Monday 01 September 1947

To Pinewood for 9. Make up and dress up for Red Shoes and after waiting two hours in studio E join the parade and inspection. Heine seems quite satisfied. Some alterations but nothing serious. Moira has been in University College Hospital for the past three days with a large abscess in her side. Cannot yet say if this delays us! All the studio people look brown and sunny after their holiday. Most people went abroad. A short rehearsal after lunch and finish at 3;30. All we have done today could have been completed in less than two full hours. I travel with Joan and Allan to South Kensington for fitting of Chinese costume and return home at 7 pm. Am not really keen about the three or four weeks ahead. the waste of time is quite appalling. the work dull. however the money is genuine.

Tuesday 02 September 1947

To Pinewood for 10. Wait and wonder around until 5pm when after not being used in anyway we are allowed to leave. Quite aggravating. I believe Moira's illness has upset the program. Opera House Orchestra scenes were shot and we will be needed for more Covent Garden backstage scenes. All that again! I say this was one of the most unpleasant days. Home around 6:30.

Wednesday 03 September 1947

Some doubt as to when Red Shoes will finish. To Pinewood for 9. Another day of doing nothing but wait. Called on the set at 11 but do nothing. All very exasperating! Massine creates his role of the shoe seller and looks well after his stay in Italy. Some amazing shots 'arty' sets (Back stage Opera House) with camera swung on thick elastic rope and wobbled up and down! See more rushes. The Swan Lake scene is really beautiful. Edmund Knight good as a conductor. Moira is still absent. See David Lean direct an exterior of David Copperfield. greatly impressed by Lean (Great Expectations, Brief Encounter). Return home 6:30. hear Red Shoes will take up to ten weeks.

Thursday 04 September 1947

A free morning. To Royal Opera House Covent Garden for location shots. Long shots and one close shot of dancers going out of the stage door. Actually a continuity of those taken exterior at Pinewood. There at 2. Powell arrives from Bayswater at 3. First shot when the sun comes out at 4. Finish at 5.

Friday 05 September 1947

Morning at home. To Pinewood for 2pm. Massine rehearses his role with 2 understudies (Moira still absent). Helpman tells me he thinks Massine a madman and does not try to hide his dislike of Massine. I guess Massine loathes Helpman! And so again do nothing (although enjoy sitting in the sunshine) and leave at 5.

Monday 08 September 1947

To Pinewood for 11. Costume parade for Red Shoes. Night scene. My clown makeup was approved by Heine and Helpman. After lunch just waiting. Alan Carter behaved badly as an organizer. He has become spiteful and vainly attempts to enforce authority as maitre de ballet in a rather ridiculous manner. mainly because so many do not attend his poor classes. return home 6;30

Tuesday 09 September 1947

To Pinewood for 8. Make up - clown - and pushed and pulled onto the set for 9. There we discover absolutely nothing prepared - in fact - no one knew exactly what was to be done! We wait!! Massine not called until 11! One shot at 12:15! And Allan has the audacity to give lectures because someone was a few minutes late! (8:20). he is trying a last hope of making his job a success. That of senseless seltf realization! Called at 2 for rehearsal. Helpman arrives at 3! A short rehearsal and then wait whilst Massine goes through his piece with Moira - the last straw! I have tried not to loathe this film but now I can hardly bear it. bad organization is to blame.

See the new spot lamp - a new invention to be used for the first time on red Shoes.

Also meet Miss Mumford - She is going to open a cosmetic shop in the canteen! My first dance teacher.

Wednesday 10 September 1947

To Pinewood soon after crack of dawn! Rushed onto the set for class to discover work impossible owing to mass of nails and dirt on the floor. Wait. Lunch 12. On the set at 2 prompt for lighting rehearsal - the launching of Red Shoes being differed! Wait.....Still sitting and walking and waiting at 5. Miss the 5:15 bus and forced to walk to 5 ways. all for nothing!! Tomorrow G and I and some others are not in the 1st shot (early morning 12 bars) or the 2nd (Massine) but Helpman insists that we all be there (If there is a shot!) and attend class at 9. The end of the last straw! I try to explain to A. C. how tiring it is to be continually called unnecessarily and ask that he let helpman know that we are not included until the 3rd shot. Evan an hour later would help. Helpman says he is upset that we suggest it! Did I say he is considerate! Home 7.

