Before There Was "The Red Shoes," There Was "The Unfinished Dance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                                   "And then I saw 'The Red Shoes.'  And I wanted to
                                                       be that lady...that redhead?"--Kelly Bishop as
                                                   Sheila Bryant in "a Chorus Line"


                                            For the "Chorus Line" generation, "The Red Shoes," which gained international fame, was the penultimate dance film of their generation.  Just like for some, believe it or not, it would become "The Turning Point," though, with that yummy fight scene on the roof between Anne Bancroft and Shirley MacLaine, it came off as more a homage to  gay male relationships!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            What on earth made me think of "The Unfinished Dance?"  I had been thinking of child actress Margaret O'Brien, but this was not one of her gems.  It is nearly forgotten, and from what I recall, was the first film to show MGM that their Margaret had limitations as an actress.  Meaning she would not be Tootie in "Meet Me In St. Louis " forever, as they had hoped.

                                              Now, even "The Unfinished Dance" had a predecessor.  It is actually the remake of a 1937 French film called "La Mort Du Cygne," (The Death Of The Swan") and then retitled simply "Ballerina."  I don't know how successful it was, though it  not "The Red Shoes," is historically credited for being the first narrative film look inside the ballet world..

                                                The film traces a young ballet student, Rose Souris, played by a 13-year-old named Jeannine Charrat, who actually was a dancer.  She hero worships Mademoiselle Beaupre, played by Yvette Chauvire, and who actually dances, too.   When another dancer threatens to upstage Madamoiselle Beaupre's position in the company, Rose will go to any length to stop this, with disastrous results.

                                                Why the French film never gained international success is a  mystery.  Maybe due to poor marketing.  Because, cast with real dancers, and its gritty tone, this should have been the real thing.  Alas, it was not to be.

                                                    Someone at MGM (I bet it was Arthur Freed) saw this film, and the potential for Hollywoodizing it.  They sure did.  They switched the whole thing to America, and made Rose into Meg Merlin, played by a nine-year-old Margaret O'Brien (the film was shot in 1946, but not released until a year later, which tells you something right there.)  who worships a dancer named Mademoiselle Ariane Bouchet, played by Cyd Charisse, which makes sense of course. When a visiting ballerina, La Darina--I kid you not, darlings--played by someone named Karin Booth, threatens Bouchet's status in the company, Meg stages a series of accidents that would impress even the Phantom Of The Opera, culminating with a trap door opening during an actual performance--injuring La Darina's spine, and showing up Boucher as a selfish, self-involved bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am telling you, it is really camp!

                 
                                           I mean, just look at the poster!!!!!!!!!  Margaret O'Brien en pointe????????
Who would believe it?   Add to this mix--are you ready, darlings???--Danny Thomas, as O'Brien's mentor, (this was actually his film debut; how the hell was he cast?????)
Mr. Paneros, and future "Father Knows Best" Princess, Betty Anderson  Elinor Donahue, as another dance student, named Josie.  Here, she was billed under the name "Mary Elinor Donahue."   And this was before Grace Metalious wrote "Peyton Place," which would give the name "Betty Anderson" slut connotations.

                                            You know who directed this mess?  The most heavy handed director that could be found--Henry Koster!  What a mistake that would be!!!!  Where was Vincente Minnelli when needed???? Even though he had worked with O'Brien, directing her to an Oscar in "Meet Me In St. Louis," I bet he took one look at this script, and would not touch this crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               Here is how crappy it is!  The ending; oh, my God!  Instead of ending with a  lawsuit, and Meg being told to hang up her toe shoes, La Darina, now permanently confiend to a wheelchair, has the graciousness to go on and teach at the school, and, when she discovers it was Meg who did this to her, forgives her!!!!!!!!!!!!  Why not just add a miracle, where she arises from the chair, to hug Margaret????????  It would have made as much sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!          

                                                 As for Margaret, she is awful!  I think they should have waited till Angela Cartwright's "Sound Of Music" period, where she looked her best, and when she and Heather Menzies do their pirouettes during "So Long, Farewell," they are more convincing than Margaret!  Alas, if this film had become a classic, it might have been remade with Angela and Heather.  Instead, it was almost shelved, and now marks the initial point of decline in Margaret O'Brien's acting career!

                                                  But it is SO campy, girls, you just gotta have a look!  Here!!!!!!!!!  
                                 
                                                    I mean, Margaret O'Brien doing ballet????  Lassie would have done better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!