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MusicFantasyRomance

The Tales of Hoffmann

- You Will Never See Anything Finer On The Screen!

A young poet named Hoffman broods over his failed romances. First, his affair with the beautiful Olympia is shattered when he realizes that she is really a mechanical woman designed by a scientist. Next, he believes that a striking prostitute loves him, only to find out she was hired to fake her affections by the dastardly Dapertutto. Lastly, a magic spell claims the life of his final lover.

Release Date : 1951-04-04

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Vega Film ProductionsThe Archers

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Moira Shearer

Character Name : Stella / Olympia

Original Name : Moira Shearer

Gender : Female

Ludmilla Tchérina

Character Name : Giulietta

Original Name : Ludmilla Tchérina

Gender : Female

Pamela Brown

Character Name : Niklaus

Original Name : Pamela Brown

Gender : Female

Léonide Massine

Character Name : Spalanzani / Schlemil / Franz

Original Name : Léonide Massine

Gender : Male

Ann Ayars

Character Name : Antonia

Original Name : Ann Ayars

Gender : Female

Robert Helpmann

Character Name : Lindorf / Coppelius / Dapertutto / Dr. Miracle

Original Name : Robert Helpmann

Gender : Male

Frederick Ashton

Character Name : Kleinsach / Cochenille

Original Name : Frederick Ashton

Gender : Male

Robert Rounseville

Character Name : Hoffmann

Original Name : Robert Rounseville

Gender : Male

Mogens Wieth

Character Name : Crespel

Original Name : Mogens Wieth

Gender : Male

Lionel Harris

Character Name : Pitichinaccio

Original Name : Lionel Harris

Gender : Male

Philip Leaver

Character Name : Andrés

Original Name : Philip Leaver

Gender : Male

Meinhart Maur

Character Name : Luther

Original Name : Meinhart Maur

Gender : Male

Edmond Audran

Character Name : Partner to Stella in Dragonfly Ballet

Original Name : Edmond Audran

Gender : Male

Sir Thomas Beecham

Character Name : Self - Conductor (uncredited)

Original Name : Sir Thomas Beecham

Gender : Male

Alan Carter

Character Name : Casher (Act 1) (uncredited)

Original Name : Alan Carter

Gender : Male

Elizabeth Christie

Character Name : Corps de Ballet (uncredited)

Original Name : Elizabeth Christie

Gender : Male

John Ford

Character Name : Nathanaël (uncredited)

Original Name : John Ford

Gender : Male

Richard Golding

Character Name : Hermann - Prologue and Epilogue (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Golding

Gender : Male

Lillemor Knudsen

Character Name : Dancer (uncredited)

Original Name : Lillemor Knudsen

Gender : Male

Barry Lowe

Character Name : Student (uncredited)

Original Name : Barry Lowe

Gender : Male

Arthur Skinner

Character Name : Man in Background (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Skinner

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-12-28

Though I really enjoyed watching this, it isn't really a film at all. Messrs. Powell and Pressburger have elicited the help of the supremely talented Christopher Challis and of the late Jacques Offenbach and basically filmed an augmented theatrical production of his eponymous, uncompleted, opera. They have assembled a curiously effective collection of gloriously clad acting talent - most of whom, aside from the narrator/composer himself in the form of Robert Rounseville, cannot actually sing - and proceeded to present us with something that is really quite beautiful to watch and listen to; but that is really not that different from that which we might see at Covent Garden. It features the landmark P&P colour schemes - vibrant, lively and bold with the use of light and the staging of this three part story all adding up to a delightful watch. If you know the libretto, then you will know this is about a rather down-in-the-dumps poet who is reflecting on his life and the choices his chosen career has forced him to make at the expense of his loves. The ballet dancer "Stella" (Moira Shearer) is his most recent love, but there have been others and all of them have, in some way, fallen foul of Robert Helpmann's excellent "Lindorf". There are some super puppetry effects and the sparing use of visual effects to remind us were are not in the grand circle, but for the most part this is a cleverly crafted and stylishly produced theatrical performance that I enjoyed, but would still have rather seen (and heard on a stage). It's still innovative and imaginative cinema that is well worth seeing, though.