Thursday 11 September 1947

Odette still feverish.We determined that G shall stay here with Odette and not leave until she is really needed on the set. i arrive at pinewood at 9. Make up (morning, worker) and on to E stage at 10. Red Shoes was launched (eventually) under the view of the largest battery of lights ever seen in a British Studio (+ secret weapons) and some 200 people including us. The heat and heaviness became unbearable at times. The 1st was a long shot of the opening 12 bars (3rd of sequence) 4pm. Then a medium shot of the 5th in which appears LB (Leonard Boucher). Not the rehearsed scene but one minus Moira and using an empty spot (Vicky being dead now). Up to massine and the pair of red shoes and tears (Actual finish of the film). Finish 6:30 very foot sore. poor females in blocks! Massine and Moira were already made up and ready for the 5th (London stage) but weren't used. They also have to wait. Chat with Massine.

Friday 12 September 1947

To Pinewood 8 for 9. As usual nothing happens before midday except to be rushed onto the set at 5 to 9 as if we were lucky mascots essential to every shot taken! One first morning scene. After lunch Moira and Massine and Helpman do their pieces.We of course are kept on the set. Luckily seats are provided although I am too restless to remain still for more than 10 minutes at a time. Moira dances beautifully. Massine is quite grotesque as the Shoe-maker. Helpman looks like his sister!

Saturday 19 September 1957

The 3 of us to Pinewood for 9. make-up for clown and find my 'old hand' for this and results are excellent. called at 10 but not used and return to dressing room until taking Odette on the set to be introduced to Moira, Helpman (Boddie) - ('comment from Odette - as I called him'), Michael Powell and again Massine. All are fascinated by the infant. We watch Massine, Helpman and Moira rehearse Red Shoes scene. Odette extremely interested and very quiet and most well behaved. I see the Red Shoes rushes. The set is very disappointing and the dancing horribly jumbled. Costumes hardly noticed and make - up quite unnecessary! Only Helpman and the 'searchlight' are noticed and the lighting is poor. This (1st scene) ought to be retaken if the ballet is to be the high spot. G is to be in the Boutique shot. Again not a single thing done for us and not allowed to leave until 5. everyone furious!

Monday 15th September 2007

To Pinewood for class at 8. Just barre and then make up for on the set 10 sharp! Wait until 2:30. One fete scene Continue waiting whilst Massine close-ups are taken and lights refitted. Rehears 2nd fete scene 5:45. Shoot 6:35 after a mild riot by electricians who objected working after 6:30 exact. At 6:25 I saved a fuse fire. All this plus Mr massine wanting continual retakes of his pieces nearly caused us to go through this 2nd scene again tomorrow. Already we've waited 2 days for the take. However by 6:45 finished. I am after all included in Boutique as the shopkeeper. Alan C said that Massine especially asked for me but i can hardly believe that!! Home at 8 - very tired.

Tuesday 16 September 1947

To Pinewood for 10 but train delayed and we do not arrive until 10:35. Odette with us. Fo9r rehearsal of Boutique. (section). Massine was very nice about it. Actually we were not the last to arrive. Massine and Helpman were most sweet to Odette. I rehears the shopkeeper and find it great fun. Massine unusually well disposed towards me and quite pleased with my work. Everyone well pleased about doing some interesting work after so much aggravation. Ballet now is again at the point it was between Petipa and Fokine. This time it should not go forward but need to go back - to the early Massine and Fokine period with correct invasions and emissions. Even the puffed pants and yellow wigs would be preferable to the many non sensible foubles so often seen today.

