Zio Vanja

An inspired transposition of the play by Chekov, it is difficult to imagine it being ever excelled; everything seems right, natural, credible, allowing one to concentrate on the inner drama of the characters. A masterpiece of discreet eloquence which ought to be better known.

I remember seeing this film in 1973 at the Royal Theater in L.A. I traveled for two hours on a bus to see it, and two hours to return home, and I never regretted the time spent. Bondarchuk as Astrov was brilliant, and the diluted Mosfilm color--which emphasized browns, reds, and golds--was perfect. I think this movie captures autumn better than any motion picture. Unlike the English language versions of the play, this one also emphasizes how the environment affects the characters. I dearly wish it would get released on either video or DVD. It's easily the best version of Chekhov's play---maybe the best film version of any of his plays.

Andrei Konhcalovsky sets a beautiful and nostalgic mood for this classic Russian text. An ode to the decadence and laziness of the dying Russian gentry, the film is appropriately staged in a large run-down house in the country. There is a palpable feeling of decay not only in the dialogue and the characters, but also in the peeling paint, the washed out colors that the camera picks up, the dim lighting, and the dirty clothes that the characters wear. The actors are quite loyal to the subtlety that Chekhov demands for his characters emotions. They avoid melodrama, but at the same time do not leave the audience feeling oblique and distanced as is often the case with adaptations of Chekhov.

This film is a must see for any admirer of Chekhov, and is also a pivotal film in the history of modern Russian/Soviet cinema. Apart from that it should be required viewing for any one interested in the sincere portrayal of very difficult emotions in cinema. Although formalistically different, it ranks with the best work of Andrei Tarkovsky or Ingmar Bergman.

An ubiquitous meditation on realizing you have wasted your life and are unable to do anything about it. All of Checkov's plays are designed around the indolence of our players. Most of the drama is in the implications, and the movie adaptation wouldn't be any different. A big, pompous tragedy doesn't happen because, depending on how you look at it, it has already transpired for these characters. And the brilliance of this cast is that you can both pity and sympathize with them depending on your outlook on life. The said cast is great, even if the Russian "overacting" is slightly galling. The movie is also peppered with instances of inexplicable switching from color to black and white. There is no deeper meaning in this. It's just a technical difficulty.

for the admirers of Chekhov, the film has a great sin - it is far to be the most inspired adaptation of the play. for the fans of Konchalovsky is simple - the entire art of the director to use as instrument of his vision the universe of Anton Pavlovich is present. in fact, the verdict of both groups is correct. this Dyadya Vanya is one of the most representative works of its director. but it preserves the spirit of play with graceful force. with simple nuance - the objects and the characters are pieces of the same artistic speech. the details are covers of words. the feelings of characters are exposed by image more by dialogues. the atmosphere becomes, scene by scene, more important than the story itself. and that impose, for each actor, to use new solutions to define his character among shadows, things, suggested cold emotions . and each of them does an admirable job. film of atmosphere, exercise to define the Russian soul, it remains an artistic gem.