The Red Shoes (1948)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Directors:

Michael Powell
Emeric Pressburger

Writers:

Hans Christian Andersen (fairy tale)
Emeric Pressburger (original screenplay)

Release Date:

6 September 1948 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Music

Tagline:

Dance she did, and dance she must - between her two loves

Plot:

Under the authoritarian rule of charismatic ballet impressario Boris Lermontov, his proteges realize the full promise of their talents...

Plot Keywords:

Ballet | Ballerina | Shoe | Composer | Forced To Dance

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Marius Goring	...	Julian Craster
Jean Short	...	Terry
Gordon Littmann	...	Ike
Julia Lang	...	A Balletomane
Bill Shine	...	Her Mate
Léonide Massine	...	Ljubov (as Leonide Massine)
Anton Walbrook	...	Boris Lermontov
Austin Trevor	...	Professor Palmer
Esmond Knight	...	Livy
Eric Berry	...	Dimitri
Irene Browne	...	Lady Neston
Moira Shearer	...	Victoria Page
Ludmilla Tchérina	...	Boronskaja (as Ludmilla Tcherina)
Jerry Verno	...	Stage-Door Keeper
Robert Helpmann	...	Ivan Boleslawsky

Runtime:

133 min | Japan:136 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Sweden:Btl | West Germany:12 | Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U | Spain:T | Ireland:G

Filming Locations:

Royal Opera House, Bow Street, Covent Garden, London, England, UK

Company:

Archers, The

Trivia:

Cinematographer Jack Cardiff wasn't keen on doing a ballet film so he forced himself to take in as many ballet productions as he could to familiarize himself with this art form. He was soon won over.

Goofs:

Continuity: The length of Julian's cigarette changes dramatically (gets longer and then gets much shorter than he could smoke it down to in the short time between shots) while he's playing the piano for Vicky in Lermontov's office.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[holding doors closed]
Doorman: They're going mad, sir. It's the students.
[From outside]
Julian Craster: Down with tyrants!
Manager, Covent Garden: All right, let them in.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Simpsons: Last Tap Dance in Springfield (#11.20)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Aria

Powell and Pressburger's ballet fairytale

`Why do you want to dance?' Anton Walbrook asks of Moira Shearer part way through Powell and Pressburger's inventive ballet film. `Why do you want to live?' is her cool response. Suggested by the Hans Christian Andersen story and a project long in development by P&P, this sumptuous colour production allows Shearer to display her excellent ballet skills alongside Robert Helpmann and Leonide Massine, and all three are excellent.

In fact, the `Red Shoes Ballet' alone is enough to recommend this movie in the strongest terms. Also in the cast is P&P regular Marius Goring, as the composer pushed aside for the lure of the stage. Walbrook, as the emotionless impresario who is only alive within the confines of his art, is superb, and perhaps only his role as Theo in `Colonel Blimp' served him better.