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| BBC returns to Tolstoy's War and Peace | BBC returns to Tolstoy's War and Peace |
| (7 months later) | |
| More than 40 years after its epic 20-part dramatisation starring Anthony Hopkins, the BBC is to return to Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace in a new adaptation by Pride and Prejudice screenwriter Andrew Davies. | More than 40 years after its epic 20-part dramatisation starring Anthony Hopkins, the BBC is to return to Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace in a new adaptation by Pride and Prejudice screenwriter Andrew Davies. |
| One of the most widely admired – and longest – works of world literature, the new version will be six parts long, rather shorter than its 1972 forerunner. | One of the most widely admired – and longest – works of world literature, the new version will be six parts long, rather shorter than its 1972 forerunner. |
| Davies, whose other TV adaptations include Middlemarch and Sense and Sensibility, as well as the big screen versions of the Bridget Jones books, said the novel's Natasha Rostova pipped Pride and Prejudice's Elizabeth Bennett as literature's most loveable heroine. | Davies, whose other TV adaptations include Middlemarch and Sense and Sensibility, as well as the big screen versions of the Bridget Jones books, said the novel's Natasha Rostova pipped Pride and Prejudice's Elizabeth Bennett as literature's most loveable heroine. |
| "Not just a great novel, it's a wonderful read and it'll make a wonderful serial. A thrilling, funny and heartbreaking story of love, war and family life," said Davies. | "Not just a great novel, it's a wonderful read and it'll make a wonderful serial. A thrilling, funny and heartbreaking story of love, war and family life," said Davies. |
| "The characters are so natural and human and easy to identify with, and Natasha Rostova just beats Lizzy Bennet as the most lovable heroine in literature." | "The characters are so natural and human and easy to identify with, and Natasha Rostova just beats Lizzy Bennet as the most lovable heroine in literature." |
| The book, first published in 1869, weighed in at more than 1,200 pages, chronicling the lives of aristocratic families affected by the French invasion of Russia in the early 19th century. | The book, first published in 1869, weighed in at more than 1,200 pages, chronicling the lives of aristocratic families affected by the French invasion of Russia in the early 19th century. |
| With only six instalments to play with, the Davies adaptation is expected to leave out the book's lengthy philosophical and historical elements, focusing on its human relationships and the story of its four families. | With only six instalments to play with, the Davies adaptation is expected to leave out the book's lengthy philosophical and historical elements, focusing on its human relationships and the story of its four families. |
| Davies told the Daily Telegraph that the interaction between characters and their families would be "very familiar" to fans of BBC1 soap EastEnders, but with "not so much yelling and nobody on the dole". | Davies told the Daily Telegraph that the interaction between characters and their families would be "very familiar" to fans of BBC1 soap EastEnders, but with "not so much yelling and nobody on the dole". |
| He described it as "true to life" with no need to "dumb it down" for a mass, modern audience, despite the challenge of converting a 1,225-page book into a six-part TV series. | He described it as "true to life" with no need to "dumb it down" for a mass, modern audience, despite the challenge of converting a 1,225-page book into a six-part TV series. |
| Davies is hoping to cast an unknown young actor in the role of Natasha Rostova, with more experienced leads taking the parts of the two male protagonists, Pierre (played by Hopkins in the 1972 adaptation) and Andrei. | Davies is hoping to cast an unknown young actor in the role of Natasha Rostova, with more experienced leads taking the parts of the two male protagonists, Pierre (played by Hopkins in the 1972 adaptation) and Andrei. |
| The BBC1 controller, Danny Cohen, said: "War and Peace is truly epic in scale and builds on BBC1's commitment to bringing audiences drama of the highest quality and impact. | The BBC1 controller, Danny Cohen, said: "War and Peace is truly epic in scale and builds on BBC1's commitment to bringing audiences drama of the highest quality and impact. |
| "Told over six episodes, Andrew Davies will bring his exceptional powers of adaptation to this literary masterpiece." | "Told over six episodes, Andrew Davies will bring his exceptional powers of adaptation to this literary masterpiece." |
| The new version will be shown by BBC1 in 2015 with casting details still to be finalised. | The new version will be shown by BBC1 in 2015 with casting details still to be finalised. |
| Executive producer Faith Penhale said: "Today's audience will be drawn into the sweeping story of life and love during a time of conflict, with a dazzling production that brings to life the great vision and scale of the novel." | Executive producer Faith Penhale said: "Today's audience will be drawn into the sweeping story of life and love during a time of conflict, with a dazzling production that brings to life the great vision and scale of the novel." |
| BBC1 controller Danny Cohen said six hours was a "fair amount of time to tell the story" despite the novel's notorious length. | BBC1 controller Danny Cohen said six hours was a "fair amount of time to tell the story" despite the novel's notorious length. |
