MovieChat Forums > Slow Dancing in the Big City (1979) Discussion > DIVINE BALLERINA, SPELLBINDING DANCE, MU...

DIVINE BALLERINA, SPELLBINDING DANCE, MUSIC, FLAWS,10,10,10,6.5


DELIGHTFUL, IMPROBABLE ROMANCE (Aren't they all?) If you haven't seen this movie and the ballerina, you are in for a treat. Just a nice, little romantic movie. No mystery here, when you see the "DIVINE BALLERINA"--ANNE DITCHBURN-- setting your heart aflutter, it takes the viewer and Sorvino's character all of 10 thin seconds to fall in love with this one. No 29 matches on a compatability profile required. THIS ENCHANTRESS WOULD GIVE THE TERMINATOR HEART PALPITATIONS. AND BE WARNED, SHE RAISES THE STANDARD SO HIGH, SHE COULD RUIN YOUR CONCEPT OF BEAUTY. I didn't know who else was in the movie until the third viewing! Now don't get me wrong, I'm not biased or anything, just spellbound, with my hitherto unknown muse. This movie has some limitations, but, as one discriminating anti-critic so well summed it up, with "THE BEAUTIFUL DANCER...I FIND IT EASY TO OVERLOOK ALL OF THE SHORTCOMINGS (movie)...AS IT SHOWCASES MS. DITCHBURN AND HER DANCING." "I WOULD BE WILLING TO ENDURE QUITE A LOT TO SEE THAT LOVELY LADY PERFORM"...."GREAT DANCING BY THE LEADING LADY.".....THERE IT IS, BEAUTY AND TALENT GALORE----AND, IF YOU CAN IGNORE THE DEFICIENCIES AND FILL IN THE BLANKS--YOU WILL BE REWARDED-- DEMOLITION DERBY DEVOTEES AND SUPER MACHOS WILL CRY -- NO MAS, ON THIS ONE--A chick flick with discrimininating and dedicated male admirers--Adorned with a "dishrag," this ballerina turned it into a sexy exotic headscarf, and a beautiful lace scarf into a diamond crown tiara, more exotic than a headscarf has a right to be. You'll see. Ann Ditchburn, called the "divine ballerina" in a New York Review, was a prominent dancer and choreographer with The National Ballet of Canada--Mad Shadows, Kisses and others, dancing with Karen Kain in Gisele. Also, she choreographed and danced in a highly regarded A & E special--A Moving Picture, winning several awards, and had parts in 4 other movies,(and yes, all after this one) yet, despite an exhaustive internet search, I, along with others, have been unable to find a fan site, photos, even if she is living, married, retired, consulting, dance instructor??? Hopefully, making a sequel! And I don't care if it is 27 years later, I want to see the same ballerina perform again. They should have done another movie with her playing the part of a guardian angel sent to earth on a mission to help a struggling, sick young ballerina. But, in her time on earth, at the turn of the 20th century, the guardian angel was, herself, a young aspiring ballerina with great promise, until she was involved in a fatal accident. As she becomes more involved with supporting and advising the earth bound ballerina, the guardian Angel, let's call her Anne, begins to relive her ballet past and yearn for that one big performance, until finally, she decides to request an extension of time on her mission, ultimately, substituting for the ballerina at the last minute, when she reinjures herself. And a magnificient performance it was, with everyone astonished to find the original ballerina was not on stage, but holding their breath until the performance was over. Suddenly, after the curtain, the guardian angel disappears, with only the earthbound ballerina knowing what actually happened, nothing left but the sound of a tinkling bell. (well, maybe it'd be better to leave the bell off) [P] A few movie posters found--one great one with her slow dancing on a Manhattan roof top with Paul Sorvino. It's easy to find this movie schedule - just type in Paul Sorvino (about 6 down from the top) and you'll see all of the movies he is in on his TV schedule for the month (this movie on 14 times in March '05) See strands below for a FAIR AND "SLIGHTLY" BIASED VIEW.

