The White Crow (2018)

The story of Rudolf Nureyev's defection to the West.

Director:

Ralph Fiennes

Writers:

David Hare (screenplay), Julie Kavanagh (Inspired by her book: "Rudolf Nureyev: The Life")

Stars:

Oleg Ivenko, Ralph Fiennes, Louis Hofmann

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Oleg Ivenko	...	Rudolf Nureyev
Ralph Fiennes	...	Pushkin
Louis Hofmann	...	Teja Kremke
Adèle Exarchopoulos	...	Clara Saint
Sergei Polunin	...	Yuri Soloviev
Olivier Rabourdin	...	Alexinsky
Raphaël Personnaz	...	Pierre Lacotte
Chulpan Khamatova	...	Xenia
Zach Avery	...	Michael Jones
Mar Sodupe	...	Helena Romero
Calypso Valois	...	Claire Motte
Aleksey Morozov	...	Strizhevsky
Nebojsa Dugalic	...	Konstantin Sergeyev
Igor Filipovic	...	Trofimkin
Yves Heck	...	Jagaud-Lachaume

Storyline

Director Ralph Fiennes captures the raw physicality and brilliance of Rudolf Nureyev, whose escape to the West stunned the world at the height of the Cold War. With his magnetic presence, Nureyev emerged as ballet's most famous star, a wild and beautiful dancer limited by the world of 1950s Leningrad. His flirtation with Western artists and ideas led him into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with the KGB.

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Plot Keywords:

nudity | homosexual | gay | male rear nudity | male nudity | 

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Taglines:

In 1961, A Dazzling Rudolf Nureyev Arrives in Paris and Makes a Choice That Changes His Life Forever

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality, graphic nudity, and language.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK France Serbia

Language:

Russian English French

Release Date:

22 March 2019 (UK)

Also Known As:

The White Crow

Filming Locations:

France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$78,782, 28 April 2019

Gross USA:

$1,828,784

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,618,281

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Magnolia Mae Films, Metalwork Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ralph Fiennes originally did not want to be in the movie, knowing from experience how difficult it could be to both direct and act. But as he tried to get financing for the film he kept being asked if he was going to be in it, and when he said no, "I could see the light fading behind their eyes," because there were no other major names in it, "so finally I folded."

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Goofs

In a scene showing a close up of Nureyev's foot performing a tendu, the shoe he is wearing is a white split sole ballet slipper, a shoe that did not exist in the 1960s. Split sole ballet technique shoes have only been on the dance scene since the mid 1990s.

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Quotes

Rudolf Nureyev: I can live anywhere. Remember, I was born on a train. I feel I will never return to my country. But, I may never be happy in the US.

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Connections

Referenced in Evening Urgant: Ralph Fiennes/Nervy (2019)

User Reviews

a beautiful, touching story

I love Rudolf Nureyev. And this film gives to me the expected portrait of him. Dramatic, precise, cold, poetic. Three pillars are remarkable- Ralph Fieenes, giving a splendid performance as Pushkin and the desired , from him, direction. Oleg Ivenko, doing a great job in the lead role. And the atmosphere. Sure, it is far to be perfect, the clash between present and images of childhood and early youth being too ...brutal but the portrait of Nureyev is well crafted, sensitive in nuances. As Eastern, I do not expect from an Western director to understand the nuances of the Soviet universe . But the obvious love for ballet of Ralph Fiennes is the key of the beauty, delicate , precise beauty of this film. And, maybe, it is essential fact.