I only discovered the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger a couple of months ago, and, at the age of 41, my belated discovery of this directing partnership speaks volumes about the glaring oversights inherent in my appreciation of classic cinema. I had seen the Criterion editions of the 1948 film, The Red Shoes, many times on store racks in years past, but my eyes always glazed over the movie, because the idea of watching a ballet film never aroused my fascination. When I finally delved into the films of the Powell and Pressburger partnership by way of The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp and Black Narcissus, however, and fell head over heels in love with their stately storytelling style backed by the canvas of masterful Technicolor, I resolved to watch The Red Shoes as soon as possible.
The Red Shoes is a ballet story on the visible surface. On a deeper level, however, the film is inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name, and it transports that fairy tale's dark themes of ambition and addiction into the arena of ballet production politics with tremendously effective results. Hans Christian Andersen's "The Red Shoes" is readily available on several free online literature websites, and I benefited from reading the fairy tale before viewing the film, but your mileage may vary. At any rate, this film's examination of the battle between responsibility and unfettered desire is, at turns, piercing, lighthearted, menacing, inspiring, and provoking, but the final result is visually splendid at all times. A long dreamlike sequence of a ballet performance lights the screen on fire by withdrawing into its own fantasy elements and omitting the presence of the audience until its conclusion. I thought that nothing could top The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp or Black Narcissus in terms of video presentation, but this transfer, based on an extensive 2009 restoration, soars just as highly into the stratosphere. I was quickly engaged in the storyline of The Red Shoes, and I now understand why this film ranks on several top ten lists and why it is heralded by the likes of Martin Scorsese and other acclaimed filmmakers.
Moira Shearer is radiant and graceful in her role as Victoria Page, and I applaud the decision to cast this professional dancer in the role instead of casting a traditional actress. Anton Walbrook, who provided the most captivating moment in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp during a scene where his character makes a speech to immigration officials, plays a darker role here as a ballet producer with a fierce edge that conjures comparisons with the devil making a deal with Faust.
This is another Criterion Blu-ray title that earns an easy five-star rating from this reviewer who normally eschews ballet in favor of James Bond films. I was blown away by The Red Shoes, and I have no doubt that other wary prospective viewers will fall under its spell as well if they give it a chance. Most people today will think of Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan when deciding whether or not to check out The Red Shoes, and I expect that these viewers will be in for a pleasant surprise as well. I thought that the Aronofsky film, while impressive, merely grazed the brain, but The Red Shoes settles into the psyche with wondrous ease, and continues to stimulate the imagination after the end credits with its combination of dark fairy tale fancy and post-WWII character study.
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