A young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina.A young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina.A young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina.
- Won 2 Oscars
- 5 wins & 5 nominations total
Albert Bassermann
- Sergei Ratov
- (as Albert Basserman)
Léonide Massine
- Grischa Ljubov
- (as Leonide Massine)
Ludmilla Tchérina
- Irina Boronskaja
- (as Ludmilla Tcherina)
Marie Rambert
- Madame Rambert
- (as Madame Rambert)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe title ballet sequence took six weeks to shoot and employed over 120 paintings by Hein Heckroth. The dancing newspaper was achieved through careful cutting and use of wires.
- GoofsNear the end, when Vicky is getting ready to go on stage for "The Red Shoes" once again, she's wearing the red dancing shoes, but the play starts with the white dancing shoes; only during the play does her character find the red shoes and put them on.
However, this is not an accidental goof. This is essential to the plot and the director wants us to overlook this detail so that all the symbolism of Vicky wearing those red shoes while "unable to stop dancing" can be fully explored.
- Quotes
Boris Lermontov: Why do you want to dance?
[Vicky thinks for a short while]
Victoria Page: Why do you want to live?
[Lermontov is suprised at the answer]
Boris Lermontov: Well I don't know exactly why, er, but I must.
Victoria Page: That's my answer too.
- Crazy creditsThe end of the film finishes with 'Finis' instead of 'The End'.
- Alternate versionsThere is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA srl, "THE TALES OF HOFFMANN (1951) + THE RED SHOES (1948)" (2 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Screen Writer (1950)
- SoundtracksThe Ballet of The Red Shoes
Music by Brian Easdale
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
Conducted by Thomas Beecham (as Sir Thomas Beecham, Bart.)
Featured review
I have seen this film about 30 times in 30 years and for me this film will always be special. Astonishingly, my wife, who is a Ballet Teacher, doesn't care at all for this film finding it too 'affected'. Perhaps as I am not involved with ballet at a professional level is a reason why I can enjoy this vibrant, colourful fantasy so much, but then our ballet friends adore the film, so who knows why this film affects some so profoundly (Spielberg&Scorsese!!) and not others. Anton Walbrook's authoritative performance is so memorable and Moira Shearer dances beautifully. Perhaps because the film is so highly charged with passion and emotion it will never please everyone, but I feel this is one of the great achievements of British Cinema and a film so rich and inspirational you will never wish to forget it.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- £500,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $171,546
- Runtime2 hours 15 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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