reply

[deleted]

Part 1: These were comments made in reply to another thread. For a review of this movie, if you will, START WITH PART 2 in the next thread, A Tribute and Defense..(see part 2 first)... I am certainly glad to get some response to what I wrote a few months ago. It's ok for you to be picky when you know something well and care deeply about it. In answering, I discovered how really difficult it is to limit my comments, because it would take a book to refute so many criticisms, many of which I think are unfair and are part of a piling on gang mentality. As they gain momentum, they turn into a "tyranny of concensus," kind of like an urban legend. The movie does have its' weaknesses to be sure, and there is a lot of editing and rewriting of certain scenes that needed to be done. Example: that really goofy scene with the cop waiving his pistol around at the train where kids are engaged in "grafitti art." I don't want to expend 1 calorie of energy or 10 electrons of electricity even discussing that thing, except to say, it is in a few areas like this that they seem to go out of the way to ruin the movie--time that would have been better been spent on scenes that were edited that more fully developed their character and relationship. I am told that Paul Sorvino criticized just that, coming off more as an overbearing joker without real substance. (Thanks Dr. Cu...) Once I had the audacity to suggest to someone that Spielberg, in his Saving Private Ryan movie, should have spent 10 seconds in the opening scene just before the landing, taking a panoramic shot of the 5000 ships and support vessels of the invasion, with the characteristic opening salvos. This would have given more scope and context to the enormity of the event, (enormity in its' least restrictive sense) which, impressive as it was, was only one sector of five beaches, probably less than 10% of the entire action. Well, now, with that little criticism, does anyone believe that the greatness of the movie is diminished? Suppose he had been characterized as a "chauvinistic warmonger director?" Sneering critics insult this movie in practically the same words. Just keep this in mind for later reference. I have never been able to get a real understanding of just how this ballerina's dancing rated with the world dance/ballet community. I am kind of like Sorvino's character Friedlander, when he blurted out, "She's great!" only to have the ballet director bark, "Sarah, that was terrible!" And while it is obvious that this dancer had great stage presence and interpretative powers, I do not know if she had certain technical strengths or limitations, where, as in sports, every millisecond of speed, every centimeter of jumping ability etc. is critical and separates the the good from the great performers. They speak of her as a "world renown" choreographer and 'renegade' choreographer, which I suspect means that she broke with more traditional dance, producing more creative and experimental dance forms; and a later dance film, a Moving Picture, which she choreographed and edited the music, I know was just that, having seen this fine work of art. The dance rehearsed and performed in the movie may have been less traditionally artistic; but surely, we didn't expect Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake wrapped into a 10 minute finale, with more of a let's have a Rocky like ending than Balanchine's dances. Whatever the limitations, it managed to showcase her exotic artistry and beauty. Of course, one critic, I suppose for shock effect, predicted an early end to her career, called it a "mawkish" dance performance. He slashed away, offering this one up as a victory for the people, meaning not for elites like himself, This one would criticize Shakespeare for playing to much to the "peanut gallery," and imagines himself as a special aristocratic viewer as with A Midsummer Night's Dream, performed for special viewers rather than for the public. If I remember correctly, a certain breed of cynical critics, with a thing eating away at their joy and their vision, wrote early epitaphs for the careers of Beethoven, Elvis Presley and the desk top computer. If it wasn't so malecious, they would really be just too funny, deserving only to be laughed out of existence. (As with Beethoven's 1st symphony, compared to the thrashing tail of a dragon in its' death throes and a career ending event for him as a composer) Honestly, taking a contrarian stance, one could actually make more accurate judgements about the value of an art work if they simply looked for an inverse agreement, that is, perfect negative correlation--the more the critics hammer it, the better the movie. [P] I cannot imagine anyone, ever, playing the ballerina or doing this particular dance better than her, though the ending was rather abrupt, and could have been better perfected, as you noted. Like the the first page of a great novel or listening to Tchaikovsky, you can tell in six bars of music that this is something special. And I think this ballerina brought special qualities of exotic radiance over and above the exquisite dance movements. As one reviewer put it, "her body lyrically communicates the intense energy of the character she portrays." Even in practice, when they do the final few seconds as she looks down on her male counterpart, there is a--well, I have never been able to find the right word, maybe, stage presence, intensity of feeling, pathos at times, that she brilliantly captures and projects. And besides her stunning beauty, Ann Ditchburn, with magnetically brilliant and expressive eyes, portrays a wide range of emotions--wonder--surprise--doubt and anxiety, with a generous helping of pure bliss; and, with Anne's engagingly pleasant and felitious expressions and smiles at precisely the right moment, her personality is infused with warmth and feeling. Framed with cheek bones and a perfect forehead conforming to THE DIVINE PROPORTION, a mathematically described aesthetic of classical art and architecture, her perfectly designed face fulfills the rule and compliments the beauty of the GOLDEN RATIO. At the beginning of her final performance with Hector Mercado, there is one split second where the screen captures her