The Red Shoes

V: Only I watched this - a favorite of mine from childhood. NOT that this is a children's film, no, no, no. But I loved ballet, and this was about ballet, so I loved it. It's difficult for me to give it a very honest review because it is so tied to my nostalgia. I had seen it so often, knew the lines so well. What did I gain from it watching it 20 years later? Mostly an appreciation for Anton Walbrook, who played the obsessed owner of a ballet company, Lermontov. He was fantastic! The film is an artistic portrayal of the Hans Christian Anderson story, The Red Shoes. Particularly, the ballet that they produce of the same name, in the film, departs from reality to show what the ballerina, Victoria Page, is going through in her own struggle with her desires for both dance and love. It is a beautiful film, beautiful music, beautiful dance. Sad story. A classic. I love it. 4 stars