Living for Art
The central conflict troubling Vicky Page is whether to dedicate herself fully to dance, or whether to pursue a more conventional future beginning with her romance with Julian. She is torn between the typical trajectory of domestic life and a romanticized belief in living for one's art—a belief that Lermontov certainly embodies by placing such lofty demands on his dancers. Lermontov himself lives for the sake of creating art, and dismisses the artistic ambitions of anyone who deigns to prioritize any other aspect of their life. Living for the sake of art isn't necessarily healthy. Lermotov's demands of unconditional dedication from his dancers, at the expense of their other interests, romances, and pursuits, have heavy costs in the film and lead to Vicky's death.
The Byronic Hero
Autocratic, imperious, and coded as at least something of an effete aesthete, Lermontov definitely fits the mold of the brooding, complex and utterly charismatic Byronic hero. He is a dark figure, looming over his ballet company like an obsessed puppet-master. Lermontov may definitely be considered the villain of the story by some, and at best he is an anti-hero: it is at the behest of Lermontov's unfulfillable demands that Vicky is ultimately forced to her demise. Despite this, his dedication to art is nonetheless commendable, and produces uncontroversially amazing works: thus, a viewer's assessment of Lermontov may well depend on whether they view the archetype of the Byronic hero as a fascinating, talented bad boy, or selfish and immature jerk.
You Can't Have It All
The Red Shoes depicts Vicky as caught in a harmful patriarchal system that persists to this day: a system in which women, often unlike their male counterparts, are forced to decide between domestic and professional life. Women are tasked with the impossible challenge of "having it all"—balancing home/family life with their external careers and passions, just as Vicky is torn between her love of dance and her love of Julian. The film highlights how unfair this paradigm can be by positioning it as the cause for Vicky's demise. Notably, Julian is able to achieve both artistic success and a satisfying domestic life, underscoring how the inability to "have it all" most commonly afflicts women.
The Evil Puppeteer
While he may be a Byronic Hero, Lermontov is also undoubtedly manipulative. He attempts to control every aspect of his dancers' lives, forcing them to prioritize art above anything else. He also attempts to manipulate them more subtly, waging psychological war on Vicky while remaining physically non-violent. While he would never harm Vicky, Lermontov has no problem trying to control her emotions, eventually leading to her psychological break.
Art/Work
Another central question of The Red Shoes is the division between art and labor. While Vicky's career with the Ballet Lermontov is an act of passion, it also constitutes her job: dancing is thus both an act of love and a form of work. This distinction has historically been problematic for artists as they are asked to work for free given their passion. Vicky's relationship to Lermontov represents a highly unfair power dynamic between employer and employee, in which Lermontov expects to control Vicky's life entirely, including her personal and romantic pursuits. Not only is Lermontov overbearing as a creative mastermind, but he's also a bad boss.
The Love Triangle
Vicky's complicated relationships with Julian and Lermontov form an (albeit unconventional) love triangle. While Vicky loves Julian, Lermontov feels an overbearing desire for control towards Vicky. It is unclear to what degree his obsession with Vicky is romantic; while it may have sexual undertones, Lermontov's fixation on Vicky is primarily due to her talent as an artist and his need for creative control. Nevertheless, their tripartite relationship—Lermontov wants Vicky, Vicky wants Julian—takes on the classic form of a love triangle.
The Crazy Artistic Genius
Lermontov's intensity is, at least early in the film, excused somewhat by his talent as an artist. Although he's known to be demanding—as exemplified by his dismissal of Irina when she becomes engaged—people continue to celebrate his artistic prowess. Lermontov thus resembles the archetype of the crazy artistic genius, a common trope both onscreen and off. This archetype is especially important in film studies, where the role of the auteur—a celebrated (typically male) genius with total creative control—is hotly debated. While some celebrate the auteur theory for its explanation of how certain directors produce prolific, creatively unified bodies of work, others dismiss it as a sexist trope that erases the valuable contributions of other members of the production team.
