War and Peace (2007)

Truly Dreadful Film

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

A Brilliant Conflict

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

War and Peace (1967/Russian version) is the most accurately represented film of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace novel. Since I read the novel in order to make a report on it, I was able to get the "provenance" of the entire setting in the 1967 movie. The 2007 version actually seemed to be a generic "period play" being passed off to unsuspecting viewers of the real import of the movie and it comes across only as a lighthearted attempt to portray two lovers trying to "get it together". It was sort of like watching Gone with the Wind in Russia. The "acting out" of the two main characters in their attempt to give it a "modern interpretive twist" to each of the major characters' behaviour failed to reflect the mindset of the individuals they portrayed as well as accurately reveal the worldview of a culture in the throes of a historic drama. While the 2007 cast members were enjoyable to watch (they were excellent actors), I found it somewhat ridiculous to see Natasha and Andre pulling out each other's tongue in the kissing scene, even though it was titillating to watch. An intelligent understanding of the complexity of the royal class mindset of that time prohibited such a reaction between two people who barely knew each other (especially when the male was twice the female's age and they each belonged to a different class structure) and who were about to be "betrothed" in the anachronistic sense of the word that was a characteristic of that society and one with which we are unable to relate to.I would suggest that anyone wanting to see a well-developed thematic presentation of Tolstoy's War and Peace would do themselves a favor by watching the film version that was made in 1967. While you would find some of it confusing-i.e., their conversation, their dialogue with themselves, their viewpoints within that society, which were distinctively Russian, you would come to the conclusion that the director of the Russian version with the Russian actors did indeed depict accurately how the Russian aristocracy behaved in their attempts to mimic the French within their own parameters, making them appear somewhat boorish as well as comical as they tried to live their lives in that era of Russian society. You would see their frustration in their everyday lives as well as their consternation over the dilemma of keeping Napoleon out of their country and their eventual failure to do so. However, you are elated when you see how their Tsar-appointed General commands the respect and loyalty of the Russian troops, leading them to an ultimate victory and watching the French flee Russia in disgrace. Which is really what the book is all about.

I have to say that I watched this movie because of my love for Russian history and for Tolstoy. I was entertained yet, disappointed as well.This series is based on the classic epic novel by Tolstoy and is a massive undertaking for any film company and this is a pretty good adaption. It tells the love story of several young aristocrats set against Napoleon's invasion of Russia in approximately 1812. There are a few war scenes, not many, but enough to know what is going on. While filmed in St Petersburg we don't get to see much of it due to it's limited budget I imagine. The focus is on the main protagonists and their relationships.My main problem was with the casting of some of the leads. This was truly a multi European cast of actors coming from all over Europe, including Italy, Germany, Russia, Poland, with some Brits thrown in as well.First of all, Clemence Poesy as Natasha wasn't believable to me. A young lady from an aristocratic family raised in the French style would carry herself much differently. Here she seems childish, bratty, and not especially beautiful, which she isn't in the book, but still she must show something that would attract as much passion as we are suppose to believe she does here. She certainly doesn't come close to the elegance and beauty of a young Audrey Hepburn in the 50's version.The characters of Andrej and Pierre (Alessio Boni and Alexander Beyer) seem very unemotional and stiff, especially Boni who doesn't seem at all passionate. This may be due to the fact that while they spoke English in it-you could tell from reading their lips-their voices were dubbed by British people more than likely due to their heavy Italian and German accents, Bonni being Italian and Beyer German. I have seen Boni before and he is a fine actor when allowed to speak for himself.The rest of the cast is good, with some fine older character actors included; Malcolm McDowell and Brenda Blethyn are marvelous. All of the actors are well known in their respective countries and some have made American or British movies before so they are recognizable to me. I loved the Russian general, Kutuzov, played so well by Dmitri Isayev, a fine character actor.The screen play seems written with the thought that the film will be dubbed and subtitles shown in many countries (I watched the Spanish subtitled version). The sentences are kept short to allow time for the viewers to read the captions; I find this very annoying. Not all the actors are dubbed; some actor's voices were used, accents and all. I love the story of War and Peace, so I watched the entire thing anyway and suggest you do the same if it is a favorite of yours. So far, I haven't seen a version I really love so I will have to make do with what we have so far. I prefer this version to the badly cast American version of the 1950's. Only Hepburn did a fairly good job in that film, possibly because she was born into a European aristrocaratic family and knew how a young woman would act. It did have a better screen play, in my opinion.To dub or notto dub? I prefer subtitles, added after the fact. Amricans, in general, do not like dubbing which is probably the reason it was never released here in the States, but many European countries use it a lot, although I hear that is changing.

I am a bit surprised at how hard everyone is on this little mini-series. I have viewed a number of the previous efforts of putting War and Peace on the screen, and actually think that these folks did not do a bad job! While Russians may be justifiably distressed at the international, non-Russian cast, as an American viewer who has seen some of these actors in British, Italian, and American films, I found the cast completely engaging in this production. The cast may not have the right hair color, as previous posts have noted, but in many ways they are true to the spirit of Tolstoy's work, and even manage to breathe their own life into the roles as well. I actually think Clemence Poesy is stunning and believable as Natasha, for example. This very young, granted inexperienced actress, caught some of the freshness, innocence, joie de vivre etc., required for the role, and then summoned the passion and emotion later on to make her "transgression" believable. And what about the location shooting?-- and the beautiful lighting and camera work at those locations? I thought it was head and shoulders above the cinematography of the Hepburn/Fonda version, etc. I was astonished at some of the previous comments about the bad dancing, too: the Natasha/Andrei dance at the ball was one of the loveliest and most atmospheric period dance scenes I've seen on film in recent years. (All the recent Jane Austen films should take note!) My only complaint is that as an American it was very hard to track down a copy that would play on my Region 1 DVD.

Countries of the Europe tried very much to make this movie. Movie is outstanding, but not without remarks. Firstly, Clémence Poésy does not approach for Natasha Rostova at all. There is no that charm which was described by the Leo Tolstoi in the novel. Secondly, in the end of first part of movie was used music by... modern composer Aram Khachaturyan for the Lermontov's drama "Masquerade". Italian actor Alessio Boni is ingenious! I think, that his role the best in this film! Hi is one of the best actors, ever played role of Andrey Bolkonsky. Alexander Beyer's work (Pierre Bezukhov) is very convincing. Noticeably, that this actor really very well knows "War and peace". It has allowed it to represent Pierre Bezukhov very authentically. The image of old prince Bolkonsky (M. McDowell) has turned out very expressive and truthful. Such old Russian prince - the petty tyrant. In common, movie is remarkable!