The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)
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- Not Rated
- 2h 13min
- Fantasy, Music
- 13 Jun 1952 (USA)
- Movie
A melancholy poet reflects on three women he loved and lost in the past: a mechanical performing doll, a Venetian courtesan, and the consumptive daughter of a celebrated composer.
Directors:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Moira Shearer | ... |
Stella / Kleinzach's Lady-Love / Olympia / Self
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| Ludmilla Tchérina | ... |
Giulietta / Self
(as Ludmilla Tcherina)
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| Ann Ayars | ... |
Antonia / Self
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| Pamela Brown | ... |
Nicklaus / Self
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| Léonide Massine | ... |
Spalanzani / Schlemil / Franz / Self
(as Leonide Massine)
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| Robert Helpmann | ... |
Councillor Lindorf / Coppelius / Dapertutto / Doctor Miracle / Self
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| Frederick Ashton | ... |
Kleinzach / Cochenille / Self
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| Mogens Wieth | ... |
Crespel / Self
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| Robert Rounseville | ... |
E.T.A. Hoffmann / Self
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Lionel Harris | ... |
Pitichinaccio / Self
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| Philip Leaver | ... |
Andres
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Meinhart Maur | ... |
Luther
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Edmond Audran | ... |
Partner to Stella in Dragonfly Ballet
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Dorothy Bond | ... |
Olympia / Self (singingVoice)
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Margherita Grandi | ... |
Giulietta / Self (singingVoice)
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Monica Sinclair | ... |
Nicklaus / Self (singingVoice)
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Joan Alexander | ... |
Antonia's Mother (singingVoice)
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Grahame Clifford | ... |
Spalanzani / Franz / Self (singingVoice)
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Bruce Dargavel | ... |
Coppelius / Dapertutto / Doctor Miracle / Self (singingVoice)
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Murray Dickie | ... |
Cochenille / Nathaniel / Self (singingVoice)
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Owen Brannigan | ... |
Hermann / Schlemil / Crespel / Self (singingVoice)
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Fisher Morgan | ... |
Luther (singingVoice)
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Rene Soames | ... |
Pitichinnacio (singingVoice)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Thomas Beecham | ... |
Thomas Beecham (uncredited)
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Alan Carter | ... |
Casher (Act 1) (uncredited)
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Elizabeth Christie | ... |
Corps de Ballet (uncredited)
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John Ford | ... |
Nathanaël (uncredited)
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Richard Golding | ... |
Hermann (uncredited)
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Lillemor Knudsen | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
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| Barry Lowe | ... |
Student (uncredited)
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| Arthur Skinner | ... |
Man in Background (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Michael Powell | ||
| Emeric Pressburger | ||
Written by
| Dennis Arundell | ... | (libretto: English) |
| Jules Barbier | ... | (from the text: French) |
| Michael Powell | ... | (written by) and |
| Emeric Pressburger | ... | (written by) |
| E.T.A. Hoffmann | ... | (stories) (uncredited) |
| Michel Carré | ... | (French text) (uncredited) |
Produced by
| George R. Busby | ... | assistant producer (as George Busby) |
| Michael Powell | ... | producer |
| Emeric Pressburger | ... | producer |
Cinematography by
| Christopher Challis | ... | (photographed by) |
Editing by
| Reginald Mills | ||
Editorial Department
| Joan Bridge | ... | color consultant: Technicolor |
| Noreen Ackland | ... | assembly editor (uncredited) |
Production Design by
| Hein Heckroth | ||
Art Direction by
| Arthur Lawson | ||
Makeup Department
| Connie Reeve | ... | makeup artist (as Constance Reeve) |
| Joe Shear | ... | hair stylist (as Joseph Shear) |
| Eileen Bates | ... | assistant hairdresser (uncredited) |
| Wally Schneiderman | ... | assistant make-up (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Charles Orme | ... | unit production manager (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Sydney Streeter | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Ivor Beddoes | ... | assistant designer |
| E. Lindegaard | ... | scenic artist |
| Terence Morgan II | ... | assistant designer |
| Bernard Sarron | ... | set dresser (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| John Cox | ... | recording supervisor |
| Ted Drake | ... | sound recordist |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Freddie Francis | ... | camera operator (as Fred Francis) |
| Eugene Hague | ... | composite photographer (as E. Hague) |
