War and Peace (Paramount Pictures) (1963)

SYNOPSIS (Not for Publication) In the beginning of the 19th Century, having conquered most of Europe, Napoleon (HERBERT LOM) at last turned his attention to Russia. In Moscow, a young liberal of illegitimate birth, Pierre Bezukhov (HENRY FONDA) visits his friend, Count Rostov (BARRY JONES) and his daughter, the vivacious Natasha (AUDREY HEPBURN). That evening, Pierre attends a drunken orgy given by the dissolute officer, Dolokhov (HELMUT DANTINE). The merrymaking is broken up by Pierre’s closest friend, Prince Andrey Bolkonsky (MEL FERRER) who informs Pierre that his father, old Count Bezukhov, is dying. At the deathbed of his father, he learns that the Count has acknowledged Pierre as his legal heir. Having inherited great wealth, the naive Pierre falls prey to the beautiful but unscrupulous Helene Kuargine (ANITA EKBERG) and marries her. Meanwhile, Andrey, bored with society and his shy wife Lise (MILLY VITALE), prepares to go to war on the staff of General Kutuzov (OSCAR HOMOLKA). Full of enthusiasm for battle, he briefly rallies a retreating Russian company during the famous battle of Austerlitz, and is wounded. When he finally returns to his estate, he finds his wife dying in childbirth. Self-reproach over her death and disillusionment with military glory combine to make him a recluse. Back in Moscow, Pierre’s marriage to Helene is on the verge of disaster due to her conspicuous affair with Dolokhov. Events force Pierre to challenge his former friend to a duel, and although he is no match for the professional soldier, he wounds him with a lucky shot. Naturally, Pierre considers his marriage over. Pierre introduces the brooding Andrey to Natasha, and they soon fall in love. They plan to marry, but Andrey is sent away for a year, and Natasha, romantic and inexperienced, cannot resist the passionate advances of Anatole Kuragine (VITTORIO GASSMAN). Too late she learns that Anatole is married and that she betrayed Andrey for nothing. Napoleon and his Grand Army invade Russia and engage Kutuzov’s troops at the bloody battle of Borodino. Pierre is an eyewitness to the battle and is shocked by the slaughter. He does not know that Prince Andrey has been fatally wounded. General Kutuzov decides to retreat, forcing Napoleon to overextend his army, and leaving him an abandoned Moscow. As Moscow is evacuated, Pierre stays behind to assassinate Napoleon, but is taken prisoner instead. In a dungeon he meets a peasant named Platon, (JOHN MILLS) whose common sense philosophy does much to mature his thinking. He also learns that Helene has died in St. Petersburg. The Rostovs have taken refuge in a monastery far east of Moscow, and here Natasha and Andrey are reconciled before he dies of his wounds. He leaves his young son in the care of Natasha. With winter closing in and Napoleon unable to obtain supplies, he orders a withdrawal from Moscow. His 2,000 mile retreat in a fierce Russian winter weakens his army. At Berezina, his troops suffer a final defeat and Napoleon returns to France with his star in the descent. Peace returns to Russia and soldiers and civilians alike return to their homes. Among them is Pierre, who finds a more mature and wiser Natasha. They know they will face the future together. AUDREY HEPBURN HENRY FONDA MEL FERRER Natasha Rostov Pierre Bezukhov Andrey Bolkonsky Anatole Kuragine Helene Kuragine General Kutuzov Napoleon Platon HERBERT LOM JOHN MILLS CREDITS Produced by Dino De Laurentiis; Directed by King Vidor; Photography — Jack Cardiff; Art Director — Mario Chiari; Costumes — Maria De Matteis; Set Decoration—Piero Gheradi; Supervising Editor — Stuart Gilmore; Sound Editor — Leslie Hodgson, Assistant Directors—Piero Musetta, Guidarino Guidi. RUNNING TIME: 167 MINUTES Copyright © 1956, 1963 by Paramount Pictures Corporation. Printed in U.S.A. Permission granted for customary use in publications and broadcasting. 4 AUDREY HEPBURN, HENRY FONDA, MEL FERRER STAR IN EPIC FILM OF LEO TOLSTOY'S ‘WAR AND PEACE’ With war and peace so much in the news these days, release of the spectacular motion picture, “War and Peace” couldn’t be more timely. Filmed in Technicolor and VistaVision in Italy by Producer Dino DeLaurentiis, the Paramount release Starts an engagement DeGINNING...0cccccccccssssssssseeseeses see Still No, 47008-30 Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer, as Tolstoy’s immortal Natasha and Prince Audrey, join Henry Fonda to portray the top starring roles in the mammoth VitaVision, Technicolor production of “War and Peace,” opening an eo aoe ca at the....................Theatre. The filmization of Tolstoy’s monumental