Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
Starring Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring, and Robert Helpmann
Music by various
Our reviews this week return us to the world of grand opera and ballet for two of the most beautiful films ever made in England. We start off with the rarefied world of ballet. This was originally conceived by Powell and producer Alexander Korda in the 30's as a vehicle for Korda's future wife Merle Oberon.
Powell bought the rights from Korda and reactivated the project after the success of his drama Black Narcissus. They hired dancers who had acting ability, preferring that to actors who could dance. They even created their own ballet company for the 15-minute dance sequence mid-way through the film. Shearer hadn't originally wanted to do the movie, but she was finally convinced to do it. Was she right to blow this off, or does this ballerina deserve a chance to dance? Let's start at Covent Garden Opera House during a performance of Heart of Fire by the Ballet Lermontov and find out...
The Story: Victoria Page wants nothing more than to be a great ballerina. She's invited to a rehearsal by Boris Lermontov (Walbrook), the company's owner and manager. Another newcomer at the rehearsal is Julian Craster (Goring), who had confronted Lermontov over his former music teacher stealing Hearts of Fire. He ends up being hired as the company's conductor and composer. He and Vicky hit it off right away, even as Lermontov sees her potential. After lending her to the Ballet Rambert for Swan Lake, he invites her to join his ballet in Paris and Monte Carlo.
He's so taken by Vicky, he has a ballet created for her, The Ballet of the Red Shoes. Despite being put together in only three weeks, it's an instant success. Vicky is now the top ballerina in the company, and Lermonov wants more scores from Julian. Vicky and Julian fall in love, but try to keep their relationship a secret from Lermontov. He fires Julian when he finds out about it. Vicky goes with him. She and Julian marry...but she can't stay away from dancing for long, and soon the lure of the Red Shoes, and her greatest role, proves too much for her to bear...
The Song and Dance: Probably one of the most gorgeous movies ever made in England. English Technicolor tended to have a somewhat softer look than the process used in the US, more like pastel frosting than a jewel-toned candy box. This makes those temptingly scarlet slippers stand out all the more. Shearer is utterly exquisite as the young woman caught between the man she loves and her need to dance and show her talent to the world. Some of the dancing is wonderful, too, especially from Robert Helpmann as the ballet's choreographer who takes the role of the grotesque little man who sells the girl the shoes in the ballet.
The stunning art direction, with its chalky white masks and heavily lashed eyes against the soft Technicolor pastel glow, is more than fully deserving of its Oscar win. It's use of German expressionism gives this the look of a horror films at time, especially in the second half and during the ballet when grotesque creatures grab at the girl in her brilliant footwear.
Favorite Number: This could almost be considered a crash course in famous ballets. We open with Hearts On Fire, which was written directly for the film. Shearer is the mechanical girl to Helpmann's confused inventor in a sequence from Coppelia. She's the dying peasant girl Giselle in a scene from the ballet from that title, the dancing doll in love in La Boutique Fantasque, and Princess Odile during her success in Swan Lake.
Of course, by far the most famous number is the Ballet of the Red Shoes. This 17 minute dance sequence takes up a good chunk of the movie, and is the best thing about it. The dancing is first rate, the costumes are gorgeous, and even the cinematography is exquisite. Where most movies about ballet would have a stationary camera filming the dancers, this one makes use of editing and techniques not available on the stage to show the dancing in a way that reveals what's going on in Shearer's head and how confused she is over the tug between her heart and her art.
Trivia: Also won for Best Score in 1948.
A Broadway musical version with songs by Jules Styne debuted in 1993. Alas, it was very poorly received and closed after only five performances.
What I Don't Like: Perhaps a bit long, and more than a little dark. Not for those hoping for a happy ending in their romances. It's pretty easy to guess that Vicky is doomed from the start. In fact, the finale is a tad too melodramatic for what comes before it.
The Big Finale: One of the most gorgeous movies ever made. If you have even a passing interest in ballet or have wanted to check out one of the Powell/Pressburger films, or just want to see a really good color movie, this is one of the best ever made and couldn't be recommended more.
Home Media: The Criterion Collection put out UCLA's amazing restoration on disc in 2021. It's also free with ads on many streaming sites, including YouTube.
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