Written and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, The Red Shoes is generally acknowledged to be the quintessential ballet film, followed a few years later in 1951 by The Tales Of Hoffmann, again starring Moira Shearer and Robert Helpmann. Margot Fonteyn, perhaps the greatest ballerina of the 20th Century, held the film responsible for popularising ballet and wrote of it: 'The Red Shoes' bought ballet to an enormous new public. I think it was a major factor in creating the world-wide enthusiasm we have fpr ballet today.

The vendor, Tom Smith, worked on the film as an assistant make-up artist. It was the second film that he worked on in his capacity as apprentice in the make-up department at Pinewood Studios. His recollections of working with Powell & Pressburger were that Pressburger was always the quieter of the duo whilst Powell would be more forceful with the actors, intolerant of missed cues and forgotten lines and a stickler for efficiency. Everything had to be in place in readiness for filming, however Massine would waive away Mr. Smith as he tried to apply the complex make-up required for his hands, until the very last moment when, according to Mr. Smith, he....would stand centre stage and with a flourish of his hands he would command "And Now The Hands"...to add to my difficulties Massine would go into some of his dance routines.... Although not responsible for Moira Shearer's make-up, he did have to look after her on the set and they became friends. On the last day of filming, he asked her if he could have the shoes she was wearing as a memento, she gave them to him and signed them for him, as did Massine and Anton Walbrook.

It is not known how many pairs of red ballet shoes were used for the film, or indeed how many have survived, however we believe this pair to be the first to have appeared at auction.

The Red Shoes received an Academy Award for music [by Brian Easdale] and was nominated for four additional awards: Best Picture, Original Story, Art Direction and Editing.