Nijinsky (1980) on Netflix
Vaslav Nijinsky dances in Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, where his mentor is also his possessive lover. A society girl, Romola de Pulszky, joins the company to win Nijinsky for herself.
- Netflix2.5/5
- IMDb6.5/10920 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes33%
Plot summary
Sergei Diaghilev runs the Ballets Russes, and its premier danseur is Vaslav Nijinsky, a dancer of consuming ambition. Diaghilev is also his domineering mentor and possessive lover, directing the younger man's career and his private life alike. Romola de Pulszky, a society girl, joins the company with a single purpose: to seduce Nijinsky away from him. Nijinsky struggles with his homosexuality and holds to a self-enforced heterosexuality. Misunderstandings gather between the dancer and the impresario while Romola presses her suit.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Nijinsky (1980)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Harry Saltzman bought the film rights in 1969 from the widow of director Charles Vidor and had promised to let Ken Russell direct Nijinsky. After a falling out between them he hired Tony Richardson instead, and the film was canceled during pre-production.
- Mikhail Baryshnikov, who had worked with Herbert Ross on a 1977 ballet film, turned down the role of Vaslav Nijinsky because the American Ballet Theatre had promoted him to artistic director.
- Nijinsky was the film debut of Jeremy Irons, and it was the second-to-last film produced by Harry Saltzman.
