New Review, one for Carl amongst others
Posts from ethanedwards in thread „War and Peace (1956)“
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War and Peace is the first English-language film version of the novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
It is an American/Italian version, directed by King Vidor and produced by Dino De Laurentiis and Carlo Ponti.
The music score was by Nino Rota and the cinematography by Jack Cardiff.
The film was made by Dino de Laurentiis Productions and distributed by Paramount Pictures.The film stars Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and Mel Ferrer, along with Vittorio Gassman, Herbert Lom and Anita Ekberg,
in one of her first breakthrough roles.
It was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Foreign-Language Foreign Film
and it had Academy Awards nominations for Best Director (King Vidor),
Best Cinematography, Color (Jack Cardiff) and Best Costume Design, Color (Maria De Matteis).User Review
QuoteDecent Adaptation of Vast Novel but of its time,
2 October 2002
Author: trpdean from New York, New YorkI've read the book and seen this version several times. The main drawback is of course time.
Thus, it must inevitably slight: a) many of the characters who bring joy to reading the novel - the princely father of the Kuragins, Sonja's story, Nicholas falling in love with Marya, the forgiveness by Bolkonsky (Ferrer) of Anatole Kuragin when his leg is amputated on a table beside which he is lain out, etc. and b) much of the philosophy contained in the book - whether about the masons or the purpose of life.
However, as a sort of highlights version of the novel, I thought it dealt well with the main lines of the plot.
It also is clearly 1950s film-making. There is little sense indoors of the lighting of the time, the sets look generally clean or deliberately destroyed (rather than mysterious and gloomy). In fact, the entire film appears all too clearly delineated - there is little of the kind of murkiness one would find in such a movie being made today - say, the way Schindler's List looks - or The Last Emperor looks.
The movie is also benefitted by having Audrey Hepburn, Anita Ekberg and John Mills - physically they are EXACTLY what I imagined of these characters - and I thought Mills and Hepburn were excellent. (And what Ekberg lacked in ability to convey emotion, she gained from her jaw-dropping embodiment of the buxom blonde!). The Henry Fonda choice for Bezuhov is an odd one - he's not the first person I think of when I think of a huge heavy awkward bear of a man. He did the best he could but was clearly miscast. Prince Bolkonsky (the father) and the Count and Countess Rostov were first rate - so were the choices for Napoleon, Homolka as Kutuzov, Kuragin, Dolokhov and the Rostov family. Mel Ferrer was ok - but imagine, say, the Terence Stamp of Far From the Madding Crowd and how he could have done.
All in all, this is clearly a movie of its time in cinematography, sets, the clearly drawn lines of the script - but it is entertaining and does about as well as possible in dramatizing in 3 1/2 hours a book of over 1000 pages.
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WAR AND PEACE
DIRECTED BY KING VIDOR
PRODUCED BY DINO DE LAURENTIS/ CARLO PONTI
PONTI-DE LAURENTIS CINEMATOGRAFICA
PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Information from IMDbPlot Summary
By 1812, Napoleon's forces controlled much of Europe. Russia, one of the few countries still unconquered, prepares to face Napoleon's troops together with Austria. Among the Russian soldiers are Count Nicholas Rostov and Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. Count Pierre Bezukhov, a friend of Andrei's and self-styled intellectual who is not interested in fighting. Pierre's life changes when his father dies, leaving him a vast inheritance. He is attracted to Natasha Rostov, Nicholas's sister, but she is too young, so he gives in to baser desires and marries the shallow, manipulative Princess Helene. The marriage ends when Pierre discovers his wife's true nature. Andrei is captured and later released by the French, and returns home only to watch his wife die in childbirth. Months later, Pierre and Andrei meet again. Andrei sees Natasha and falls in love, but his father will only permit the marriage if they postpone it for one year until Natasha turns 17. While Andrei is away on a military mission,
