The Red Shoes (1948)

The Red Shoes Is one of those films that will quite conceivably blow your mind. Whether it is through a script that is one of the darkest 'U' certificate films I have ever seen, or whether it is the visiual imagery, which still seems contemporary today, the film deals with issues such as whether a person controls what they do, or whether what they do controls them. It deals with love, what we would do for love, and it looks at the very idea of obsession. It is a film that is about a ballet which is based on a Hans Christian Anderson book. This is a man who wrote the Little Mermaid and had her throw herself into the rocks at the end of it, so you kinda know you're going to get a dark tale here.

The film focusses on Vicki Page and Julian Craster, both are new to the Lermontov ballet company as a dancer and composer respectively. Both then find their moment with the first showing of The Red Shoes, recognising their talent they are pushed to the limelight where they create a show so spectacular it creates images in the mind so wonderful as to move you emotionally. This is actually one of the more technically interesting sequences in the film too, with Vicki herself being transported to fantastical landscapes and seeing magical arenas through the power of the music and the dance. It still looks fantastic today, and I wasn't even watching the restored version.

Cranston and Vicki fall madly in love, much to the annoyance of Lermontov, who despite never acting on his feelings for his leading ladies, doesn't tolerate them having love affairs at all. He claims that this is because if they start devoting their passion toward things other than the dance, then their performance will suffer. In reality it is probably just jealousy. As such Cranston and Vicki leave the company, but due to contracts they can never perform the Red Shoes again.. The allure and draw of the piece proves too much for Vicki, who is drawn back into the fold. Then she must make the decision whether to dance or love.

Early on in the film Vicki is asked by Lermontov why does she dance. Her reply is "Why do you want to live?" to which he replies "Well.. I don't know exactly why, but I must". This is the central idea of this film, that when it comes to our passions, we do not know why we do them, but we are simply compelled to by who we are. This is also enough to convince Lermontov that Vicki is serious about dancing rather than just having a passing interest.

The film is remarkably fresh still today, and besides looking a little dated from the film stock used, never feels like a film from the past. It's full of wonder and spectacle, and this is the second time I have seen it, and I cam tell you that it is better this time even than the first time I watched it. All the performances are spectacular, and the film just works on every level.

It's a story that is probably initially off putting to some, as I know ballet isn't always a cool thing, but the film is about so much more than that, it's about our very human instincts, and I think anyone who gives this film a chance will see that and recognise it for the wonderful piece of art that it is. I can't stress how much of an impact this film has had on me since I first saw it. One of the best films I've ever seen without a doubt.