wide-eyed, hope and fear-filled expression that just says everything, just before he gives her a reassuring wink. From an athletic and artistic standpoint, there is one point where her rhythmically undulating movements on the stage floor with him behind her in support--three seconds of that alone, if I knew nothing about her, would convince me she had immense talent. And, I noted one thing that reinforced her artistry fused with athleticism; Notice how she did what ALL FINE ATHLETES DO, NOT "SIMPERING FASHION MODELS," as one critic hysterically drivelled, loosening up the way sprinters do, even after the practice with hands on hips, kicking her legs; yes, athlete and artist and fashion model, if the critic so insists, this one is. The camera work here was one of the great assets of this movie as well. I see where ballet dancers discuss all kinds of things, like who can arch their back to the greatest degree and do the most continuous pirouettes and the like. This dancer seems to be a bit taller, have a longer torso and good muscular definition in the legs (not stocky for goodness sake, criticism #999--"teeny bit stocky." But even with the slightly longer torso, and what seems to be longer arms, this all aids in her interpretation with the flowing like quality of her dance. What a figure she makes in that silhouetted opener! And now you know, this is all I know about dancing and ballet. I have bluffed as far as I can go. Anything I say here has to be taken from the standpoint of how I view this girl (28-30 at the time--bd '48 or '49) Don't get me wrong, I am not biased or anything like that, well, maybe just a little; it's just that I think this dancer may have the single most beautifully designed face I have ever seen on a human being, critters too. A beauty that goes beyond the fulfillment of the senses, and captivates the heart--a "dangerous" beauty, but not to the point of peril. Now that you know how I feel about that, my interpretations have to be evaluated in that light. If anything, she was too beautiful for the part, (there I go sounding like the critics) almost a distraction to me, but I think I can stand it. Now here is where the pirannah, that is...the critics caught the scent of blood, with Aristotle's observation that true beauty is entirely dependent upon a flaw, and taking this as their authority, not one frame was left uncriticized until they found ever flaw imaginable, with the exception of her beauty, something so obvious, they thought it best to admit it, move on, and search for hit and run angles of attack. Some embraced her beauty as cover and a blank check to launch attacks at will, it seems, on everything from her voice to her big toe. And I guess her smile, along with a thousand facial expressions, (dozens, listening to the doctor's verdict) only merited her an attack as having a "wooden" performance, which somehow contributed to a Golden Globe Nomination for Best New Actress. Square that up, I can't. But they can spot a splinter 6 inches away and miss the entire beauty of the forest. And when she came out of that apartment hunting scene, she revealed a beatific smile that, that ... would give---palpitations to The Terminator, is the best I can come up with, but accurate to be sure. She even appears to be 5 or 6 different characters in the movie, so much so you have to do a retake to see if it is really her. Come to think of it, I had better be quiet here or the critics will hear this and add it to their list of complaints; I think this is all she hasn't been criticized for. But the real cynics, determined to find a cloud in every silver lining, heap so much negative criticism on this dancer, that you have to wonder what is going on here, above and beyond the ineluctable pull of envy --a Green Monster here. Just being the focus of the movie, that's how she became a little too perfect, too talented, too beautiful, too much of a fashion model, too simpering and too sweet, too center stage and not a real athlete and every other kind of too... imaginable; thus society has a way of levelling something that stands out too far in nature, too prominent in the tribe; we have a modern version of the EVIL EYE, the nature of which is a warning; be careful not to bring too much attention to yourself, (a contradiction in our pursuit for individuality) you're in line to be taken down a peg or two. And they did. All they needed was a tiny opening, with this movie conspiring to provide a gaping hole, despite the Golden Globe nomination. Have you seen the kind of company that received these nominations over the years? That's that. Reserved for special condemnation has been her voice. Now, before I go into this, keep in mind that in Gone with the Wind, even Clark Gable and the other character, (Ashley Wilkes I believe) were criticized for sounding too much like Yankees rather than rebs. And Marlon Brando, in On the Waterfront, was criticized for having a voice too whiney, when he was pouring out his heart to his brother about how he could have been a contender. So here, with her beauty unassailable, they looked for her perceived Achilles heel, (the level they function best at), her voice. And, her voice, while not deep and robust, was described as affected (accent), thin, and squeaky of all things, as with Squeaky Fromm or Amber Frey? Now, let me ask you, just what were they expecting? A Marlena Dietrich seductress scene with her sexy baritone voice, or maybe a raspy, jagged-edged Betty Davis, with her gutteral threatening voice. I don't know. I listened to it carefully and "commissioned" some others to make observations on this. On a few occasions, she rushes her sentences and clips some words, something Canadians tend to do. (from a Southern perspective) For the most part, her pronunciation was very distinctive, "immediately" was, (e-meed-e-ut-ly) and I loved every syllable of it. Someone thought she had an affected accent. To what purpose? Why would she need or burden the part with an accent? She wasn't playing a Russian Kirov ballerina. At times, especially at the door saying good night, she draws out her words, with a moderately deep voice, running a full octave on some words "Smoooothh and Cleeer," "naaoooww,(now?)," "meeeh" (me), and I particulary noted the melodic -- Lew, (Leeoouu!)