| "We won't be focusing too much on the philosophical sections. We will be focusing on the big characters, the big narrative. It's in the hands of Andrew Davies, who is the most expert person at this. He has got immense skill in bringing the world of novels onto the screen." | "We won't be focusing too much on the philosophical sections. We will be focusing on the big characters, the big narrative. It's in the hands of Andrew Davies, who is the most expert person at this. He has got immense skill in bringing the world of novels onto the screen." |
| Cohen said the project, which is likely to have a budget of around £10m, was a result of conversations about bringing "more distinctive, landmark dramas to BBC1". Other authors thought to have been discussed included Dickens, Trollope and the Brontes. | Cohen said the project, which is likely to have a budget of around £10m, was a result of conversations about bringing "more distinctive, landmark dramas to BBC1". Other authors thought to have been discussed included Dickens, Trollope and the Brontes. |
| "We settled on War and Peace because it has not been done for a very long time," said Cohen. "It felt like going for a very meaty piece of Russian literature would take us to a place we haven't been recently." | "We settled on War and Peace because it has not been done for a very long time," said Cohen. "It felt like going for a very meaty piece of Russian literature would take us to a place we haven't been recently." |
| He added: "We haven't done one on this scale for a while. There was David Copperfield, one of the chunkier Dickens' ones [starring Bob Hoskins and Dame Maggie Smith, in 1999]. | He added: "We haven't done one on this scale for a while. There was David Copperfield, one of the chunkier Dickens' ones [starring Bob Hoskins and Dame Maggie Smith, in 1999]. |
| "I can't think of many other major pieces of Russian literature that the BBC has taken on as a big mainstream challenge. It's a high-impact, big mainstream drama that maybe other channels wouldn't want to take on." | "I can't think of many other major pieces of Russian literature that the BBC has taken on as a big mainstream challenge. It's a high-impact, big mainstream drama that maybe other channels wouldn't want to take on." |
| Asked how the drama would appeal to BBC1's heartland audience, Cohen said: "The aim is to explore universal themes, all great novels explore big universal themes that we all relate to. That's why they have stood the test of time. I know Andrew [Davies] will focus on those." | Asked how the drama would appeal to BBC1's heartland audience, Cohen said: "The aim is to explore universal themes, all great novels explore big universal themes that we all relate to. That's why they have stood the test of time. I know Andrew [Davies] will focus on those." |
| War and Peace – a history of adaptations | War and Peace – a history of adaptations |
| Hopkins leads BBC epic The BBC's 20-part adaptation of War and Peace in 1972 and 1973 starred a youthful Anthony Hopkins in the lead role of Pierre Bezukhov. The cast also included Rupert Davies (who played the title role in Maigret), Morag Hood, Alan Dobie and Angela Down. | Hopkins leads BBC epic The BBC's 20-part adaptation of War and Peace in 1972 and 1973 starred a youthful Anthony Hopkins in the lead role of Pierre Bezukhov. The cast also included Rupert Davies (who played the title role in Maigret), Morag Hood, Alan Dobie and Angela Down. |
| Hepburn and Fonda take it to the big screen War and Peace was adapted for cinema in 1956, starring Audrey Hepburn as Natasha and Henry Fonda as Pierre. Nearly three and a half hours long, it was the first English-language film version and was directed by King Vidor (Duel in the Sun, The Fountainhead). | Hepburn and Fonda take it to the big screen War and Peace was adapted for cinema in 1956, starring Audrey Hepburn as Natasha and Henry Fonda as Pierre. Nearly three and a half hours long, it was the first English-language film version and was directed by King Vidor (Duel in the Sun, The Fountainhead). |
| Six years, seven hours Russian director and actor Sergei Bondarchuk won an Oscar for his four-part, seven-hour epic which took six years to make and was released in 1967 and 1968. Bondarchuk also starred as Pierre, was more than 50 years after the first Russian adaptation, by director Vladimir Gardin, in 1915. | Six years, seven hours Russian director and actor Sergei Bondarchuk won an Oscar for his four-part, seven-hour epic which took six years to make and was released in 1967 and 1968. Bondarchuk also starred as Pierre, was more than 50 years after the first Russian adaptation, by director Vladimir Gardin, in 1915. |
| McDowell stars in Euro co-pro Malcolm McDowell starred as Prince Bolkonsky in this four-part TV miniseries in Russian and English in 2007. The European co-production, made by Italian studio Lux Vide, featured German actor Alexander Beyer in the lead role. | McDowell stars in Euro co-pro Malcolm McDowell starred as Prince Bolkonsky in this four-part TV miniseries in Russian and English in 2007. The European co-production, made by Italian studio Lux Vide, featured German actor Alexander Beyer in the lead role. |
| On the wireless BBC Radio 4 broadcast a 10-part adaptation recorded on location in 1997 featuring a 35-strong cast including Leo McKern, Simon Russell Beale and Emily Mortimer. The Home Service previously broadcast an eight-part adaptation starring Leslie Banks and Celia Johnson, in 1943. | On the wireless BBC Radio 4 broadcast a 10-part adaptation recorded on location in 1997 featuring a 35-strong cast including Leo McKern, Simon Russell Beale and Emily Mortimer. The Home Service previously broadcast an eight-part adaptation starring Leslie Banks and Celia Johnson, in 1943. |
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