Onegin (1999)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Martha Fiennes

Writers:

Peter Ettedgui (screenplay)
Alexander Pushkin (poem) ...

Release Date:

5 February 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

In the opulent St. Petersburg of the Empire period, Eugene Onegin is a jaded but dashing aristocrat - a man often lacking in empathy...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Friend | Adultery | Soldier | Horse Drawn Sleigh Carriage

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Ralph Fiennes	...	Onegin
Liv Tyler	...	Tatyana
Toby Stephens	...	Lensky
Lena Headey	...	Olga
Martin Donovan	...	Prince Nikitin
Alun Armstrong	...	Zaretsky
Simon McBurney	...	Triquet
Harriet Walter	...	Madame Larina
Jason Watkins	...	Guillot
Irene Worth	...	Princess Alina
Gwenllian Davies	...	Anisia
Margery Withers	...	Nanya
Geoffrey McGivern	...	Andrey Petrovitch
Tim McMullan	...	Dandy 1
Tim Potter	...	Dandy 2

Also Known As:

Eugene Onegin (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for brief violence and a sexual image.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | USA:R | South Korea:18 | Brazil:Livre | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | New Zealand:M | Spain:7 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Alresford, Hampshire, England, UK

Company:

7 Arts International

Trivia:

The song played at Tatiana's Naming Day feast is "On the Hills of Manchuria". It is not a folk song. It was written in 1906 by Ilya Shatrov, bandmaster of 214 Mokshansky infantry regiment, after tragical events of Russian-Japanese war.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The song played at Tatiana's Naming Day feast - "On the Hills of Manchuria" - could not be played there, as the movie is set in the first half of the 19th century, and the song was written only in 1906 (and named after tragic events of the Russian-Japanese war of 1904-1905 years).

Quotes:

Tatyana Larina: Oh God. It hurts.
Evgeny Onegin: Why does it hurt?
Tatyana Larina: Because you are too late. Yes, you are too late Evgeny.

Movie Connections:

Version of Eugen Onegin (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Mir ist so wunderbar

Brooding, visual masterpiece!

Although I saw this film several months ago, its images and characters remain vividly with me. Martha Fiennes, as a first time feature director, certainly understands the visual medium she is dealing with. The scenes of snow and mist over water, are a significant contrast to the sumptuous indoor scenes, as though nature itself reflects what lies in the human heart...that all the wealth and lavishness created by man cannot assuage. Ms Fiennes very wisely saw this verse play as a vehicle for her talented brother, Ralph. His ability to portray a brooding, alienated...yet passionate man is extraordinary, in my opinion. Although Liv Tyler is very beautiful and was a knock-out in that red ball dress, I wasn't as convinced by her performance as others who have posted here. I would have preferred an English actress, Polly Walker, perhaps. In any case, I loved this film and have every intention of seeing it again.