The Red Shoes (1948)

About The Red Shoes

"The Red Shoes", a British feature film, was released in 1948. It is a drama, romance, and musical storyline directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The principal theme of the movie revolves around a young ballerina who has to make a choice between her love and her passion for dance.

Making / Production

The film was produced by the Archers and released by the Rank Organisation, including Directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Cinematography was done by Jack Cardiff and music was given by Brian Easdale.

Actors

• Moira Shearer as Victoria Page: This was Shearer's first film role where her skillful performance as a passionate dancer captivated the audience.
• Anton Walbrook as Boris Lermontov: A convincing performance by Walbrook made the character of the determined ballet impresario memorable.
• Marius Goring as Julian Craster: Goring portrayed the role of a talented composer caught between love and ambition effectively.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The Red Shoes is regarded as one of the best films of British cinema.
• The ballet sequence in the film is nearly 15 minutes long.
• The film was inspired by a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.

Awards

The movie got recognized worldwide and won numerous awards. It won two Academy Awards: Best Art Direction (Color) for Hein Heckroth and Arthur Lawson, and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture for Brian Easdale.

Quotes

• "Life rushes by, time rushes by, but the Red Shoes go on."
• "A dancer who relies upon the doubtful comforts of human love will never be a great dancer. Never."

Music, Soundtrack

• The stunning music in the movie was composed by Brian Easdale, for which he also won an Oscar.
• The music score was especially recognized for its impressive use of the Theremin instrument.