Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

RyothChatty ridiculous rating

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Maria Trim I was reminded of this film when i watched a modern ballet series called Flesh and Bones. The Red Shoes was mentioned in many of the reviews. I had watched this film years ago, and decided to revisit it. What can you say really, the dancing in the middle was simply breathtaking and Moira Shearer such a wonderful dancer. The impresario takes a young ballerina under his wing. In Flesh and Bones we have the same with the director who takes a young ballet dancer under his wing. Both of these characters were like Svengali, and demanded much of the dancers to the point of excluding them a life outside of the dance. Even the premise was similar The Red Shoes a fairy tale, and for me I found Flesh and Bones was a dark and disturbing fairy tale of a young troubled dancer escaping her life and being finally set free by the Knight who slays the dragon. The one difference was for me it was so innocently produced, no horrific graphical sexual scenes covering such things as incest and sodomy.The story ended as the Ballet The Red Shoes came to life. It was quite sad at the ending and i must admit I did shed a tear or two on both of them. I would recommend this film to youngsters who love the ballet, even with dramatic content. The dancing was simply superb the scenery at times breath taking, and i actually felt sorry for the Impresario as i felt he actually was in love with Moria Shearers character, and used her love for the ballet to come back to him.

katyhun The technicolour cinematography was outstanding.My only complaint would be that the performance of The Red Shoes in the middle went on too long, and as someone who isn't too big on ballet I got bored during this scene.Characters were really well developed and the performances were great. Extremely well written film. The ending was quite shocking to be honest, didn't really see coming. It felt very modern for a film made in 1948 as well, not dated at all.I'd easily give this a 9/10, and perhaps on a rewatch maybe a RARE tg-esque 10/10!

bkoganbing I guess the lesson to be learned is that when one is in the arts and striving to be the best it demands 100% of you. At least that's the lesson I took away from The Red Shoes. The film itself is a reworking of the plot from Maytime with dance instead of singing as the art form.Moira Shearer plays aspiring ballerina Victoria Page and her talent is immediately recognized by ballet impresario Anton Walbrook. He takes her under his wing, but Walbrook seems to want to control every aspect of her life. Walbrook also gives a break to young composer Marius Goring whom he hires to help orchestrate the music that the dancer's use. Goring is talented but also quite full of himself as well. Soon enough Shearer and Goring fall in love and that does not fit into the long range plans Walbrook has.The title comes from a story by Hans Christian Andersen about a ballerina who sees a pair of red ballet slippers and puts them on and she can dance better than anyone has before. But The Red Shoes have their own enchantment, you can't stop dancing once they're on. The ballerina arranges for her feet to be cut off to stop dancing.The ballet is an allegory for the terrible price one of these three has to pay for art's sake. The ballet itself which we see in its entirety is maybe the best ballet sequence ever brought to the big screen. Pieces of other classic ballet numbers are also scattered throughout the film and are woven and completely integrated into the plot.Though John Barrymore who was the manager and husband of Jeanette Macdonald in Maytime was no longer available, Anton Walbrook got his career role out of playing Boris Lermontov who constantly walks back and forth over the line between dedication and obsession. Marius Goring is far from Nelson Eddy in this, he's ambitious and wants it all wife and career. To the extent that Shearer is also in the arts, he wants her in no small part to support his ambitions. In fact he becomes as unlikeable as Walbrook. Torn between these two men it is no wonder Shearer meets the fate she does.Wonderful ballet sequences splendidly photographed by Jack Cardiff and well tuned acting performances by the three leads are the hallmark of The Red Shoes. This one is a timeless classic.

dougdoepke Visually sumptuous, every frame a color adventure. The ballet too is an eye-catcher, going from conventional to surreal to nightmarish, all in striking fashion that would have pleased even the great Dali. The premise may be well-worn— will it be art or love—but despite the risks of cliché, the narrative seldom palls. It's poor Vicki who must decide, but then she is under the spell of the wicked red shoes, whether she knows it or not. Walbrook commands as the imperious Lermontov, while Shearer captivates as the red-haired prima donna. However, Goring lacks the gravitas necessary for the rebellious composer. And check that ending. Hollywood would never have risked such a downer. But once under the red shoes spell, there is no escape. Thus, the movie amounts to a sublime blend of fable, narrative, and dance. The risk may have been real, but The Archers hit the bull's eye. And so will you if you haven't already.