*POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
"The Red Shoes" is the story of a woman who would like to live a life that is both professionally AND privately fulfilling - but the two men in her life (one personifying Love and Private Happiness, the other her professional passion, Dancing) do not permit her to incorporate both in her life. The conflict comes from the fact that neither man wants to recognize her as an artist and a personality in her own right, but rather as a vehicle of their own aspirations.
During the budding romance with Craster, though, we see that her dream could be fulfilled: she dances to the music that he writes for her; both live a professionally and personally fulfilling life by cooperating. But Lermontov wants Vicky to be his creation and not to be attached to anyone or anything else except dancing. (It is obvious that he is not interested in her sexually or romantically - some said he might be gay, which can well be, but in the end, it doesn't matter, as Lermontov is rather the personification of his own ideal, a person only committed to his profession and to nothing and nobody else.)
As the story develops, it turns out that to Craster, she is nothing more than an inspiration for his own work (he doesn't seem to bother that she is professionally unfulfilled while he reacts aggressively when she takes a step to dance again); to Lermontov, she is the clay she wants to form his own creation (a "great dancer") of. Though most supporting characters seem to recognize Vicky as an artist in her own right, the two men that matter most in her life do not. This is what leads ultimately to her downfall, as she is not able to choose between love and dancing, because both form a whole inside her. She rather sacrifices herself (though in the end it is not clear, to what extent) and thus affirms herself as a person and artist.
A beautiful film (though not as supreme as I had expected it to be), with a great performance by Anton Walbrook and beautiful dancing scenes (though the not-so-perfect special effects in the otherwise highly original and captivating centerpiece were a bit disconcerting). I also like the passionate conflict of the story (the passion here is of the "sublimated" rather than of the downright erotic kind - it is very refreshing that the conflict between Vicky, Craster and Lermontov is not reduced to a mere love triangle). And, of course, a must for ballet lovers.
"The Red Shoes" is the story of a woman who would like to live a life that is both professionally AND privately fulfilling - but the two men in her life (one personifying Love and Private Happiness, the other her professional passion, Dancing) do not permit her to incorporate both in her life. The conflict comes from the fact that neither man wants to recognize her as an artist and a personality in her own right, but rather as a vehicle of their own aspirations.
During the budding romance with Craster, though, we see that her dream could be fulfilled: she dances to the music that he writes for her; both live a professionally and personally fulfilling life by cooperating. But Lermontov wants Vicky to be his creation and not to be attached to anyone or anything else except dancing. (It is obvious that he is not interested in her sexually or romantically - some said he might be gay, which can well be, but in the end, it doesn't matter, as Lermontov is rather the personification of his own ideal, a person only committed to his profession and to nothing and nobody else.)
As the story develops, it turns out that to Craster, she is nothing more than an inspiration for his own work (he doesn't seem to bother that she is professionally unfulfilled while he reacts aggressively when she takes a step to dance again); to Lermontov, she is the clay she wants to form his own creation (a "great dancer") of. Though most supporting characters seem to recognize Vicky as an artist in her own right, the two men that matter most in her life do not. This is what leads ultimately to her downfall, as she is not able to choose between love and dancing, because both form a whole inside her. She rather sacrifices herself (though in the end it is not clear, to what extent) and thus affirms herself as a person and artist.
A beautiful film (though not as supreme as I had expected it to be), with a great performance by Anton Walbrook and beautiful dancing scenes (though the not-so-perfect special effects in the otherwise highly original and captivating centerpiece were a bit disconcerting). I also like the passionate conflict of the story (the passion here is of the "sublimated" rather than of the downright erotic kind - it is very refreshing that the conflict between Vicky, Craster and Lermontov is not reduced to a mere love triangle). And, of course, a must for ballet lovers.