The Red Shoes (1948)

A young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina.

Directors:

Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger

Writers:

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

Stars:

Marius Goring, Jean Short, Anton Walbrook

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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	...	Prof. 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

Storyline

Under the authoritarian rule of charismatic ballet impressario Boris Lermontov, his proteges realize the full promise of their talents, but at a price: utter devotion to their art and complete loyalty to Lermontov himself. Under his near-obsessive guidance, young ballerina Victoria Page is poised for superstardom, but earns Lermontov's scorn when she falls in love with Julian Craster, composer of "The Red Shoes," the ballet Lermontov is staging to showcase her talents. Vicky leaves the company and marries Craster, but still finds herself torn between Lermontov's demands and those of her heart.

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Plot Keywords:

ballet | ballerina | dancer | composer | shoe | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English French Russian

Release Date:

6 September 1948 (UK)

Also Known As:

De rode schoentjes

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

£500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Archers, The, Independent Producers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The 15-minute (approximately) "Ballet of the Red Shoes" used a corps de ballet of 53 dancers.

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Goofs

As Julian Craster walks to the theater, he is seen through an archway when a horse drawn cart passes. Stepping into the street he slips on what appears to be a fruit but doesn't fall, recovers and continues walking.

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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.

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Connections

Featured in A Matter of Michael & Emeric (1997)

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Soundtracks

"La Boutique Fantasque"
(uncredited)
Music by Ottorino Respighi
based on the music of Gioachino Rossini
Arranged by Malcolm Sargent
Played by uncredited symphony orchestra

User Reviews

Shall we dance?

We saw this film years ago. It was a surprise when it was included as part of a Michael Powell's work at the Walter Reade recently. The film still has a great look as it seems it has been lovingly restored. Mr. Powell, working with his usual collaborator, Emeric Pressburger, created a film about the world of ballet that has proved to be, not only a timeless classic, but a crowd pleaser to those who watch it for the first time.

"The Red Shoes" is basically a fairy tale loosely based on a Hans Christian Andersen story. Mr. Anderson and Mr. Pressburger gave it a vivid look that even today, appears fresh and glamorous. Those glorious colors in the film stays in the mind of the viewer forever.

The ballets shown are magnificently staged. The Red Shoes ballet by Sir Robert Helpmann and The Shoemaker by Leonide Massine, a giant in the world of ballet. The music conducted flawlessly by Sir Thomas Beecham lingers in one's mind long after the movie is over. The glorious Technicolor cinematography by Jack Cardiff is amazing.

The acting by Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring and Moira Shearer serves the story well, although the director got better performances in later films, "Peeping Tom" and "Black Narcisus", to name two. Ms. Shearer with her red hair and peaches and cream skin projects such a refined presence in the film that is hard to forget her features. The actress dressed by Jacques Fath, the famous French designer, shows why she was one of the best things that happened to the picture.

"The Red Shoes" is one of the best films about ballet thanks to the vision of its directors.