War and Peace

ABC 2 showed War and Peace last night. A 3 and a half hour marathon starring Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda who sounded and looked rather out of place as a Russian. What a massive cast. The battle scenes were extraordinary and remember this is pre computer enhancement. There must have been tens of thousands of people re-enacting the cavalry charges and infantry fighting. And the winter scenes! Absolutely freezing, struggling knee deep in snow with horses and artillery when Napoleon was forced to retreat from Moscow.

Seeing that movie made me pick up the book and continue my marathon read. I can put faces to the names now and some of the characters are clearer. All the Russian officers seem to be Princes or Counts and it gets rather confusing especially with their triple barrel names. It's a surprisingly accessible writing style though and I am enjoying it. I haven't reached the part where flighty and beautiful young Natasha pledges her allegiance to Prince Andrew, he goes off to fight the French and in the interim she is swept off her little feet by the caddish womanizer Anatol. Audrey Hepburn was so young and lovely in the role. I'm looking forward to that part.