War and Peace Movie Review 1956

Lengthy adaptation of Tolstoy's great (and likewise lengthy) novel about three families caught up in Russia's Napoleonic Wars from 1805 to 1812; filmed in Rome. Bad casting and confused script (by six writers) are somewhat overcome by awesome battle scenes and Hepburn. Remade in 1968.

Distribution

Paramount Home Video, 5555 Melrose Ave., 5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, Phone: (323)956-5000, URL: http://www.paramount.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS
Running time 208 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Romantic Drama, War, General, Peace, Big Battles, Russia/USSR, Period Piece: 19th Century, Books to Film: Leo Tolstoy

Screenplay

King Vidor, Bridget Boland, Mario Camerini, Ennio de Concini, Ivo Perilli, Irwin Shaw, Robert Westerby

Cast

Audrey Hepburn, Mel Ferrer, Henry Fonda, Anita Ekberg, Vittorio Gassman, John Mills, Oscar Homolka, Herbert Lom, Helmut Dantine, Tullio Carminati, Barry Jones, Milly Vitale, Maria Ferrero, Wilfred Lawson, May Britt, Jeremy Brett, Lea Seidl, Patrick Crean, Sean Barrett, Richard Dawson

Cinematography

Jack Cardiff, Aldo Tonti

Director

King Vidor

Music

Nino Rota

Producer

Dino De Laurentiis, Paramount Pictures

Awards

Golden Globes 1957: Foreign Film.