--a wonderfully sweet voice, interesting and refreshing to hear. Her lyrical pronunciation of "my bird" and "ok" alone, should elevate the words to join "cellardoor" as the most beautiful words in the English language. For a few seconds at the door, she transitioned to a child-like voice, with corresponding expressions, and she came over very well as in love (you, dear viewers, provide the reasons.) Here, they go after the less than robust, but sweet, angelic voice, as if she fell short of a Mommy Dearest comparison. Like searching for a corner in a round room, cynics search for an infinitie number of attack angles, but here they choose to be honestly dishonest, rather than exaggerating to the point of dishonesty. Sometimes you wonder if they even saw the entire movie, to criticize her as "wooden." The truth is, she manifest a never ending stream of expressions, dozens in the doctor's office scene alone, a very real and observable strengh. As to the thin, frail voice criticism, just listen when she was practicing on the stage just before the big performance, When Friedlander walks in--she projects anger and frustration very convincingly, in a loud, full-throated come hell or high water voice, on the stage, "And nobody is going to stop me, not you, not the crummy doctor ..." BOOM! Strong, when she needed it. They could have heard her in Toronto. Truthfully though, I kept thinking how cute she was in that red headscarf. It's rare to be so cute and beautiful at the same time, to the point of distraction to the listener, and apparently to the displeasure of envious critics. [P] Have I defended this girl's honor enough? girl--now 56 or 57, but I'll bet she is still fit, trim and beautiful with her disciplined lifestyle. I saw her in a A Moving Picture dance film made about 9 years later, pushing 40 and she looked great, but with untamed hair and an unsculptured, sultry, gypsy look,--joyful and playful all the while. (I wonder if she still has that lace scarf?) She made a dishrag of a practice headscarf as beautiful and exotic as a diamond crown tiera. [P] Oneday, I would really like to address the skeptics on the medical disability she suffered, (see part 2) as well as criticism about what these two saw in one another. One critic actually called Sorvino's character a beer guzzling chauvinistic fantasy from the eastside. (well, chauvinistic middle aged fantasy and beer drinker) Chauvinistic was a term in vogue in the 70's (just about equivalent to racist, but much fuzzier in meaning) and was applied to anything a man did that anyone objected to, finally mutating and metastasizing into no less vicious forms of PC. They practically had him clad in a stained wife beater's undershirt (sleeveless) hovering over her, demanding another beer, with a belt in one hand and a beer can in the other, all because it bothered someone that he was 9 years older, just shy of robbing the cradle of a 30 year old. Does that make everyone from Abraham (99) with his wife Sarah (90) a chauvinist with a "chauvinistic middle aged fantasy?" I wonder if they would have called Donald Trump or Michael Douglass, fantasizing chauvinistic (pigs) with their 20 plus years younger wives, "fantasy marriages,"--Douglass to Katherine Zeta Jones, a front running contender for the world's most beautiful woman. (almost as beautiful as the ballerina!) Wait a minute, now wasn't Balanchine 63 when he won, lost and rewon the attentions of Suzanne Farrel? And then there's The Russia House with Sean Connery (60) and Michele Pfeiffer (33 falling in love in the 1990 movie (another handsome fantasizing chauvinistic pig?) Looks like the critic here is labelling everyone in Hollywood and the business world, a chauvinist. I'm just glad he didn't get stuck on the word "ludicrous." But, this seems like pretty good company to me. What a way to mangle a phonetically beautiful French word with some petty cultish distortion. Throwing in the kitchen sink with all of the criticisms, I'll never know how they missed--Nazi. Finding a sliver of better judgement, chauvinistic Nazi was taken off the table. [P] I would really like to know more details about how she comes over as a dancer. She danced in that A & E film, again, someone, describing her as a "beautiful Canadian Ballerina," but I never can find her included in discussions of great ballerinas, or in any galleries; and some people have found it perplexing as to why there is so little information on, an at least, very prominent ballerina. She danced with Karen Kain as the princess in Gisele, I think; I just don't know if she reached the pinnacle in ballet. She very well may have as a choreographer; Ann Ditchburn choreographed a number of ballets, some that Karen Kain danced in, and actually, there seems to be more references to her as a choreographer than as a dancer. (unusual at that time I am told)-- A Moving Picture won several awards. [P] (Information about her seems to come in bits and pieces, and it's easy to get things wrong, like her birthdate, 1948 and 1949, shown.) Slow Dancing in the Big City, is on 14 times during the month of March, so, in a way, she has her following and a benign revenge as does Sorvino. I like him too, especially his bulldog bravado and corny jokes, fumbling his way into her heart, far more believeable than a James Bond type, and someone many more of us can relate to. I saw this movie for the first time a few months ago, and a funny thing happened along the way--I became fascinated with it. Can't explain it, but take "the girl" out of the equation, and I wonder whether I would've remembered it. Maybe I would have, with some of the beautiful ballerinas mentioned on a ballet website. But it would be too scarey to even contemplate a ballerina more beautiful than her. In the long run, it looks like the movie will endure and triumph over all and so will the ballerina, since "a thing of beauty is a joy forever." Maybe Cervante's Don Quixote described her best in his mad musings: "THE STARS IN THE HIGH HEAVENS FORTIFY YOU IN YOUR DIVINITY AND MAKE YOU DESERVING OF THE JUST DESERTS THAT YOUR GREATNESS DESERVES." Well, I've gotta run, the movie's coming on again, and I don't want to miss the...bal...the music.

