Rudolf Nureyev

Patricia Foy’s absorbing documentary Rudolf Nureyev, a portrait of surely the most committed and versatile dancer in the history of ballet, was made in 1991, two years before his death. It is as much the study of a life apart as a profile of a tireless jet-setting artist. His career took him from a poverty-stricken provincial childhood to life as a student at the Kirov, through defection to the West in 1961 and on to the great classical roles on the world’s most famous stages, a sublime professional partnership with Margot Fonteyn, and a fascinating evolution as a supreme exponent of modern dance. A rich cast of assembled contributors sheds light on his mercurial character, artistic intelligence, and unexpected charm. Best of all, though, is the extended archive footage, which testifies to his extraordinary athleticism and sheer grace. Never has the human form looked so fluid in motion.