War and Peace (1972 TV series): Difference between revisions

War and Peace
War and Peace TV mini series DVD cover
Created by	David Conroy
Starring	Anthony Hopkins Alan Dobie Morag Hood Angela Down
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	20
Production
Running time	15 hours
Original release
Network	BBC
Release	1972 – 1973

War and Peace was a made-for-television dramatization of the Leo Tolstoy novel of the same name. This 20 episode series began airing on September 28, 1972.

The classic BBC dramatisation of Tolstoy's epic story of love and loss set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. Anthony Hopkins heads the cast as the soul-searching Pierre Bezukhov (a role for which he won the 1972 Best Actor BAFTA); Morag Hood is the impulsive and beautiful Natasha Rostova; Alan Dobie is the dour but heroic Andrei Bolkonsky; and David Swift is Napoleon, whose decision to invade Russia in 1812 has far-reaching consequences for Pierre and the Rostov and Bolkonsky families.

This twenty-part serial was the vision of its producer David Conroy. His aim was to transfer the characters and plot from Tolstoy's magnum opus to television drama to run for 15 hours (actually closer to 17). Scripted by Jack Pulman and directed by John Davies, Conroy's War and Peace boasts superb acting, award-winning design (1972 Best Design BAFTA) and battle sequences, which were filmed in what was then Yugoslavia.

This dramatization differs from previous ones in that it preserves many of Tolstoy's "minor" characters—notably Platon Karataev, played by Harry Locke.

The complete unedited series was released in a Region 2 4-DVD boxset by DD Home Entertainment in 2005. The set is accompanied by an illustrated booklet, written by Andy Priestner, which provides a detailed account of how the series was made.

• Anthony Hopkins—Pierre Bezukhov
• Alan Dobie—Andrey Nikolayevich Bolkonsky
• Morag Hood—Natasha Rostova
• Angela Down—Maria Bolkonskaya
• Faith Brook—Countess Rostova
• David Swift—Napoleon Bonaparte
• Frank Middlemass—Mikhail Kutuzov
• Sylvester Morand—Nikolai Rostov
• Joanna David—Sonya Rostova
• Harry Locke—Platon Karataev
• Donald Douglas-Tsar Alexander I of Russia
• John Cazabon—Barclay de Tolly
• Fiona Gaunt—Helene Kuragin, married to Pierre Bezukhov
• Anthony Jacobs—Prince Nikolay Bolkonsky, father of Andrey Bolkonsky
• Athene Fielding—Mademoiselle Bourienne
• Barnaby Shaw and Rufus Frampton—Petya Rostov
• Peter Bathurst—Pfuhl
• Morris Perry—Joseph Fouché
• Geoffrey Morris—Napoleon's secretary
• Michael Gover—General Balashev
• Toby Bridge—young Nikolenka Bolkonski
• Neil Stacy—Boris Drubetskoy
• Anne Blake—Princess Drubetskoya
• Gary Watson—Denisov
• Donald Burton—Dolokhov
• Tony Steedman—Marshal Davout
• Joseph Wise—Russian officer
• Colin Baker—Anatole Kuragin
• Basil Henson—Prince Vasili Kuragin
• Josie Kidd—Katishe
• James Appleby—German adjutant
• Gerard Hely—Prince Murat
• Michael Billington—Lt. Berg
• Will Leighton—Tikhon
• Patricia Shakesby—Vera Rostova, married to Berg
• Alison Frazer—Princess Lisa Bolkonskya
• Richard Hurndall—Count Rostopchin
• John Breslin—Marshal Berthier
• Pat Gorman—French Sergeant
• Philip Lowrie—French Captain
• Edmund Bailey—Prokofy
• Hugh Cross—Mitenka
• Richard Poore—French messenger
• Barbara Young—Anna Scherer
• Karin MacCarthy—Julie Karagin
• Maurice Quick—Pavel
• Roy Spencer—Timohin
• Hubert Cross—Gen. Rapp
• Geoffrey Denton—Host
• Tenniel Evans—Prince Bagration
• Gordon Faith—Galitsyn
• John Lawrence—Anna's guest
• Judith Pollard—Olga
• Edith Sharpe—Madame Scherer
• Tony Caunter—French Corporal
• Erik Chitty—Gerasim

• War and Peace (1956 film), version directed by King Vidor
• War and Peace (1968 film), Soviet-produced version, directed by Sergei Bondarchuk

• War and Peace at IMDb

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