reply

6/24/05 (Revised) A Tribute and Defense of Anne Ditchburn & Paul Sorvino - SLOW DANCING IN THE BIG CITY 1978--Anne, National Ballet of Canada, referred to as "the divine ballerina" in a movie review. These ideas crystallized since first seeing the movie, and hopefully, serve as a counterpoint, at least providing an alternative view to a barrage of criticisms. With copycat criticisms gaining momentum through a "tyranny of consensus," a kind of a wolfpack mentality developed; some were very insightful and constructive, others, willfully malecious and hateful. One thing that always bothered me and became the ultimate mystery of the movie, was the cynicism and vehement criticisms inflicted on this movie, especially on the ballerina, without justification or mentioning any its' many redeeming qualities. And criticism it does deserve, let's get that straight up front. You know the movie is off track when they create a troubled 8 year old, particularly fowl-mouthed and made to be despised, unrealistically given the street smarts and mouth of a 20 year old gang leader with a cop actually waiving a pistol at him and a group of pre-teen "grafitti artists." This movie reminds me of the National Inquirer, everyone puts it down, yet millions can't put it down, myself included. Even the ones who love it, go through the obligatory apologies, give it a hard time, only to surprise you in the end with how they are fascinated by it, accept it as "a guilty pleasure," and confess they will view it again. I know I will. There are a lot of suckers for this movie, because the theme is universal, boy meets girl, a touch of the wrong side of the tracks, and no one needs a psychology course to understand why she set his heart aflutter in a New York Minute.[P] A few have worried themselves silly over the fact that the romance happened too quickly, counting the days as if to conform to Victorian protocol. They find it unbelieveable that she would have the courage to leave her Bentley-driving super rich boyfriend for a news reporter, a gastronome afflicted with instant adulation, bearing gifts of corn beef sandwiches sporting blood on his shirt! She did fall for him rather quickly, but it appears that her boyfriend paid attention to her only as a trophy beauty. However it happened, they didn't belong together, with him wanting her to "grow up" and hang around the palace like a princess. So it is true, it's less plausible for the lithe, artistically oriented, highly disciplined dancer to fall for a hefty people's reporter who suddenly acquired a taste for the dance arts. Opposites do attract, but stay together on values, and they were a long way from picking out furniture and rings. [P] There is a line in Quo Vadis, spoken by Nero (Peter Ustinov) "One woman should never judge another, she hasn't the glands for it." And apparently, some critics don't have the right stuff to find any reasons for these two to fall in love. Anyone would have taken a chance on this creature of delight, no 29 points of compatibility required, in hopes of finding any common interest, even if it had to be smoking, a minor concession if that's all that stood in the way. Who wouldn't have lit her cigarette, maybe taken a drag or two, just to be sociable, without inhaling of course! or just said "Let's be fellow oxygen breathers and pasta lovers." Smoking, as an area of compatibility! !LOL Them that smoke together--Stay together! Or was it those who eat cornbeef sandwiches together? [P] Somewhere I saw where Ed Asner and William Bendix ended up on more women's sexy men list than you could ever imagine. So enough of this stuff about she would never have gone for him and he could never have pulled it off, because it happens and it's going to happen, tens of thousands of times this very day--even with "slob throbs" and princesses. And therin lies the charm of this story. But the arrogant critics pretend to know better, aided by a movie that leads with its' chin so to speak, inviting the pummeling it gets. The movie never misses an opportunity to highlight the contrasts between these two, with Friedlander butchering the English language with grating double negatives, in contra-distinction to the classy ballerina's perfect English; but he is colorful and graphic, with endearments like "She ain't exactly chopped chicken liver," something any ballerina would give up a performance with Barisknikov to hear, and almost as good as John Wayne's line (as Genghis Khan) to Susan Hayward, "My blood boils for you." Besides someone losing the script along the way, Sorvino was not satisfied with the editing of scenes that would have expanded his character from a loud-mouthed joker to a multi-dimensional character and development of their relationship. As Variety Magazine observed, "what's a shame about Slow Dancing...City is that somewhere on the cutting room floor is a fine movie." It just looks like a crude first draft, not finely honed, tested or adapted, with no last minute inspirational "amount to a hill of beans" lines; yet, some nice touches, and this is what