Wednesday 17 September 1947

To Pinewood for 11. My make-up for Shopkeeper (Boutique) took over two hours. Then thick padding over back, another over front, a big stomach pad, trousers, shirt over, waistcoat, jacket, wig, whiskers, glasses and sunshield - the result changes me completely and is fairly pleasing. make-up department quite amazed! Massine approves. Gladys is 'a child'. The decor and some of the costumes are the original (1919). Moira's CanCan dress is the one used by Kasavina. Massine was absolutely white with ovals of pink on cheeks and forehead. Rehearsal at 5pm and only one shot needed (5 to 6). Powell most enthusiastic and massine pleased. (Med close shot) One test and three stills. Probably the nearest I shall ever be to a film star!. very hot!!. Return home at 7:15

Thursday 18 September 1947

Gladys up and out very early. I follow at 9. make-up for clown again (fete). After nearly 4 days in this make -up feel in need of a change now. Sylphides not shot until mid-day. Only a section of Pas de deux - a low track forward and down and quickly back up plus one close up. After lunch various booths and characters are used. A close up of 3 clowns - me being right in the cameras - the nearest so far to a close up! Then nothing until a line-up for tomorrows fist shot. Finish 6:30.

Friday 19 September 1947

To Pinewood for 9. Clown make-up again. Medium long shot of night fete. many retakes and we clowns who pump up and down all the time become quite exhausted. Moira dances beautifully. Close up of the red shoes 9actual) and Moira and Massine - including clowns again. Also stills for London Illustrated. After lunch the 'boogie woogie' section which, thank the lord, does not include G or me. At 1:45 as usual see rushes. I dreaded seeing Boutique - especially me doing the little dancing piece which massine put in at the last moment but was agreeably surprised. i look passably good as the shopkeeper and noticed no fault. which amazed me! make -up excellent. Expect red Shoes to finish end of next week.

Monday 22 September 1947

Rise 7 and to pinewood for 9. Class at 10. make-up at 12. rehearse Dance of Exhaustion at 3. Much confusion re-shot - now one long track and one close instead of 6 or 8 separate shots. Lighting still not fixed at 6pm. Full rehearsal with falling cellophanes and screens etc at 6:20. Not very successful. No one said a word at finish of the track and all scrambled off the set to avoid hectic discussions!! Moira very bruised and very tired. Arrive home 7:30.

Tuesday 23 September 1947

On the set at 9. Much of the exhaustion scene is changed before thee shots at midday. Chat with Moira. She is very charming and beautiful. her dancing is excellent. Nothing for the clowns after lunch and Bobby Helpman agrees to dispense with us at 3.

Wednesday 24 September 2007

Finish dance of exhaustion (20 seconds - £6000). i do not think the effect will be very spectacular but reserve judgment until seeing rushes. Then to Church sequence. My Clarkham suit is well made and fits well. Moira by now is made to look tattered and worn. How wonderful she is. No one would work so hard with such excellent results and so little complaint. in fact in spite of all I've never seen or heard her complain of anything. Helpman dressed as a priest on the church steps, hands as in prayer, waiting to condemn the red shoes (one shot) loudly says 'And tell those people at the back to run like Hell!'. Very funny and most out of place!! Much mist which is really smoke and often a fog. Shoot at 6:15 but it misses and so does the 2nd and 3rd and then finish. Powell couldn't pull it off this time!

Thursday 25 September 1947

To Pinewood for 9. Amazing actually rehearse before 10 and shoot at 10;30! Red Shoes history!! Then 2 more shots. the end of the actual Red Shoes ballet for us but not for Moira who goes on and on. Poor dear, very tired but still dancing excellently. Helpman revels in his priest role - poignant fake drama.Home at 2;30.

Friday 26 September 1947

Can hardly believe it - no call today!

Monday 29 September 1947

To Pinewood for 9. On arrival am told the clowns were called by 'mistake' (another Exhaustion shot)

Tuesday 30 September 1947

An early rise. Arrive at the studio 8am. Make-up clown fete for Life Publicity (USA magazine) Good to see a little life at the studio! Terribly cold on the set and they do not get to us three clowns until 11:30. 3 photographs taken. I doubt if we shall ever see them. Then lunch and change make-up into morning suit for retakes of church sequence. The rushes of the church scenes were very poor. The 'smoke' didn't look like mist but coloured the lighting and everything became dull. The angle was wrong and the church seemed made of paper rather than plaster! Wander around till first retake shot is lined up at 6. Obviously impossible (for Powell) to shoot before 6:30 and so finish at 6:15.

July - August - September - October