Bidasari

Bidasari is a 1965 Malaysian blackandwhite romanticdrama film starring Jins Shamsuddin and Sarimah. The film is notable as having dialogue that is written almost completely as rhyming poetry. The story is based on the very popular romantic Malay poem during 18th and 19th century in the Malay world, Syair Bidasari, believed to be written as early as 1750 A.D. based on Kembayat Negara annals and mentioned by Dr. J. Leyden in 1807 A.D. as Hikaiat Bida Sari Bidasari Annals, which has some similarities with the western fairytale of Snow White that was published by The Brothers Grimm in 1812 A.D. of their fairytale collection book.

At the royal palace of the kingdom, the King has just remarried a beautiful woman, the Permaisuri Queen. The Permaisuri is a proud woman who secretly practises witchcraft. Hidden in her chambers is a magic mirror that can show her anything she asks. She uses it to ask who the most beautiful in all the land is. One day when she asks the mirror this question, the image of Bidasari appears in it. She is enraged by this and orders her servants to find Bidasari. Her search leads her to the merchants house and, under the guise of kindness, the Permaisuri asks the merchant for permission to bring Bidasari to the palace to be her companion. Although the merchant is reluctant to part with his beloved daughter, he lets her go. But once Bidasari arrives at the palace, she is sent to the kitchens as a servant, where she is starved and given the filthiest jobs.After the Permaisuri is satisfied that Bidasaris beauty has been ruined, she again asks her magic mirror who the most beautiful in the land is. When the mirror shows Bidasari yet again, the Permaisuri flies into a rage and runs to the kitchen, where she grabs burning pieces of firewood to burn Bidasaris face. She is shocked when the fire goes out and Bidasaris face is left untouched. Bidasari, who has by now realised that the Permaisuris malice is targeted only at her and will never stop, begs for mercy and explains her life is bonded to that of a fish that is kept in a bowl in her fathers garden. ........

Source: Wikipedia