As part of David Stratton’s Great British Film Festival currently screening at the Cremorne Orpheum we have a rare chance to see this classic 1951 film. Brought to us by the team who also made The Red Shoes, (also screening as part of the Festival), Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, this is the fresh, lavish 4k restoration of the film released in the UK March this year and includes previously unseen footage.
Michael Powell called this a ‘composed film’ in that everything in the film was governed by the music. It is sung in an English translation of the French libretto and faithful to the traditional adaptations of Offenbach’s last opera bar a few adjustments. Dancers were mostly used as actors on screen ,with the great opera stars as voice over.
The film features Robert Rounseville (Hoffmann) , Moira Shearer (Stella/Olympia), Robert Helpmann (as Lindorf/Coppélius/Dapertutto/Dr Miracle) , Frederick Ashton, (Kleinsach/Cochenille) Léonide Massine ( Schlemil, Spalanzani/Franz )and Pamela Brown (in the ‘trouser ‘ role of Nicklaus), Ludmilla Tchérina(Giuletta) and Ann Ayars (Antonia). Only Rounseville and Ayars sang their own roles.
The soundtrack recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for the film was conducted by the legendary Sir Thomas Beecham. The principal singers apart from Rounseville and Ayars were Dorothy Bond ( Stella/Olympia), Margherita Grandi ( (Giuletta) , Monica Sinclair (Nicklaus) and BruceDargavel(Lindorf/Coppélius/Dapertutto/Dr Miracle).
What is very exciting for dance fans is the chance to see several of the greats of the period together in one film .
The film is notable for its spectacular, surrealistic designs by Hein Heckroth and for its special cinematic effects. One can pick the Dali influences and also touches of Loudon Sainthill.
The film is very obviously of its time and perhaps dated a little now but still sumptuous and enthralling , and the costumes are ravishing. ( Heckroth was nominated for two Academy Awards for this film) . The photography is splendid, with very effective use of close up when required ( the amazing makeup the cast wears is visible in loving, intimate detail!).The ‘Dragonfly’ ballet is shot partly from above to obtain full visual impact and so we can see the various lilypads .
In the prologue, Hoffmann (Rounseville) is in the audience at a performance by Stella ( Shearer ), a prima ballerina. (Here we see the dragonfly ballet. Are we meant to pick up a Pavlova influence ? The designs for the dragonflies were quite startling for the film’s period).
Stella sends Hoffmann a note asking him to meet her after the performance, but the note is intercepted by his rival, Councillor Lindorf (Helpmann). Not having received her note, Hoffmann goes to Luther’s Tavern during the interval, where he tells the sad romantic tale of a clown, Kleinzach (Ashton) – inspired by mugs in the tavern- and three stories of his past loves— Olympia, Giulietta and Antonia, and becomes drunk.
In the first story, set in Paris , we hear how Olympia is a life sized mechanical doll created by scientist Spalanzani and magic spectacle maker Coppelius. Hoffmann falls for Olympia, ignorant of her artificiality and is mocked when he finally discovers she is an automaton.
Shearer has a quite difficult long extended solo here as Olympia. It is very romantic in part with her lying on the swinging bench a la Watteau or Sleeping Beauty. There are some allusions to the full length ballet Coppelia as well, Helpmann with enormous eyebrows giving a glimpse of one of his most famous roles. Shearer is terrific as Stella/Olympia and the manic destruction of Olympia is quite gruesome and nightmarish.
In the second story, Hoffmann , now in Venice,falls for Giulietta, a courtesan, but she seduces him to steal his reflection ( ie his soul) for the magician Dapertutto. Sultry Ballets Russes great Ludmilla Tchérina is cooly elegant, enigmatic and seductive as Giuletta while Helpmann is chilling and scary as Dapertutto. This story features the famous ‘Barcarolle’, here with Giuletta and Dapertutto floating in a gondola.
The dominant colour here is a dark red.
In the third story, set on a Greek island, Antonia is a famous delicate soprano suffering from an incurable illness who must not sing, ( shades of Violetta and Mimi ) but the evil Dr Miracle ( Helpmann again, pale and Dracula like) makes her sing and she dies, breaking the hearts of Hoffmann and her father, Crespel ( a terrific performance by Mogans Wieth/ Owen Brannigan ) Ayars gives a tremendous performance as Antonia. Massine features here as the deaf servant , with incredible petit batterie and jumps. The colour theme here is blue and Antonia’s house and garden have huge Surrealist like statues, particularly for her mother.
In the epilogue, we learn from Hoffmann that all three women are all aspects of his love, Stella, who then appears in the tavern and, seeing Hoffmann totally drunk, is led away by Councillor Lindorf.( A figure of death, perhaps?!
Running time allow two and a half hours no interval includes brief documentary about the history of the film and a most enthusiastic introduction by Martin Scorsese.
Sessions of THE TALES OF HOFFMANN are screenings at the current festival currently screening at the Cremorne Orpheum until the 18th August. There is a screening today, and then on 15th, 16th and 18th August.