Welcome gentle readers to another installment of the Sunday Morning Movie. Today it’s another delight from Mosfilm, an adaptation for the screen of Anton Chekov’s Uncle Vanya.
Reviews:
Letterboxd says:
Uncle Vanya is a bittersweet symphony of devotion and melancholy, a character left adrift by those he cherished. I often find myself mulling over my two cherished cinematic interpretations of this poignant Chekhovian tale, and the verdict remains unchanged: Smoktunovskiy eclipses even Redgrave. Both are titans in portraying minds teetering on the brink of collapse, yet here we have THE ensemble. The delicate Sonya (Irina Kupchenko) holds her own against the ethereal Elena (Irina Miroshnichenko) in Konchalovskiy’s adaptation—by the way, the only one of his works I truly admire. Meanwhile, the splendid doctor Astrov (Sergei Bondarchuk) sometimes seems to fade into the background compared to Voinitsky’s fervent longing for Professor Serebryakov’s new bride. It’s a decaying aristocratic haven, resplendent in its decay. I can’t help but weep alongside Innokentiy Mikhailovich’s character every time I revisit that heart-wrenching moment when he pilfers a vial of morphine from the doctor. What a remarkable film, brimming with my favourite actors.
The NYT says:
the new Russian film version of “Uncle Vanya,” which opened yesterday at the Regency Theater, is probably the best filmed Chekhov I’ve ever seen. Adapted and directed by Andrei Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky, this “Uncle Vanya” is an exceedingly graceful, beautifully acted production that manages to respect Chekhov as a man of his own time, as well as what I would assume to be the Soviet view of Chekhov as Russia’s saddest, gentlest, funniest and most compassionate revolutionary playwright.
russianfilmhub says:
While the deep Russian soul is in many ways immeasurable and undefinable, there are still those who can show it. Watch this beautiful rendition of Uncle Vanya to bear witness to the brilliance of film director, Andrei Konchalovsky, writer, Anton Chekhov, as well as many of the greatest Russian actors, including Innokenty Smoktunovsky, Sergei Bondarchuk and Irina Kupchenko.
Part color, part black and white, this film creates a unique mood and atmosphere of the life of the nobility on a small estate. Alfred Schnittke’s music adds a second meaning to the picture and immerses the viewer in the drama of the nineteenth century. The story takes place in a small family estate: family members meet and discuss everyday issues, Russian laziness and hard life. They enjoy the Russian nature in silence, but at some point, things must fall apart.
My take:
So this was my first encounter with Chekov and I have to admit I missed the point at first. I kept waiting for something to happen. It wasn’t until I read some reviews and watched a few videos that I realized the ennui was the point. It brought the film into focus for me and I realized how grim the lives of the characters really are.
Director: Andrey Konchalovskiy
Writers: Anton Chekov (play)
Andrey Konchalovskiy (screenplay)
Notable Actors: None that I know of.
Plot (Spoilers!):
Professor Serebryakov and his young second wife Yelena enjoy an urban lifestyle financed by the hard work of Vanya, the Professor’s brother in law from his first marriage. His daughter from his first wife, Sofya, is also employed at the estate where her and Vanya manage affairs and send the money directly to the Professor. Their lives are otherwise quite empty.
The Professor and Yelena have come to visit and both Vanya as well as the local doctor Astrov, a frequent house guest, are deeply enamored of Yelena. She is torture to the two men who feel that they have spent their best years working and living in the provinces while life has passed them by. She flirts with them a bit but ultimately wants nothing to do with them. Sofya is in pain as well, she suffers from low self esteem and desperately loves Dr. Astrov, who doesn’t return the feelings. It’s a pretty sorry state of affairs.
The situation reaches a breaking point when the Professor announces his intention to sell the estate for a profit and move to Finland. Vanya explodes and attempts, unsuccessfully, to kill the Professor. The Professor decides not to sell the estate after all, leaving Vanya, Dr. Astrov and Sofya to their grim and gray lives.
Thanks for the link. Will watch.