If Barry Lyndon, Then War and Peace

If you find the film, “Barry Lyndon” by Stanley Kubrick interesting, then you should definitely include “War and Peace”, a 1966-67 film series in four parts directed by Sergei Bondarchuk in your must watch list as the latter is a literal improvement of the former. The film primarily tackle the intimate lives of noble individuals during Napoleon’s conquest of Russia and Austria. Like its predecessor, “War and Peace” unveils an even more interesting epic action film incorporating various themes including love, betrayal, and family that would significantly appeal to the enthusiasts of Barry Lyndon.

Here the audience is treated to a deformed version of Barry Lyndon: Pierre Bezukhov, who unlike his predecessor, starts off as a lowly gentleman to become a formidable militarist baying for the head of the French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte. Pierre is the close friend to Prince Andrew, who shuns fighting and is enriched through his father’s death that leaves him as the sole heir to a vast estate. While the film differs significantly from “Barry Lyndon” it portrays a tremendous improvement of the same with more dynamic and robust characters that will keep you glued to the screen to the end of its six-hour length. The six hours may seem long but, believe you me, they will be shorter than you might perceive. Additionally, the film will not only evoke your innermost emotions, but also explore your egoistic and aggressive self by exposing you to the frontline of the French wars.

Most importantly, “War and Peace” is the film to watch as it is one of the most expensive and time-consuming films in the history of Hollywood production. The film’s production cost a whooping one hundred million dollars and underwent a lengthy production period of almost six years. Moreover, it is among the largest films in existence with a cast of at least one hundred and twenty thousand individuals. With these statistics, the production establishes itself as a dominant figure in the world of literature, and this makes it a formidable product. Of all the films documenting the tenure of Napoleon and his troops as they conquered Europe, “War and Peace” is the most detailed as depicts both the war and peaceful times of this era during the French invasion of Sir Alexander’s Moscow. Besides, the film is a historical relic with critiques claiming that it reveals the French wars exactly as they occurred.

Further, the film stands out in most award boards with numerous rewards and translations. At least ten translations have preceded its initial production with the film featuring in most media channels throughout the globe. The 19th century film is among the most common productions with representation in most media channels including radios, magazines, television, theaters, and on-line media. Notably, the film is an adaptation of the 1869 novel “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy, which chronicles all the events of Napoleon’s wars within Europe. The setting of the film paves way for historians to criticize the actions of Napoleon and Sir Alexander’s subsequent retaliation. Similarly, the film includes a depiction of the Great Comet of 1811, which makes it a darling for astronomy enthusiasts as myself. For any one with interests in mega historical events such as this one, the movie will provide a significantly adorable experience.

Moreover, the film has undergone numerous adaptations making it one of the most reproduced literary content in the film industry. The first version of the film came in 1915 by producer Ladimir Gardin and this was purely Russian. Thirty-two years later, the Japanese producer, F. Kamei unveiled the 1947 version. Later in 1956 King Vidor unleashed an American version of the film, which was roughly two hundred and eight minutes long and incorporated prominent actors including Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda. Finally, the indomitable and highly critiqued piece came in 1967 with Serge Bondarchuk being both the producer and the lead character, Pierre. Accordingly, most literary scholars presume this to be the best and most accurate depiction of not only the initial novel, but also the events that occurred during Napoleon’s era.

Moreover, the film explores some of the most inspiring themes in Stanley Kubrick’s film more extensively, making it a potential darling for most “Barry Lyndon” lovers. While Barry Lyndon explores the theme of love shallowly by depicting the protagonist as both incapable of intimate love but with affection for his son, Brian, “War and Peace” provides an entanglement of intimate relationships that ramify the violent experiences of the characters in the film. In my opinion, I can conclude that the former has only one protagonist, Barry, while the latter has more characters playing central roles including Pierre, Natasha, Andrew, and Mary. As such, the film details an explosive web of interrelationships featuring a sudden and sadistic interchange of partners that will further enhance your intimate experience as you watch the film. The film escapes the norm by being a unique piece that is rarely predictable and addresses most of its audience’s interests.

Similarly, the film addresses the issue of family, though in a different way from its Kubrick-produced version. “Barry Lyndon” explores the escapades of an individual who flees from his family in search of asylum only to end up breaking and traumatizing the Lyndon family, leading to his own breakdown, Contrarily, Bondarchuk’s production presents family as a holistic social grouping that ensures solidarity and promotes development. While the film is mostly about Napoleon’s troops laying bear Russia and Moscow specifically, it also depicts the noble Russian families standing in defiance of the French and rebuilding their country from scratch. Through the film, it is notable that family is an essential aspect of a nation, and this makes the film not only relatable to modern society, but also morally educative.

Finally, the film presents the theme of betrayal in a more avid and acceptable manner than its predecessor, which also reflects the consequence of the vice. “Barry Lyndon” portrays Barry as a traitor and a betrayer in more than one instance. For one, he abandons the Irish troops in search of individual gains only to land in the camp of his nation’s foes. Apart from participating in such treason, the main character also dupes a widow into a false intimacy to defraud her of her inherited wealth. The producer aligns with expectations by punishing the offender at the end of the film. Similarly, “War and Peace” elicits the same judgment on traitors by subjecting to deceitful characters to great public shame. Conversely, the film opposes the first through its depiction of soldiers as bon fide patriots through characters like Andrew, who fight for their nation to the death.

“War and Peace” is more of a literary improvement to the film, “Barry Lyndon” and both feature conflicts and historical events of their respective period. Some of the most outstanding aspects of this film include its large cast and multi-million production cost. However, the film offers a more elaborative discharge of numerous themes in the latter film including love, family, and betrayal, which make it a must watch for “Barry Lyndon’s” enthusiasts.