Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
United Kingdom / English / 1948 / 2h 13m
THE RED SHOES, the singular fantasia from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, is cinema’s quintessential backstage drama, as well as one of the most glorious Technicolor feasts ever concocted for the screen. Moira Shearer is a rising star ballerina torn between an idealistic composer and a ruthless impresario intent on perfection. Featuring outstanding performances, blazingly beautiful cinematography by Jack Cardiff, Oscar-winning sets and music, and an unforgettable, hallucinatory central dance sequence, this beloved classic, now dazzlingly restored, stands as an enthralling tribute to the life of the artist. Restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive in association with the BFI, The Film Foundation, ITV Global Entertainment Ltd., and Janus Films. Restoration funding provided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, The Film Foundation, and the Louis B. Mayer Foundation.
Wes Anderson
Jul 2026
2 streaming audio tracks
Commentary: Ian Christie, Marius Goring, Moira Shearer, Jack Cardiff, Brian Easdale, and Martin Scorsese.
Brian Easdale, Ian Christie, Jack Cardiff, Marius Goring, Martin Scorsese, Moira Shearer
Novel Reading: Jeremy Irons
Streaming now, and why it pairs with this film
Both on Top 10 lists by Ari Aster and D. A. Pennebaker, both directed by Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell and Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, both with commentary by Martin Scorsese, and both starring Anton Walbrook
Or
via Criterion Collection
