War and Peace (1956)

Director:

King Vidor

Writers:

Leo Tolstoy (novel)
Bridget Boland (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 August 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

The Greatest Novel Ever Written ... Now Magnificently Alive On The Screen!

Plot:

Napoleon's tumultuous relations with Russia including his disastrous 1812 invasion serve as the backdrop for the tangled personal lives of two aristocratic families.

Plot Keywords:

Russia | Battle | Inheritance | Russian Soldier | Assassination

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 7 nominations

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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)

Directed by
King Vidor

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)

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	producer
Carlo Ponti	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Nino Rota

Cinematography by
Jack Cardiff		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Leo Cattozzo		(as Leo Catozzo)

Art Direction by
Mario Chiari

Set Decoration by
Piero Gherardi

Costume Design by
Maria De Matteis
Giulio Ferrari		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Alberto De Rossi	....	makeup supervisor
Grazia De Rossi	....	hair stylist
Bud Bashaw Jr.	....	makeup artist: Audrey Hepburn (uncredited)

Production Management
Giorgio Adriani	....	production manager
Fernando Cinquini	....	production supervisor
Fausto Saraceni	....	production manager
Bruno Todini	....	general production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Guidarino Guidi	....	assistant director
Bernard Vorhaus	....	assistant director (as Piero Mussetta)
Carlo Lastricati	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Mario Soldati	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Franz Bachelin	....	associate art director
Mario Garbuglia	....	construction coordinator
Gianni Polidori	....	assistant art director
Italo Tomassi	....	head scenic painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Aldo Calpini	....	sound engineer
Achille Filo Della Torre	....	sound engineer (as Filo Della Torre)
Leslie Hodgson	....	sound editor
Charles Knott	....	sound recordist
R.D. Cook	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Nick Gerolimates	....	sound cable (uncredited)
Hayden Hohstadt	....	mike grip (uncredited)
Harold Lewis	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Bud Parman	....	sound boom (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Costel Grozea	....	special effects (as Tell Grozea)

Camera and Electrical Department
Aldo Tonti	....	director of photography: second unit
Mal Bulloch	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bud Fraker	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Guy Harris	....	electrician (uncredited)
Al Holton	....	electrician (uncredited)
Otello Martelli	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bill Neff	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Lorne Netten	....	best boy (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Stuart Gilmore	....	editorial supervisor

Music Department
Franco Ferrara	....	musical director

Other crew
Arthur Fellows	....	production assistant: Mr. Vidor
Aurel Milloss	....	choreographer
Ralph Serpe	....	production assistant: New York
Guy Thomajan	....	dialogue coach
Auriel Millos	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Art Sarno	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Ponti-De Laurentiis Cinematografica

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Films (1957) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1957) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1963) (USA) (VHS) (re-release)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1964) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Associated British Film Distributors (ABFD) (195?) (UK) (theatrical)
• Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica (????) (Italy) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Tuena  antiques for set decoration

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for violence

Runtime:

208 min

Country:

Italy | USA

Language:

English | Italian | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.50 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording) | Perspecta Stereo

Certification:

Italy:T | Brazil:Livre | West Germany:12 (f) | Netherlands:14 (original rating) (1957) | Argentina:16 | Australia:G | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | Spain:18 | USA:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Marlon Brando was considered for the role of Pierre, but he did not want to work with Audrey Hepburn.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

Quotes:

Gen. Kutuzov:[to himself] Time and patience. Patience and time. The Grand Army is wounded, but is it mortally wounded? An apple should not be plucked while it's green. Patience and time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Rec: Sensou to heiwa (#1.7)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Grande Valse Brillante

King Vidor's masterful version is simplified and stagey, but still beautifully done.

This film version of Tolstoy's novel nicely captures the essence of his story. The VistaVision, Technicolor photography by Jack Cardiff give the the set pieces the look of a classic painting. Nino Rota's lavish score perfectly compliments the visuals. The casting is superb; and even though Fonda is physically wrong in the critical role of Pierre, his dignified persona makes up for it. Hepburn, as ever, is radiant as Natasha, and hits her marks perfectly. Anita Ekberg's superstructure alone brings Helene to life; Ferrer, Homolka and Mills are all, likewise, wonderful in this. The largely underappreciated Herbert Lom is absolutely brilliant as Napoleon. Practically speaking, this is a notable film adaptation of an enormous literary work, inspite of any comparisons one would care to make between the book and the movie.