| Bill Wall | ... | chief electrician (as W. Wall) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Ivy Baker | ... | wardrobe |
| Josephine Boss | ... | costumes executed by: Miss Shearer and Miss Ayers |
| Brenda Dabbs | ... | puppet costumes (uncredited) |
| June Kirby | ... | puppet costumes (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Thomas Beecham | ... | conductor (as Sir Thomas Beecham Bart.) |
| Frederic Lewis | ... | assistant musical director (as Frederick Lewis) |
| Jacques Offenbach | ... | acknowledgement: composer of source opera |
| Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | ... | musicians: orchestra performing the score (as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) |
| The Sadler's Wells Chorus | ... | musicians: chorus |
| Kenneth V. Jones | ... | music coach (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Pamela Davies | ... | continuity |
Additional Crew
| Frederick Ashton | ... | choreographer |
| Alan Carter | ... | assistant to choreographer |
| Joan Harris | ... | assistant to choreographer |
| Mollie Terraine | ... | dialogue coach (as Molly Terraine) |
| John Wright | ... | marionettes |
Production Companies
Distributors
- British Lion Film Corporation (1951) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Cinédis (1951) (France) (theatrical)
- Filmsonor (1951) (France) (theatrical)
- Lopert Films (1951) (United States) (theatrical)
- Wivefilm (1951) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Minerva Film (1952) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Suomi-Filmi (1952) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Towa. (1952) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Mercurio Films S.A. (1953) (Spain) (theatrical)
- National Telefilm Associates (NTA) (1956) (United States) (tv) (syndication)
- Promofilms S.A. (Spain) (theatrical) (reissue)
- NHK Kyôiku (1963) (Japan) (tv)
- VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
- NHK-BS2 (1990) (Japan) (tv)
- Home Vision Cinema (1993) (United States) (VHS)
- MDR Fernsehen (1998) (Germany) (tv)
- Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) (1998) (Germany) (tv)
- ORF 2 (2000) (Austria) (tv)
- Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) (2000) (Austria) (tv)
- Cable Hogue Co. (2001) (Japan) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Kinokuniya (2003) (Japan) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2005) (United States) (DVD)
- Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
- WDR Fernsehen (2008) (Germany) (tv)
- Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) (2008) (Germany) (tv)
- The Criterion Collection (2009) (United States) (DVD)
- Divisa Home Video (2010) (Spain) (DVD)
- 3Sat (2012) (Austria) (tv)
- 3sat (2012) (Switzerland) (tv)
- 3sat (2012) (Germany) (tv)
- BR Fernsehen (2014) (Germany) (tv)
- Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) (2014) (Germany) (tv)
- Park Circus (2015) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Rialto Pictures (2015) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Arthaus (2016) (Germany) (DVD)
- Arthaus (2016) (Germany) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- A Contracorriente Films (2018) (Spain) (theatrical re-release)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (2018) (Finland) (tv)
- Pioneer Artists (United States) (VHS)
- The Criterion Collection (United States) (VHS) (laserdisc)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- The Royal Ballet (by permission of: Moira Shearer)
- Western Electric (sound recording)
- John Wright's Marionettes (marionettes)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
This a film version of the opera "The Tales of Hoffmann", however it is NOT just a film of a staged performance. Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (and the rest of "The Archers") work their usual magic here. The opera dramatises the three great romances in the life of the poet-hero presented in a series of flashbacks. Hoffmann's tales depict the struggle between human love and the artist's dedication to his work. Hoffmann loses each of the women he loves but gains instead poetic inspiration -- the ability to transform painful experiences into art.
Written by Steve Crook |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | You Will Never See Anything Finer On The Screen! See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | George A. Romero, writer/director of Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Dawn of the Dead (1978) has cited this as his all-time favorite movie, saying that it was the one that originally inspired him to get into filmmaking. See more » |
| Goofs | Giulietta's necklace is turned from jewels to wax by Dapertutto, however, in a longer shot, it is briefly shown as jewels again, before a close-up, where it is wax again until Dapertutto changes it back to jewels. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Michael Powell (1992). See more » |
| Soundtracks | The Tales of Hoffmann, A Fantastic Opera See more » |
| Crazy Credits | In the end credits, main actors appear taking curtain calls next to the singers who dubbed them. See more » |
| Quotes |
Chorus of Students:
Some drink, drink, drink, drink, drink: do you hear us about? You lazy lout! We want some beer; we want some wine! Pour out the wine, and drink and drink till morning. Pour out the wine for drinking is divine. It is divine. We want some beer; we want some wine. We want some beer; we want some wine. See more » |