The Red Shoes

- Open the door! -

They're going mad, sir. It's the students.

Down with tyrants!

- All right, let them in. - Open the door!

- Swine! - Beasts!

- Into the valley of death! - Into the jaws of hell!

Hey, hey. Ease up.

You're sitting on my cloak.

Filling up down below?

- Not a sausage. - Not a tiara.

- Ah, here you are, Terry. - Thank you.

- I can't see him anywhere. - Programs.

- Oh, two, please. - One here.

Thanks, pal.

- Quite a turnout down below. - Mmm.

Old Palmer's music had better be good.

Boronskaja would hardly be dancing the leading role if it wasn't.

Boro who?

Who exactly is boronskaja?

Since you've stood in a queue for six hours

waiting to see her dance, I should have thought...

Not to see anybody. To hear.

Have you ever heard of professor Palmer?

- Never. - Never.

You will.

The program says "heart of fire — Music by Andrew Palmer."

Our professor at the academy.

So boro what's-her-name had better be good.

She is hardly likely to be anything else.

- There he is. - Palmer!

Palmer! Palmer!

Lermontov! Lermontov!

- -

- - Livy! Livy!

- Good old livy! - Good old livy!

We know him.

- Do you remember my "scythian rhapsody"? - Forget it.

That's it, your rhapsody.

- That's the maestoso to it. - Must be an accident.

- Did you show him your rhapsody? - I show him all my work.

- You don't think that he lifted it? - Of course not.

Shh!

She's a great patron of the arts.

Vicky.

Vicky.

Vicky.

Lermontov's coming.

- I say, that's yours too, isn't it? - Yes.

- -

- Steady on, old boy. -

- Well, what are you waiting for? -

- Quiet. - Please let me through.

- Please, do you mind? -

Oh, really!

Ah, dear professor Palmer.

We're all very proud of you, and I hope you're very proud of yourself.

You're too kind. Lady neston, monsieur lermontov.

- So we meet the great man at last. - Enchanlé, madame.

Well, I never imagined I should succeed in getting you here.

I think I must be a very clever woman.

If some fat harridan is going to sing, I must go.

I can't bear amateurs.

- Neither, as it happens, can lady neston. - What do you mean?

She has, I believe, a niece who dances professionally.

Hello, professor. Now please don't get up, Mr. Lermontov.

Now, are you prepared for a surprise?

Do you mean a surprise, lady neston, or a shock?

Well, to take the plunge,

I've asked my niece to dance for us tonight.

- What would you call that? - A shock.

Oh, well, you're — You're certainly very candid.

You know, Mr. Lermontov,

I wouldn't dream of boring you with the performance of an amateur.

My niece has been dancing leading roles for some time now.

The critics think very highly of her work.

How would you define "ballet," lady neston?

Well...

One might call it the poetry of motion, perhaps, or...

One might, but for me, it is a great deal more.

For me, it is a religion.

And one doesn't really care to see one's religion practiced

in an atmosphere such as this.

I hope you understand.

Attractive brute.

Mmm, I'll have a champagne cocktail, please.

- Yes, sir. - Champagne cocktail, please.

Yes, madam.

You know, at parties, everybody's supposed to be very happy.

But perhaps you dislike them as much as I do.

Still, as parties go, I think it might have been worse.

- Do you? - It very nearly was a great deal worse.

- Oh? - Thank you.

We were, it appears, to be treated to a little dancing exhibition.

But now I understand we are to be spared that horror.

Mr. Lermontov, I am that horror.

Mmm.

It's a bit late for apologies, isn't it?

Yes, a little late, I think.

All the same, I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry.

But you're not sorry I didn't dance, are you?

- No. - May I ask why?

-Well, because, my dear miss-miss — -Victoria page.

My dear miss page, if I accept an invitation to a party,

I do not expect to find myself at an audition.

Yes, you're quite right.

Why do you want to dance?

Why do you want to live?

Well, I don't know exactly why, but, uh... imust.

That's my answer too.

- -

- Come with me. - Where to?

- We are going to have a little talk. - But I don't think I want to talk to you.

Don't you worry. I'll do the talking.

Can I see Mr. Lermontov now, please?

What is it, Dimitri?

It is a young man called craster. He has been here a hundred times,

and a hundred times I have told him you are asleep.

But he will not believe me.

Then either you are a very bad liar, or Mr. Craster is a young man of good sense.

Show him in and serve breakfast.

Mr. Craster.

What can I do for you, Mr. Craster?

I'm-I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Lermontov,

but it's a matter of very great importance to me.

Yes?

Last night, I wrote you a letter.

It was a silly letter, and I'd like to have it back before you read it, please.

I see.

That's the one.

Unfortunately, Mr. Craster, I have already read this letter.

Mr. Lermontov, please.

You are one of professor Palmer's pupils,

and you say you have written a string quartet and a piano concerto.

Very interesting. Would you care to play me something?

Something of your own, I mean.

Of course, if you — if you wish it.

This is a study I wrote for the piano.

But I'm thinking of orchestrating it

and putting it into an opera I'm working on.

What, are you finished already? That was very interesting.

I hope I haven't ruined your breakfast.

By the way,

I need a new coach for the orchestra.

Would the idea interest you?

Would it interest...

I shouldn't be able to pay you much money at first, of course.

Eight pounds a week and expenses.

It would be absolutely marvelous.

Right. Then get yourself some breakfast and come over to covent garden.

Thank you.

And your letter, Mr. Craster.

If you take my advice...

You'll destroy it immediately and forget all about it.

"The heart of fire" is your work, isn't it?

You see, Mr. Craster, these things mostly happen unintentionally.

-I know. That's why — -that's why it is worth remembering

that it is much more disheartening to have to steal

than to be stolen from, hmm?

Good morning.

J' cherries so red, strawberries ripe j'

j' as / walk on, they'll be storming j'

j' never mind the abuse you have the excuse j'

j' you went to go vent garden in the morning j'

what a corker!

Sold already!

Of course I tried to get her. Tried to get her twice. Ta-ta.

- Here you are, son. - Right, governor.

Oi! You'll pardon me.

This is the way to the stage, isn't it?

- Name? - Julian craster.

- What name? - Julian craster.

Not on the list.

- Lunch, Irina? - Yes.

- I have an appointment with Mr. Lermontov. - I'm sorry. I've got my job to do.

It's not likely he would ask me to come if he didn't want to see me.

- Good morning, George. - Oh, bonjour, madame.

- How is madame George? - Oh, she is la tresja/ouse.

Very ja/ouse. That bit of a photograph we had took together. Compris?

Oh, here we are.

They've been looking all over London for you this morning.

- Ah! Flut! - That's what I said.

How much longer do you expect me to go on waiting?

I'll send for the sm.

- What is your name, young man? - Julian craster.

I have an appointment with Mr. Lermontov.

Julian cwes — cwes...

- Craster. - Craster.

Well, George, if this young man is invited by Mr. Lermontov, you can pass him, yes?

Ca va by me, madame. Ca va by me.

Follow me, young man.

Est-ce que vous — -comment?

- Are you a dancer? - Yes, at night.

Not very much in the morning.

- I don't know very much about ballet. - You are artiste?

Yes, I'm a composer.

Ah, and you wish to see who?