The Thief and the Cobbler (1993)
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A mute cobbler and a persistent thief find themselves entangled in a quest to save a kingdom from a looming threat.
The story
In a kingdom at the Arabian desert, the prosperous Golden City is ruled by the narcoleptic King Nod and protected by three golden balls atop its tallest minaret. According to a prophecy, the city would fall to "destruction and death" if the balls were removed, and could only be saved by "the simplest soul with the smallest and simplest of things." Living in the city is a cobbler, Tack, and a nameless, unsuccessful yet persistent Thief, who are both mute. When the Thief sneaks into Tack's house, the two get stitched together and stumble outside, causing Tack's tacks to fall onto the street. Zigzag, King Nod's Grand Vizier, steps on one of the tacks and orders Tack to be arrested while the Thief escapes.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the Golden City, a mute cobbler named Tack and a mute Thief become entangled when the Thief's presence leads to Tack's arrest by the ambitious Grand Vizier, Zigzag. Tack is saved by Princess Yum-Yum, and the two develop a bond while Tack repairs her shoe. Meanwhile, the Thief attempts to steal the three golden balls that protect the city from a prophecy of destruction. When a war of the cycloptic One-Eyes begins, the Thief steals the balls, and Zigzag defects to the enemy. Tack and Yum-Yum seek help from a 'mad and holy old Witch' in the desert, who reveals Tack is the prophesied savior. Upon returning to the city, Tack uses a single tack to trigger a chain reaction that destroys the One-Eye army. The Thief recovers the balls from the wreckage, and after a brief scuffle, he leaves them with Tack. The city is saved, Tack and Yum-Yum marry, and the film ends with the Thief stealing the film reel and running away.
- First release year
- 1993
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States; Canada
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Richard Williams
- Writers
- Richard Williams · writer; Margaret French · writer
- Cast and characters
- Vincent Price · Zigzag
- Genres
- animated; fantasy; musical
- Themes
- Destiny; Sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- Fantasy; Epic
- Setting
- A kingdom in the Arabian desert, specifically the Golden City.
- Premise and plot tags
- Quest; Prophecy; Adventure
- Source material / true-story basis
- Mulla Nasruddin
- Reception
- The film's various versions received mixed reviews, and the Miramax version was a commercial failure. It has maintained a cult following since its release.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 60% · scale: 100% · review count: 10
- Awards and nominations
- Academy of Family Films Award · Award · 1995 · Win
- Production trivia
- The film was in and out of production for almost three decades.; The character designs are a combination of UPA and Disney styles, and the overall style and flat perspective are inspired by Persian miniature paintings.; The film is one of the films with the longest production times.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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