(Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, UK 1948, 135 min., 35mm)
Hans Christian Andersen’s tale is just the starting point for this imaginative and moving classic— a landmark in the histories of both dance and cinema. An ambitious and obsessive dancer (the luminous Moira Shearer) falls under the spell of a tyrannical impresario (Anton Walbrook) and soon must choose between ballet and her love for a burgeoning composer (Marius Goring). Highlighted by a fifteen-minute lyrical Technicolor ballet sequence halfway through the film, the intertwining of art and life is vividly expressed in every aspect of this beloved production, particularly Jack Cardiff’s rich Technicolor cinematography. Voted one of the best British films ever created, this 35mm restored print is courtesy of the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Restoration funding provided by The Film Foundation & Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
