws forbidding the people from hunting the royal game, chopping the royal trees for firewood, etc. She arranged for Wenceslas to marry a German princess for her money, then she plans to kill both the princess and Wenceslas.

The Queen and her son Boleslav (Oliver Milburn)

The movie is about Wenceslas fighting to free his people from the evil Queen, his stepmother, in the name of Christianity, and winning the love of the German princess in the process.

Wenceslas and the princess Joanna (Charlotte Chatton)

I don't think it's very factual, but it's a great story. Actually, according to this site, it's not too far off the mark. I really wish it would be released for purchase. It's listed at imdb.com, but the cover shows the wrong movie. Amazon.com lists it, but says it's unavailable - however, it looks like it was released at one time. (Even if this release was dubbed into German. Tim's Note: I also have a high opinion of this movie. It has its weaknesses (inauthentic swordplay, for instance, but then what movie doesn't fail there?) but after watching it every year for nearly ten years I still love it.)