The Red Shoes (1948) - 35mm Film Screening

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Red Shoes is one of the supreme achievements of British cinema. Victoria Page is a young ballerina given the chance to dance the lead in a new ballet, The Red Shoes. As her career flourishes, she falls in love with the young composer who wrote the ballet. But the uncompromising impresario Boris Lermontov demands that she choose between the two great passions of her life: love and dance.

Combining dance, drama, music and colour, it blurs the boundary between reality and performance in its extraordinary central ballet sequence. Its expressionistic use of colour and movement remains astonishing, while Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook and Marius Goring give the film a timeless emotional intensity.

Shot by legendary Cinematographer Jack Cardiff BSC, this film is widely considered to be the greatest Technicolour film of all time, and seeing it on 35mm film is a rare treat!

This screening starts at 7pm and we don’t run adverts or trailers, so we recommend arriving 15–20 minutes early. This gives you plenty of time to find a seat (all seating is first come, first served) and enjoy a drink from the bar before the show begins.

PLEASE NOTE WE ARE A CASHLESS VENUE, AND ONLY ACCEPT CARD PAYMENTS

Halfway through the film we take a short intermission while the film reels are changed over. It’s the perfect chance to discuss the film so far, top up your glass at the bar, and treat yourself to some delicious Caroline’s Dairy ice cream, served by our wonderful usherettes.

Because we’re showing these films from often original 35mm and 16mm prints which are over 50 years old, so the occasional pause in running can happen if a reel needs adjusting. If it does, rest assured our projectionist will have things running again in no time, it’s all part of the authentic analogue experience!

While many of our films are rated as family-friendly, we don’t recommend bringing infants or very young children. The soundtracks on older film prints, combined with the natural acoustics of our hall, can sometimes feel a little overwhelming for little ears.