both makes and mars the movie, unevenly developmened scenes and dialog, alternating between good and very poor. This movie may be the gold standard for how to mess up a pretty good one. There is no better example of this than with that too goofy cop scene, with the cop waiving around a pistol at a bunch of preteen "grafitti artists," which would have attracted more negative reaction than the Rodney King episode. And, what were they thinking when they cast a dependent, "cloying," girlfriend, desperately seeking Franny, willing to cook any meal to please, going up against a much younger, stunningly beautiful and supremely talented ballerina? Notwithstanding all of the sensitivity and empathy he showed handling this, it could not mitigate her loss and just cried out as unfair, doing nothing to help the movie,---just too much of a contrast in women and quite a leap in class. There is something sad and disconcerting, to see this overly matched, predictable-from-minute-one outcome. At least make her pay for her dumping with some nasty behavior. Never mind that its' outcome was inevitable, with or without the ballerina. How could they make it any worse? Well, they found a way with Friedlander's lame palliative proclaiming that she would always be his muse--on his way out the door. Strike up the violins here. The poor thing had muttered before, "What's a G D muse?" She inspired him in his work about as much as he inspired the ballerina to excel in Sumo wrestling. It's a gasser, enough to make you gag, and paradoxically, it serves as a tribute to the movie, lending weight to the more abiding qualities that rescue it from these lapses of judgement...just barely. If they had've cast his previous girl friend as a prettier, younger, bitchy type, a back-stabbing news anchor or, staying true to his "slob throb" man of the people character, cast her as a honky-tonk queen, anything but what they did, they could have had the audience rejoicing. Sometimes, it just needs a dose of plain common sense. [p] Finally, we come to the severest, most unsparing criticism reserved for her disabling condition, that cynics love to wallow in. The chief complaint seems to center around the proximity of the offending tendons and inflammation that was allowed to be too uncomfortably close to the reproductive organs, something the Taliban would be far less concerned with I am sure. Examples: "REAL LIFE DANCERS ARE ATHLETES.....NOT SIMPERING FASHION MODELS"...(Actually, an honest appraisal reveals a rather stoical acceptance with a dogged determination to overcome her condition for one final performance, an integral theme in every scene)... THEN, THE GROIN PROBLEM...what they would look like together..oh and it would be PRETTY GROSS...the exact part of her body affected would be DIRECTLY INVOLVED in SEXUAL INTERCOURSE ...he's a really BIG GUY and she's A TINY LITTLE THING THAT CAN'T OPEN HER LEGS--AND CAN'T HELP BUT HAVE SEXUAL CONNOTATIONS." "MOST EMBARRASSING STUFF." A second critic refuses to get it right.."EMBARRASSING STUFF ABOUT A BALLERINA DYING OF SOME UNNAMED DISEASE." Wrong again, explicitely named--fibromyositis. Embarrassing? (See Olympic skaters disabled) While you guys are at it, why not just go ahead and change the formula for a circle, making pi = 3.00 for a convenient fit. At first, seeming odd, then surprising, until it dawns on you that in no way was this a joke, as it morphed from strange to bizarre and finally to incredible, but true; it is too easy to dismiss as crazy, or immature; that misses the point as to what is most disturbing to the critics upset over her physical malady. What on earth would ever lead them to rail against a medical diagnosis and an operation that actually had nothing to do with any sexual organ or outcome, simply because those organs were in the general vicinity of the injury, and then to speculate and joke about perceived mismatches in genitalia size, etc., as if they were grade schoolers showing filthy pictures stressing togetherness on the school yard? It does take some explanation, but everthing under the sun has its cause, and though not readily apparent, this one travels a circuitous path before the heart of the matter is reached; she (a critic) does not want to be reminded of the fact that she is a sexual animal. She does not want to be an animal, period, not even an animal with a soul. Never will it make any logical or anatomical sense, until one understands the source of the conflict of what cannot be accepted, her sexual organs, trivialized as an object of the body--here, combatted under a laughable guise. Talk about "the lady doth protest too loudly." Repressed and hidden from the conscious self and obscured under a mountain of movie dislogic is the real human motivation here. Only when we consider that the basic motivation for human behavior is our biological need to control our anxiety and deny the terror of impending death, do we acknowledge that panic, awe and ever-present anxiety are the natural accompaniments of our contemplation; and the easiest and most direct way to tame this "worm at the core" of our existence is to do everthing possible to distance ourselves, mentally and spiritually, from the body, from our inferiority and sense of vulnerability, thus denying our basic animal and creaturely natures, our very mortality. But here, in such a benign critical reference in a movie, of all places, is a reminder of that terror, with none so powerful as the physical organs and sexual functions of the human body, and all that it represents--birth, life and inevitable death looming in the future, something always there to jolt us back to reality. So, to these great lengths it is fought, every step of the way, even here in a little romance movie. Rejecting anything having to do with the body, especially any hint of procreative organs is one way to confront that fear. Can you imagine how revolting the word, RESTROOMS, must be to this anxiety-ridden critic? On a grander scale, spiritual contemplation, asceticism, art, terrorism (whose immortality project is best) or immersing ourselves in some great cause to survive us assuages our omnipresent anxiety. Alexander didn't just wake up one morning and declare himself a god, a special creation, because it was a neat way to express his individuality, but to distance himself from mortal fears and vulnerabilities, and proove his worthiness for survival beyond this life, Here, the critic, in denying her physical and animal nature, declared the ballerina's medical condition too eroticized, and simply shrouded any uncomfortable references to it, applying a little ill-conceived graphic humor. Thus, this disgusting operation and was censored and declared, off limits, having nothing to do with fear and loathing of sex organs, per se, or the logic of the choice of maladies, nor modesty or moral outrage, or even movie sense, rather, what this medical problem symbolized; [P] Just what would they have preferred for a proper ailment? colorectal cancer? or maybe some rare tropical disease? No, That would be much too EMBARRASSING. Actually, ADD, Bipolar Disorder, or any mental condition, even demon posession fit better, being less of a reminder of animality and ridding the ballerina of the "sexualized" body parts; all so well concealed to the skeptic and held below the conscious level--repression at its' keenest moment. So, here we see, even at the movies, a perfect example of the everpresent, grinning skull at the banquet, poking its head through the fog, disguised as an aversion to the illogical use of these vital organs for a disability. Realized or not, we project ourselves into any interpretation of any work of art or ideology, in the light our own personal meaning of existence. But, anatomically, physiologically, the choice of the BALLERINA'S DISABILITY WAS PERFECTLY LOGICAL, and dealt directly with her ability to perform. THIS IS THE EXACT TYPE OF GROIN/ABDOMINAL INJURY THAT ENDED THE CAREERS OF SEVERAL PROMINENT FIGURE SKATERS... WHO WERE FAVORED FOR THE GOLD UNTIL (Gardner) THEY SUFFERED A CAREER ENDING INJURY IDENTICAL TO THE TENDON DAMAGE (badly ruptured). And, I know for a fact that SURGEONS HAVE ROUTINELY BEEN PERFORMING SIMIILAR SURGERY from the early 60's, severing and reattaching (stuff) to give more flexibility and range of movement to cerebral palsey victums. Add to this, the "misconception" that she was terminally ill, repeated by lazy critics all the way to "Constantinople." Others conjured up endings to "fit" their scheme of criticism, some ending her life, (I guess after she ordered that cornbeef sandwich) others having her crippled for life on the stage, still another with terminal leg cramps, and no doubt a terminal sex change was considered. I'm just glad they didn't review SEABISCUIT, and get the notion to reverse the outcome of the races. My head is spinning. None entertained the possibility that the surgery was successful, with rehabilitation.[P] Much of the way this movie is perceived is centered around its' expectations. It was never intended to have every motive or passion pass a snob test. (clothes too fashionable, scarf bothering others, too feminine, too stocky, even questioning why it was so dark when she came out of the doctor's office.) Maybe this one would complain less if we ran the movie backwards. [P] What is important here is that these characters are likeable and draw empathy and support, even if the story is a little shaky with a "typical Hollywood ending." They envite you to pull for them. There is no art in scrutinizing her face to discover the mind's construction and amiable personality. Anne's engagingly pleasant and felecitous expressions and smiles at precisely the right moment infuses her personality with warmth and feeling. (her priceless instant of loving rebuke to Friedlander's, "Break a leg." And, you can't help but like her rich boyfriend, with his sense of humor, laughing and sighing when Friedlander told him, on his way to Munich, "Keep outta them beerhalls,"--sound advice, because he's gonna have to visit every beerhall on 6 continents before he finds another woman of her caliber, in the same