From Shane Conto

Who are considered some of the most significant filmmakers of the first half of the 20th century? You have Victor Fleming and his double dose of The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind. Cecil B. DeMille is a towering figure in the early growth of Hollywood. John Huston is a legend of film who was a fixture in front and behind the camera for decades. But do you know Powell & Pressburger? Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were a directing pair who created some of the most gorgeous and poignant films in all of film. The Matter of Life and Death and Black Narcissus are two of their significant achievements but their crowning achievement is The Red Shoes. 

Max streaming service is a treasure trove of classic cinema and why does The Red Shoes standout in this giant library of cinematic history? As mentioned before, The Red Shoes is one of the most gorgeous films of all time. You will be shocked by how amazing this film looks for a release in 1948. This looks better than most films made today. There is a richest to the colors you see. This is the reddest red you will ever see. There is incredible make-up and hairstyling that brings each of these characters to life and they just “POP!”. There is a crispness to the cinematography that you would not expect from a film pre-1950. You would expect to see this from a peak 1970s film but this was well before its time. There is a perfect balance between the wide angle spectacle of the ballet and the rich, detailed close-ups of the characters. You will sit in awe of how beautiful this film is. 

What is the crown jewel of Powell and Pressburger’s film? The ballet itself. One of the most vibrant and awe-inspiring sequences in the history of film can be found smack in the middle of The Red Shoes. This is the titular ballet within the film and it is one of the most ambitious creative elements of Powell and Pressburger’s film. The production design, costuming, and make-up are impeccable with so much rich color. The ballet itself is intricate and pitch perfect choreography fills every frame. This sequence is enough of a film in itself that can sell this film. 

How does Powell and Pressburger leverage this fairy tale to Maximum effect? We don’t just get to see this show-stopping ballet in the film. The film as a whole is an intriguing reimagining of the fairy tale itself. Our protagonist is an aspiring star on the stage. She is driven so aggressively by the titular shoes and her ballet owner to give up all for the ballet. There is a darkness and tragedy to the story that feels so poignant in contrast to the stark beauty of the film’s visuals and the incredible production design. There are complex layers to this film with only a few filmmakers who could have pulled off such a feat. 

But what is going to hook the greater audience outside of the arthouse trappings of The Red Shoes? There is a compelling and complex triangle around the center. We see a young ballerina and composer fall deeply in love. We can get behind it and we love to see that young love. But is it the renowned and controlling ballet owner who must get in the way. It is not just romance at stake…there is the soul of this young woman hanging in the balance. This tug-of-war carries the film from start to finish in a moving and tension-filled way. What will she decide? The Red Shoes will certainly keep you guessing (and do those shoes have any sway in the matter as well?). 

So… is The Red Shoes worth turning back the clock for? This is a film that is far ahead of its time from a technical standpoint. You would not be surprised if you found out that this is actually considerably more contemporary than 1948. There is a boldness to everything in the film and an ambition in the way this fairy tale is adapted. This is a great gem of days of film past that is worth every minute of its runtime. 

You can find The Red Shoes (1948) streaming on Max.

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