As I hinted at yesterday I watched
The Red Shoes and I have to admit it may be the best movie about ballet I have ever seen. I don't know if this is cheating or not but before the movie was over I looked up the fairy tale on which the ballet was based and that may have been a bit spoilerish for the movie but then again the movie wasn't a retelling of that tale directly so eh. It was about Victoria, her composer lover Julian, their disapproving boss, Boris and red shoes.
Basic plot is Victoria is a relatively unknown dancer, with boatloads of talent and, if given the opportunity, will be one of best ever. With a little help from her friends she finds herself in a very well respected ballet company run by Boris. Boris is all about the company. He has a little of Fletcher from Whiplash in him (a little), he's a demanding SOB and he's worried that any kind of romance/distraction will ruin Vicky's chance at being the best, in turn costing him some money. I don't think it's a jealousy thing with Boris, it's a money thing. That's my take anyway. While at the company Victoria hooks up with the new composer, Julian, falls in love much to the Boss' chagrin, he boots them, more stuff happens, she comes back for one more performance of the Red Shoes, which had been retired from production since she and Julian left and finis. That's the condensed, Cliff Notes version if you want to fail your high scool report on The Red Shoes.
Okay, so the highlights:
1. the 15 minute ballet of The Red Shoes, in the middle of the movie.That was soo good. The cinematography and fx were very impressive for a 1940's film.
2. The music all the way through was good.
3. The movie doesn't follow the fairy tale but the fairy tale inspires much of what happens. It's neat how it ties together
4. The ending.
I thought it started a little slow but by the time the Red Shoes was performed I was in. Of the actors, never heard of any of them so I gotta look them up, the guy who portrayed Boris - Anton Walbrook- was great. I didn't like him at all, so well done. Moira Shearer plays Vicky and she was solid. Her dancing is pretty outstanding and finally Marius Goring played Julian. I thought he did well but for me Vicky and Boris kind of overshadowed him a little.
I would never have picked this for me but good job to whoever did. You know me better than I know me. I'd watch this again. Not saying this is going to win, only
Pandora's Box went wire to wire for me in one of these HoF's, but it's a helluva start.