company as the guy who walked out on J. K. Rowling, before she made 600 million on Harry Potter. It comes down to this, some viewers want to believe in the story (like anything else in life) and use a dash of imagination to fill in the blanks. Others refuse the invitation. The movie was never intended to be a dark Stanwyckian femme fatale, just a neat little bread and butter romance, albeit some health complications posing an existential dilemma. There were some very nice little touches, such as Sarah talking to her bird, Orville, Mayflies metaphysics, and "don't let the bedbugs bite." You'll see what I mean. Should you dismiss this line as kind of silly, consider that similar lines were first used in a play by Aristophanes, 423 B.C. And Socrates discussed them with Strepsiades. Who? WSJ 4/21/05 So, before you snicker, it may not be so banal, trite, or unimaginative after all, dear cynics. Her lyrical voice, even without lightening, elevates "Ok" (ooukaay) and "my bird" to the status of cellardoor, considered the most beautiful word in the English language. [P] Beyond the omissions and shortcomings, there is something more, a spirit that prevails, a hint of the indominatble will that shadows our own private struggles, and here we pick and choose the ones we want to relate to here, the strength of which is bolstered by Bill Conti's superb music, who, with a list of achievements as long as your arm, faithfully mirrors the mood and feeling of the characters; and if it doesn't "carry the movie," it goes far toward setting the tone of hope and inspiration with a haunting, melancholic, Dionysian theme winding its way through to triumphantly prevail in the end. All of the characters are good hearted, warm, and have endearing qualities, even if they can be annoying at times. Even the iron-fisted taskmaster ballet director turns soft in the end. Giving a crisp, sterling performance, you could feel the tension and overall get a good feel for what ballet practice is like, I guess. As far as this enchantress goes, well, I didn't even know who else was in the movie until the third viewing, so I'm not sure I am the one to ask about her. Thus, spellbound as I am, there is definitely a tinge of subjective bias in my evaluation of this movie. All of the major reviewers consistently refer to this dance artist as a "divine ballerina," "georgeous," "beautiful," "lovely," etc. For once I agree, completely, ever so reluctantly with the critics. It's time they got something right. Screen radiant, and downright sexy, her perfect forehead is graced with a delicate lace headscarf, more exotic than a scarf has a right to be and another "dishrag" is turned into a "diamond crown tiara." And if there is anything more beautiful than her face, it could only be her face when she breaks into her just indescribable--wait--blissful smile. I do believe, that one could go a lifetime without seeing a face more beautifully designed than hers, a divinely proportioned face one never tires of studying. (comports with the Golden Ratio in art and architecture) And yet, she goes beyond a beauty that delights the senses--quickening the spirit and captivating the heart, to the point of being dangerously beautiful. How a Vermeer, Degas or Van Gogh would have immortalized her as Ballerina in a Headscarf! (well, not Van Gogh -- painting her with one ear all bandaged up.) With beauty of this magnificience, she should be submitted for authentication as a genuine Canadian miracle. And for me, she has cleared up the mystery of the existence of angels on earth, finding one slow dancing on a Manhattan rooftop, with everything save the wings. Add to all this, a masterfully performed exotic dance and you understand why an A & E dance film she choreographed and danced in, won raves as the ultimate in a sexy, evocative, romantic fantasy. [P] There is something in this movie for everyone, with the movie greater than the sum of its' parts, but you have to exercise a little imagination and patience. The ballerina will do the rest, as an "equisite dancer, lyrically communicating the intense energy of the character she portrays." "She is "man's grasp on life," a fleeting, undulating presence that reflects all that man strives for in the totality of his existence, and never quite fully attains. I truly am a sucker for this movie, for whatever this tells you about me, and proud of it, too, and guess what, I'll watch it the very next time it comes on, and the next, and the.. Yet, I do sometimes wonder, does beauty make us all miserable? Well, while we decide, she will always be there for us, because "A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forevever."

reply

Replying 10 years later, maybe your still out there

I like heavy dark movies. Now is this movie more of a heavy emotional romance or does it have some miserable singing popping up every 10 minutes like in Les miserables What I mean is that would like to fast forward the music stuff, but will I lose the plot of the movie ?

I love music, but music in its own place


Darkness lies an inch ahead

reply