David C
A simply beautiful and stunning piece of cinema.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/26/24
Full Review
Matthew B
The period between the 1930s and the 1950s was marked by a good many song-and-dance movies. The Red Shoes is not one of those. It is not based around songs. The dancing is ballet, but we are only given one complete performance, an extended ballet sequence in the film, which had never been attempted before.
The Red Shoes is not a film that belongs in the same category as those films. It is a far more serious film. I am not saying better. That depends on one's judgement. Only more serious – it is a drama that does not end in a joyous conclusion. It is every bit as escapist as the musicals, but with more of an awareness of the dark side of a life given over to art.
The leading actress in The Red Shoes began in a different place too. It was quite typical in musicals for the lead female star to be an actress who learned how to dance. In the case of The Red Shoes, Moira Shearer was a dancer who learned how to act, and indeed a number of the other cast members were primarily dancers.
Just as Ginger Roger and Debbie Reynolds showed an awe-inspiring ability to learn difficult dance numbers, so Moira Shearer proved to be an impressive actress, coping with a complex role. With her perfectly slender figure and gorgeous red hair, she was a remarkable woman to look at. A journalist called Ludovic Kennedy watched the movie, and vowed that he would marry her if ever they met. He did, and they stayed together until her death.
What motivates Lermontov and Victoria? Are they in love with one another? Think of the way Victoria hastily tries to make herself look presentable when Lermontov unexpectedly boards her train, even though there is a rift between the two of them. Look at Lermontov's face when he learns of the romance between Victoria and Julian. Count the cigarette butts in his ash tray after she has left, and speculate why he breaks the mirror in anger.
Yet somehow I do not think that there is any serious sexual or romantic attraction between them. Lermontov's sexuality is ambiguous. His bright and flamboyant clothing might suggest (in the coded manner of old movies) that he is homosexual, but there are no other hints that he likes men.
In fact he appears to be totally asexual. He lives only for his art. As he says at one point, "The music is all that matters. Nothing but the music." The same is probably true of Victoria. It is dancing and not love that binds her to Lermontov: "Why do you want to live?" she said of dancing earlier.
In a way, Michael Powell (the film's director) and Emeric Pressburger (the film's scriptwriter) sympathise with Victoria's choice. They too favour art over reality, although they realise the price that has to be paid for that. In a decade when British films were aiming for a greater realism, Powell and Pressburger offer us a fantasy of exquisite dresses, wealthy lifestyles and elegant dancing far removed from the lives of ordinary people.
We see the realities of a dance company – the grumbling, the spats, the chaotic sprawl, the dancers who arrive late for rehearsal, and the affection and camaraderie. However these never detract from the magic of what we see – the bright, vibrant colours, the loving close-ups of the musical instruments, and the unusual camera angles during the dances – sometimes long-shots, sometimes close-ups, sometimes from the point of view of the dancer, even on one occasion as she twirls.
Then there is the ballet sequence itself, a virtuoso piece of film-making that causes me to stare at the screen with a genuine sense of awe. It is difficult to describe what makes a dance great. You have to watch it for yourself. I will only mention the surreal and unreal qualities of the dance. This is not a genuine ballet dance performed for a theatre. This is a cinematic dance, one that uses levels of inspired visual trickery.
The wizard behind it is cinematographer, Jack Cardiff, a man who did not even wish to work on a ballet film, and was only slowly won over to the idea. Cardiff manipulates the camera speed to make the dancers appear to hover in the air. We are shown POV shots from the dancer's perspective that an audience could not possibly hope to see.
It is doubtful that a theatre production could have shown the following: two Victorias dancing at the same time; her lover turning two-dimensional; Victoria floating in the air; Victoria dancing with a newspaper that turns into a person; the magician's face turning into Lermontov and then Julian; a dance floor that becomes an island; the conductor joining in a dance with Victoria; ballerinas who transform into flowers and birds; a crashing sea appearing behind the conductor; or a knife that changes into a flower as the desperate dancer tries to cut off her own feet.
All this trickery belongs only to the world of moviemaking, and I cannot help suspecting that the theatre is a metaphor for Michael Powell's own craft. Where else could we see these images but in a movie?
Is it too far-fetched to suggest that Lermontov is Powell himself? As one of the most prominent film directors of his age, Powell too had the gift to find new acting talent, and to transform their lives forever, for better or worse. Does he not share Lermontov's preference for fantasy over realism in his film-making?
The Red Shoes is a film of great power and complexity that has to be absorbed rather than watched. However even if the story is not to your tastes, the ballet scene alone makes the film unmissable.
I wrote a longer appreciation of The Red Shoes on my blog page if you would like to read more (spoilers are included): https://themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/the-red-shoes-1948/
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/05/23
Full Review
Jim H
At its heart, The Red Shoes is a cautionary tale of the tragic consequences certain to befall any mere woman who values her career more than marriage, regardless of how much "talent" she and her morally questionable "friends" believe her to possess. Astoundingly beautiful cinematography, set design and choreography. ...Yes, I am using sarcasm, but I am also accurately describing the moral underpinnings of this film.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
07/18/23
Full Review
Red T
An All Time Classic. The highlight of this is the incredible cinematography which is amazingly shot, lavish, and filled with memorable sets and locales. The 20 minute Red Shoe dance sequence is one of the best scenes in any film I have ever seen. It is so imaginative, eye popping and visually stunning things I've ever seen. The music is phenomenal as well with incredible dancing to go along with it. The editing is masterfully done with creative transitions and especially the work in the 20 minute dance scene is amazing. The pacing is very well done also, the one knock is sometimes it can meander for a bit in the first half but it is without a question worth it to get to the dance sequence and the story after as well. A great and interesting plot. Everyone should give this a try.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/04/23
Full Review
Shioka O
Wow this is absolutely beautiful, particularly the 20min "The Red Shoes" play scene in the middle is just mesmerising. The color by Technicolor, camerawork and composition are all incorporated together, and this is only possible in the form of moving picture. What is more, great body of work by the dancers/actors. They don't make like this anymore. This also succeeded to depict psychaological drama and conflict in performing arts industry. It's old but definitely must watch.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
12/12/22
Full Review
Christopher B
The film The Red Shoes is really a very well done look behind the scenes at the world of dance, particularly ballet and is both a dark and intimate look at the commitment and devotion to it in order to be the best. The film is a mirage of imagery and technique all while telling a nice melodramatic story of the title character and her choice between love , both with a man whom cherishes her and one of the love for ballet which is her reason to live. The Red Shoes is lavish in it's display of ballet and the characters within the world and remains one of the greatest films of dance in cinema.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
11/07/22
Full Review
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