Uncle Vanya

DRN5's rather curious and one sided comments about the Olivier directed production of 'Uncle Vanya' needs to be put in the context of what the professional critics of the day expressed. That is not to say I did not enjoy 'Vanya on 42nd Street' - I did very much, but the Olivier production added another dimension portraying as it does, Chekhov's desire to say to people 'Have a look at yourselves and see how dreary your lives are'. 'This is ensemble acting in the Master Class' New York Times 'Miss Harris' argument, reconciliation and mutual confession with Joan Plowright are the best acted women's scenes I have ever watched. One after another, the British critics poured forth their praise...' American Newsweek Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, directed by Laurence Olivier, is the admitted master achievement in British twentieth-century theatre...for authority and finish - above all for centrality of purpose - this has no competitor' London Sunday Times Olivier's Vanya...is one of the greatest productions of an era... the most satisfying and integrated...' London Observer 'Take this road to find greatness...with a cast that could not be bettered on the English-speaking part of the earth' London Daily Express 'Majestic Uncle Vanya....the acting of a magnificent company. This production of a great play is a rare achievement. London Evening Standard 'This company and this production will be remembered for a long time...that leaves you awed, grateful and humble in the face of such perfection. London Punch

A PAL standard DVD of this film will be released late in 2003 in the UK.

Olivier's production of Chekhov's masterpiece is rightly famous. In addition to following Constance Garnet's beautiful translation of the play faithfully and staging the play carefully (albeit in a traditional fashion), Olivier, who plays Astrov (the Doctor, who, as in all Chekhov's plays, represents the playwright himself) assembled a stellar cast of actors: Joan Plowright is a perfect Sonia and Rosemary Harris a subtle Yelena. The older characters are filled out by some giants of the 20th century English stage, including Max Adrian, Lewis Casson, and Casson's wife, the magnificent Dame Sybil Thorndike as the Nurse. Topping the list, of course, is a fine performance by Michael Redgrave in the title role. Olivier and his actors are able to evoke the classic Chekhovian mood from the opening and carry it through smoothly and warmly until the end. The result gives the viewer a gentle and bittersweet view into "country life" (see Chekhov's subtitle) and how people waste the gift of life with petty complaints rather than taking charge of it. This production is a perfect introduction to Chekhov and should be seen by all who love theatre.

Obvious, it represents more than a beautiful adaptation. It is a fair, honest and wise exploration of Cekhov univers, in precise terms, with high care for details and the expected inspired atmosphere. And it is not a surprise, the cast offering the guarantee of a beautitul to great adaptation, Astrov of Laurence Olivier, like Vanya proposed by Michael Redgrave reminding the spirit of play in each its nuance.

The story of wasted lives and clashes between visions are familiar.

But this adaptation has, obvious, the desire and gift to offer more than a new represented play. A sort of reflection, about himself, of viewer and this intention is wonderful used scene by scene.

So, Cekhov in pure traits.

There were quite a number of reasons for watching this filmed version of 'Uncle Vanya'. One big reason being the play itself, which is one of Chekhov's best with it being a masterpiece of complex characterisation and bleak and intensely poignant mood. Another major reason being the cast, Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright were seasoned Chekhov interpreters and Michael Redgrave was also a fine actor (very fond of his Terrence Rattigan adaptations).

1963's 'Uncle Vanya' is an invaluable document of how Chekhov was performed back then. Of all the filmed adaptations of Chekhov's plays seen, this is definitely up there as among the best and one of the few outstanding adaptations that in my mind nails Chekhov and what he's about. So much better than Olivier's later Chekhov adaptation 1970's 'Three Sisters', which was incredibly well acted but too stage bound. Whereas this was incredibly well acted while managing to not feel too stagy despite it being a filmed production.

Maybe the production could have brought out more of Vanya's cynicism.

Otherwise, this 'Uncle Vanya' is wonderful and this immensely difficult to adapt play is adapted and performed in a way as if it came easy to those involved. It is beautifully and moodily photographed, in a way that doesn't come over as too static. The setting also has atmosphere and is appropriately oppressive. The audio is suitably haunting without being melodramatic. Chekhov's dialogue is amazing, his prose was met with a lot of scorn and criticism in his day but while wordy it has never been a problem with me. The emotion is absolutely there without being overwrought and is full of meat and not too much fat.

Likewise with the character writing, they are not what one calls "likeable" but they are realistically flawed and psychologically fascinating. The stage direction is intelligent and moving, especially in the later stages. Personally did not find it too stylised or too polite, and thought the bleakness of the play was captured very well. While also not being overly serious. The performances all round do convey the key themes of loneliness and desperation very well and they nail their character traits and psychology. The smaller moments in the character interaction particularly come off well.

Of the performances, Michael Redgrave's subtle and very powerful Vanya and Joan Plowright's sweetly affecting Sonya are particularly notable. Rosemary Harris' Yelena isn't as understated but is still a riveting and searing portrayal, while Olivier succeeds in making Astrov a complex character of many emotions. The intensity of the character interaction is always obvious and the ending is moving.

All in all, wonderful. 9/10.

Executed in a traditional theatrical style devoted to the text and the Staislavsky school, this production may seem static to modern viewers. Most contemporary stagings of Chekov plays display pronounced movements to demonstrate relationships and emotional states, often involving physical contact between the characters that would have been deemed boorish during the rural Tsarist Russia of the play's setting. This forthright filming of the 1963 National Theatre production conveys the Chekovian mastery of self-doubt, longing and wishfulness through smaller gestures and voice. The key voices are Michael Redgrave and Laurence Olivier at the peaks of their greatness.