(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.
Upcoming Events in this Series
Film Screenings | The 400 Blows (35mm)
Sight & Sound by Decade | The Sight & Sound Club | The Complete Antoine Doinel The film that heralded in the ground-breaking French New Wave movement, The 400 Blows is a deeply personal and poetic depiction of childhood.
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Sight and Sound by Decade
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8 Films on Screen As part of our ongoing commitment to bring all 100 of the Greatest Films of All Time (as determined by Sight and Sound magazine’s poll published in 2022) to the screen at the Dryden, we are tackling this year’s crop with one film from each decade, from the 1930s to the 2000s.