Johnny Corncob (1973)
⏰ Doors 10:30am | Start 11:00am 🎬 FREE Series: Saturday Morning Cartoons around the World "A traditional Hungarian poetic fairytale that describes the epic adventures of a young shepherd through love, war, magic and death."
Aug 08, 2026, 11:00 AM
RPL Main Library, 101 E Main St, Richmond, VA 23219, USA
Join Nowhere Cinema for Saturday Morning Cartoons around the World with a FREE screening of János Vitéz from the director of Son of the White Mare!
Country of Origin: Hungary
"In making Hungary’s first animated feature film, Marcell Jankovics turned to Hungary’s literary past. The result is Johnny Corncob, based on poet Sándor Petőfi's 1845 poem János vitéz. Notably, the film was commissioned by the Hungarian government as a celebration of Petőfi's 150th birthday. From the rich colors to the mythological character proportions, Johnny Corncob already contains many of the stylistic hallmarks that would later be refined in Jankovics’ sophomore feature, Son of the White Mare. Coincidentally, the folkloric source material for both films share similarities too, with both films centering around a young heroic male protagonist who must reunite with their ladies. While saving the princesses is part of a grander quest to reclaim the kingdoms in Son of the White Mare, Johnny Corncob is much more personal in scale by comparison, with Johnny simply wishing to return to his lover after being suddenly separated from her.
Despite the movie being firmly grounded in Hungarian culture, the story still contains wider resonance. Who wouldn’t wish to close the distance between them and their beloved, especially when one must fight through a war to do so? Perhaps what the story expresses is that longing, and love across long stretches of time and space, is a universal experience. After all, this is far from the first work along these narrative lines: well-known stories such as The Odyssey, the Orpheus myth, and even The Divine Comedy all depict stories of people attempting to reunite (or even save!) their beloveds. And like these other stories, Johnny’s journey is paved with personal trials and tribulations. The path back to Iluska is also one that leads towards self-actualization, and maybe that’s the true endgame, of any great love myth." –Gleaners Film Club
CW: Johnny Corncob (or János Vitéz) contains depictions of graphic violence, including the killing of horses, as well as racist depictions of Turks and flashing lights. Nowhere's Saturday Morning Cartoons series is 17+ only. If you have any questions, please email nowherecinema@pm.me.
