The Red Shoes
1983, English. Directed by John Clark Donahue & John Driver.
The story of a little girl name Karen who was very poor and was given a pair of red shoes made of cloth to keep her feet warm in the winter. When her mother dies, she's adopted by a rich older woman who burns the shoes, saying they're ugly. Karen grows up pretty and happy with the old woman, but one day she sees a princess wearing beautiful red shoes and wants a pair just like them. When it comes time for Karen to be confirmed, she's to have a new pair of shoes. The pair she wants are red leather shoes that were maid for a count's daughter, but were too small. Karen buys them without the old woman knowing and wears them to her confirmation and gets in trouble for it. When the old woman falls ill, instead of taking care of her Karen goes to a ball and dances, but finds she can't stop dancing.
- Runtime
- 1h 19m
- Post-credits
- None listed
- Language
- English
- Rated
- Check local
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Where to watch The Red Shoes
The Red Shoes isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 1 January 1983.
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Cast & crew
- John Clark DonahueDirector
- John DriverDirector
- Rana HaugenKaren Sorenson
- Stephen BoeHans Christian Andersen
- Molly AtwoodMrs. Ingrid Sorenson
- Sonja KostichKaren #1 / Confirmation Class
- Sarah NapierMother / Dancers at the Ball
- Julee CruiseOld Rag Face
- Wendy LehrOld Lady
- Maria IversonHelga / Church Congregation / Masquerade Ball Dancers
- Gabrielle ZuckermanKaren #2 (as Gaby Zuckerman)
- Tom DunnCoachman
- Sylvia BoltonQueen
- Jo Jo AskegardPrincess / Confirmation Class / Vain Girls and Parson's Children
Details
- Released
- 1 January 1983
- Written by
- Hans Christian Andersen, John B. Davidson, John Clark Donahue
Check ratings elsewhere
News & fan talk
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The Red Shoes: quick answers
Is The Red Shoes worth watching?
The Red Shoes doesn’t have enough ratings for a verdict yet.
How long is The Red Shoes?
The Red Shoes runs 79 minutes (1h 19m).
Does The Red Shoes have a post-credits scene?
None is listed for The Red Shoes. Viewers tag these on TMDB, so a brand-new film may not be tagged yet.
The Red Shoes parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
No age rating is listed for The Red Shoes yet.
Which OTT platform is The Red Shoes on?
The Red Shoes isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 1 January 1983. (Checked 10 November 2026.)
What movies are like The Red Shoes?
If you liked The Red Shoes, try The Good Witch's Gift, The Good Witch's Destiny, FairyTale: A True Story.
Who directed The Red Shoes?
The Red Shoes (1983) was directed by John Clark Donahue and John Driver and stars Rana Haugen, Stephen Boe, Molly Atwood.