Written by alfiehitchieFull Cast
Audrey Hepburn ... Natasha Rostova
Henry Fonda ... Pierre Bezukhov
Mel Ferrer ... Prince Andrei Bolkonsky
Vittorio Gassman ... Anatol Kuragin
Herbert Lom ... Napoleon
Oskar Homolka ... Field Marshal Kutuzov (as Oscar Homolka)
Anita Ekberg ... Helene Kuragina
Helmut Dantine ... Dolokhov
Tullio Carminati ... Prince Vasili Kuragin
Barry Jones ... Prince Mikhail Andreevich Rostov
Milly Vitale ... Lisa Bolkonskaya
Lea Seidl ... Countess Rostov
Anna Maria Ferrero ... Maria Bolkonskaya
Wilfrid Lawson ... Prince Bolkonsky (as Wilfred Lawson)
May Britt ... Sonia Rostova
Jeremy Brett ... Nikolai Rostov
Patrick Crean ... Denisov
Sean Barrett ... Petya Rostov
John Mills ... Platon Karataev
Giuseppe Addobbati ... House Servant (uncredited)
Mario Addobbati ... Young Servant at Rostov's (uncredited)
Inna Alexeievna ... Governess (uncredited)
Marisa Allasio ... Matrosha (uncredited)
Luciano Angelini ... Young Soldier at Borodino (uncredited)
Cesare Barbetti ... Young Soldier Shot in Front of Pierre (uncredited)
Vincent Barbi ... Balaga (uncredited)
Patrick Barrett ... Russian Soldier (uncredited)
Michael Billingsley ... Russian Soldier (uncredited)
Augusto Borselli ... (uncredited)
Georges Bréhat ... French Officer at Execution (uncredited)
Mario Cardoni ... Soldier (uncredited)
Guido Celano ... Victor (uncredited)
Carmelo Consoli ... (uncredited)
Geoffrey Copleston ... French Officer (uncredited)
Tiziano Cortini ... (uncredited)
Giorgio Costantini ... French Officer (uncredited)
Dave Crowley ... Russian Soldier (uncredited)
Robert Cunningham ... Pierre's Second at Duel (uncredited)
Alex D'Alessio ... Soldier (uncredited)
Carlo Dale ... Young French Officer (uncredited)
Henry Danieli ... (uncredited)
Paul Davis ... Young French Officer (uncredited)
Richard Dawson ... (uncredited)
Lucio De Santis ... Young Officer at Orgy (uncredited)
Carlo Delmi ... Young Guard (uncredited)
Mino Doro ... Russian General (uncredited)
Andrea Esterhazy ... Dolokhov's Second at Duel (uncredited)
Andrea Fantasia ... Constand (uncredited)
Charles Fawcett ... Russian Artillery Captain (uncredited)
Gertrude Flynn ... Mariya Peronskaya (uncredited)
Francis Foucaud ... French Soldier (uncredited)
Alan Furlan ... Russian Officer (uncredited)
Angelo Galassi ... Russian Soldier (uncredited)
Nándor Gallai ... Bezukhov's Servant (uncredited)
Stephen Garret ... Coachman / Doctor (uncredited)
Dino Gelio ... (uncredited)
Micaela Giustiniani ... Woman (uncredited)
Christopher Hofer ... French Officer (uncredited)
John Horne ... Gentleman at Ball (uncredited)
Sdenka Kirchen ... Old Maid (uncredited)
Dimitri Konstantinov ... Young Officer at Orgy (uncredited)
Mauro Lanciani ... Young Prince Nicholas (uncredited)
Stephen Lang ... Tichon - Old Servant of Bolkonskty (uncredited)
Arcibaldo Layall ... (uncredited)
Marianne Leibl ... Vera - Natasha's Sister (uncredited)
Don Little ... Gentleman at Ball (uncredited)
Alberto Lolli ... Prokofi - Rostov's Butler (uncredited)
Gianni Luda ... Soldier (uncredited)
Clelia Matania ... Mademoiselle Geoges (uncredited)
Richard McNamara ... De Beausset - French Messenger (uncredited)
Nino Milia ... (uncredited)
Enrico Olivieri ... French Drummer (uncredited)
Eric Oulton ... Russian General (uncredited)
Piero Palermini ... Russian Artillery Lieutenant (uncredited)
Mimmo Palmara ... French Officer (uncredited)
Piero Pastore ... Bolkonsky's Servant (uncredited)
Teresa Pellati ... Liudmila (uncredited)
Frank Pex ... (uncredited)
Paola Quagliero ... Young Girl Protected by Pierre (uncredited)
Savo Raskovitch ... Czar Alexander I (uncredited)
Jerry Riggio ... French Officer (uncredited)
Alfredo Rizzo ... Soldier (uncredited)
Giovanni Rossi-Loti ... Young Russian Officer (uncredited)
Giacomo Rossi-Stuart ... Young Cossack (uncredited)
