Directed by King Vidor
Written by Bridget Boland, Robert Westerby, etc. from the novel by Leo Tolstoy
1956/USA
Ponti-De Laurentis Cinematografica/Paramount Pictures
First viewing/Netflix rental
“It’s not given to people to judge what’s right or wrong. People have eternally been mistaken and will be mistaken, and in nothing more than in what they consider right and wrong.” ― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
This adaptation lacks the philosophy and character’s thoughts that make the novel great. Nevertheless, I liked it a lot, not least for Henry Fonda’s excellent portrayal of Pierre.
The setting is Russia during the Napoleonic War. We are introduced to a cast of thousands. First, we focus on Count Rostov’s household. This is made up of the Count, Countess, and their children Nicholas, Natasha (Audrey Hepburn) and Petya. Nicholas is an officer about to go off to war. Natasha is a teenager full of enthusiasm and happiness who is just blossoming into womanhood. Then we meet Pierre Buzukhov (Fonda) and his friend Andre Bolkonsky (Mel Ferrer).
The plot is too long and complicated to summarize fully. If you know the novel, the movie is relatively faithful to the major plot points. We get the private lives of these people, including a romance between Natasha and Andre, counterpointed with scenes from the war, here mainly during the Battle of Borodino. With Herbert Lom as Napoleon, Oskar Homolka as General Kutuzov, Vittorio Gassman as Anatol, and Anita Ekberg as Helene.
I was not in the mood to see a 3 1/2 hour Hollywood adaptation of one of my very favorite novels. Imagine my surprise when the time went quickly and I found myself enjoying the film. The acting is excellent throughout, Jack Cardiff’s color photography is stunning, and the battle scenes are effective. I’ve read comments that Henry Fonda was miscast but I believed him 100%. Hepburn is perfect for her part. Recommended.
War and Peace was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Director; Best Cinematography, Color and Best Costume Design, Color.
Trailer
I’m reading the book right now. (I started in November and I’m getting close to the two-thirds mark.) I haven’t seen the movie (though I probably will after I finish the book).
Though Audrey Hepburn was a little old to be playing Natasha, I have no problem seeing her in the part. But Henry Fonda as Pierre is a puzzler. I’m having trouble wrapping my head around that.
The movie I keep thinking of is Woody Allen’s Love and Death. I find smiling grinning oddly at inappropriate times.
I love the idea of Herbert Lom as Napoleon. He’s a very under-rated actor. He plays Herod in The Big Fisherman! (It’s very weird. I enjoyed it immensely but I only recommend it to people who don’t mind when their guilty pleasure movies are more than two hours long.)
Fonda is the wrong age and the wrong size for Pierre. His flat Mid-Western accent sticks out. But there is something of Pierre in his questioning soul. I’ve seen Sergei Bondarchuk’s 1966 version as well. I would strongly recommend that one. Bondarchuk was born to play Pierre.
I have not seen this one, but with that cast and Jack Cardiff’s photography it just cannot go wrong. Maybe one to watch off list.
I was surpirsed to like it as much as I did. As I told Hoosier though if you are just going for an adaptation of War and Peace, the Russian Bandarchuk version cannot be beat.