novel of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia was directed by King Vidor. ONE OF AUDREY HEPBURN’ BEST, “WAR AND PEACE,” TO OPEN HERE A role which Audrey Hepburn considers one of the richest in her career is that of Natasha, the heroine of the spectacular Ponti-De Laurentiis production, “War and Peace,” released by Paramount, in which she stars with Henry Fonda and her husband, Mel Ferrer. This is the adaptation of the great Tolstoy epic, which critics hailed as a masterpiece of film-making, and WiC ACOMES as oh to Wig skeuhees nein ae py Ete Theatre. As Natasha, Miss Hepburn’s range of acting encompasses the exuberance of a teen-ager and the maturity and humility of a woman who has lived and loved and suffered, representing a challenge even to her extraordinary versatility. Her three romances — with the idealist (Fonda), the cynic (Fer ‘War and Peace’ Opens At.......... Theatre “War and Peace,” the vast filmization of the monumental Tolstoy novel of life, love and war in Czarist Russia during the Napoleonic invasions, will open................ at Se. eee. Theatre. Cast with over 18,000 players, the VistaVision, Technicolor spectacular’s top starring roles are portrayed by Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda and Mel Ferrer, with a large and distinguished cast making up a total of sixty speaking parts. Over six years in the making the Ponti-DeLaurentiis Production for Paramount release, directed by King Vidor is a faithful reproduction of what has been called the greatest novel ever written, with its intrically interwoven stories of a score of unforgettable characters told against the background of three of the greatest battles in European history. rer) and the dashing roue, portrayed by Vittorio Gassman—are played against the turbulent days of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, his defeat and ignominious retreat. The battle sequences and the scenes of extravagant luxury of the Russian court in pre-war days have never been surpassed for breathtaking spectacle. Filmed in Technicolor in Italy where the terrain closely resembles the setting of the Tolstoy novel, “War and Peace” has a cast of thousands and speaking parts for 60 top international stars, including Anita Ekberg, Oscar Homolka, Herbert Lom, John Mills, Helmut Dantine, Milly Vitale, Wilfred Lawson, May Britt, Tullio Carminati, Barry Jones, Anna Maria Ferrero and Jeremy Brett. BA Tee Eg on es Theatre. A beautiful, compelling and aweinspiring motion picture, “War and Peace”’ required six years and the combined efforts of tens of thousands of people from all over the world to be brought to completion. Directed masterfully by King Vidor, the vast panorama of life, love and battle in Imperial Russia during the Napoleonic invasions has a tremendous cast containing some of Europe and America’s greatest acting names. Starring in the three major roles are Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda and Mel Ferrer, co-starring are Vittorio Gassman, Herbert Lom, Oscar Homolka, Anita Ekberg and John Mills. The large and notable supporting cast includes Helmut Dantine, Barry Jones, Anna Maria Ferrero, Milly Vitale and Jeremy Brett, with the total number of speaking parts coming to a prodigious sixty, the largest in: the history of European film making. Primarily the story of people, rather than historical events, with three moving love stories intricately interwoven with the stories of a dozen unforgettable characters, “War and Peace” is nevertheless backgrounded by the fury and drama of three of history’s most epic battles. Napoleon’s Grande Armee and the armies of the Czar clash in historically accurate recreations of Austerlitz, called by Napoleon his “Masterpiete of Battles’’; Borodino, one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare; and Berezina, the last foreshadowed by the burning of Moscow and Napoleon’s disastrous retreat from the ruined city. Highteen thousand soldiers of the Italian Army and thousands of horses were used in the VistaVision, Technicolor filming of the stupendous operations, promising scenes of a magnitude never before captured for the screen. The musical score was composed by Nino Roca, and has been acknowledged as one of most beautiful ever written for a motion picture. Still No. 47008-104 Mat 2B Critically wounded at the epic Battle of Borodino, Mel Ferrer, as Prince Andrey, is comforted by Natasha, Audrey Hepburn, in a scene from “War and.” Peaces; “arriving 0 Fd 7 Ca Ae Theatre. The gigantic, three-hour, twenty-eight-minute filmization of the monumental Tolstoy novel has one of the most moving love stories in all literature.