Umberto Sacripante ... Old Man (uncredited)
Aldo Saporetti ... Guest at Dolochov's Party (uncredited)
John Stacy ... Russian General (uncredited)
Robert Stephens ... Officer Talking with Natasha (uncredited)
Eschilo Tarquini ... Soldier (uncredited)
Gilberto Tofano ... Young Dying Soldier (uncredited)
Michael Tor ... Pope (uncredited)
Gualtiero Tumiati ... Count Kirill Bezukhov (uncredited)
Joop van Hulzen ... Russian Officer (uncredited)
Henri Vidon ... (uncredited)
Robin White Cross ... Young Officer at Orgy (uncredited)
Maria Zanoli ... Mavra - Rostov Housekeeper (uncredited)Writing Credits
Leo Tolstoy (novel "Voyna i mir")
Bridget Boland (screenplay) and
Robert Westerby (screenplay) and
King Vidor (screenplay) and
Mario Camerini (screenplay) and
Ennio De Concini (screenplay) and
Ivo Perilli (screenplay) and
Gian Gaspare Napolitano (screenplay) and
Mario Soldati (screenplay)Original Music
Nino RotaCinematography
Jack CardiffTrivia
For the filming of the epic battle scenes, the producers hired 65 physicians, dressed them as soldiers and scattered them throughout the location to take care of any extras or stuntmen who might get injured during filming of the scenes.Jeremy Brett was chosen to play Nicholas in part because it was felt he resembled his on-screen sibling, Audrey Hepburn.
Audrey Hepburn's salary of $350,000 for the film was the highest salary an actress had ever received to date. When notified of her record salary Hepburn modestly told her agent, "I'm not worth it. It's impossible. Please don't tell anyone."
The first draft of the screenplay was 506 pages, over 5 times the size of an average screenplay.
In the scene where the Rostovs invite Prince Andrei to go hunting with them, Jeremy Brett is the only actor never on a mechanical horse: in all his shots he is clearly on a live horse. Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Mel Ferrer, Barry Jones and May Britt are all clearly on mechanical horses in their close shots.
May Britt and Anita Ekberg had their voices dubbed by others.
Henry Fonda later admitted he had known from the beginning that he was too old for his character, and had only made the film for the money.
Audrey Hepburn recommended her Roman Holiday co-star Gregory Peck for the role of Pierre, but Henry Fonda was cast instead.
Marlon Brando was considered for the role of Pierre, but he did not want to work with Audrey Hepburn.
In the Italian post-synchronized version of the film, the following dubbers lent their voice to the English-speaking cast: Maria Pia Di Meo (Audrey Hepburn), Emilio Cigoli (Henry Fonda), Stefano Sibaldi (Mel Ferrer), Arnoldo Foà (Herbert Lom), Mario Besesti (Oskar Homolka), Lidia Simoneschi (Anita Ekberg), Gualtiero De Angelis (Helmut Dantine), Amilcare Pettinelli (Barry Jones), Fiorella Betti (Milly Vitale), Rosetta Calavetta (May Britt) and Carlo Romano (John Mills). Vittorio Gassman dubbed himself.
King Vidor directed the huge Battle of Borodino sequence himself rather than leave it to a second unit director as was the custom.
Henry Fonda was fifty years old when the film was made. His character was supposed to be in his early twenties at the beginning.
Montgomery Clift turned down the role of Pierre.
Goofs
Anachronisms
Although the Battle of Austerlitz was fought in December, the trees seem to be in full summer bloom.Continuity
In the first battle, Prince Andrei dismounts to take the flag of the shot soldier who is holding it. Then the wounded soldier kneels twice.After the opera, when Anatole and Natasha meet, he approaches her from behind and puts his left hand on her shoulder. The next shot shows them a little way from each other.
When Natasha is sitting next the dying Prince Andrei's bed, she leans her both hands on her legs. In the next shot, when Kolya enters in the room, her right hand is on the top of the bed pole.
Filming Locations
Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy
(studio)
Felonica, Mantua, Lombardia, Italy
(ferry scene)
Pinerolo, Turin, Piedmont, Italy
(mass scene)
Ponti-De Laurentiis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy
(studio)
Rome, Lazio, Italy