21st-Century Tolstoy: Why You Should Give War & Peace a Chance

We at the Pop Culturalist firmly believe that one of the best ways to shake off the winter blues is to curl up on your couch and lose yourself in a good movie, book, or TV show—in other words, transport yourself far, far away from the unpleasant realities of slick streets, slushy sidewalks, and leaky boots. For like-minded readers out there, I humbly submit for your consideration this winter War & Peace, the BBC’s new adaptation of the Leo Tolstoy novel, which will begin airing in the US on January 18^th simultaneously on A&E, Lifetime, and History.

For the uninitiated, War & Peace centers on several Russian aristocratic families caught up in the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). When I read the novel two years ago (some people run marathons; I read alarmingly thick literature), I was struck by how stirring and utterly human it was. War & Peace isn’t just a breathtaking waltz through epic set pieces and intimate moments; it is a timeless story about people finding their way in an unstable and often insincere world. The novel follows three characters: Andrei Bolkonsky, a disillusioned young nobleman who attempts to find glory on the battlefield; Pierre, an out-of-place and lovably eccentric young count who must navigate his way through Russian high society as he searches for meaning in life; and Natasha Rostova, a bubbly and passionate young countess who must learn to identify true love for herself. I realize that an adaptation of a snowy, Russian novel isn’t an obvious escape from the winter blues. But, I assure you, this is the right kind of snowy escapism, complete with thick fur coats, jangling troikas dashing down moonlit streets, winter balls in glittering palaces, and romance hot enough to melt even the most frozen heart.

So, War & Peace the novel is the stuff that great period drama is made on. If this adaptation plays its cards right, it could be legendary. Indeed, there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful. First and foremost, Andrew Davies is the screenwriter. If that name doesn’t make you jump out of your chair and do the worm, let me explain. Davies is one of the best adapters of classic literature out there. He wrote the screenplay for the popular 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice… in other words, you have Andrew Davies to thank for the famous (and famously delicious) Colin Firth-wet-shirt scene. Indeed, it is a truth universally acknowledged that Davies will be emphasizing the sex-appeal and scandal embedded in Tolstoy’s novel.

Equally important, Harvey Weinstein is one of the show’s producers. Love him or loathe him, you can’t deny that the man has a way of making a production look sumptuous and—notwithstanding the disaster that was Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love—attracting great talent.

Weinstein certainly brought great talent to this piece. For Prince Andrei, we have British heartthrob James Norton, the actor who made you shamelessly fantasize about a country clergyman in Grantchester. We also have Lily James as Natasha. You might remember her as sweet Rose on Downton Abbey or the title character in Disney’s live action Cinderella, and I think she is a natural fit for the sincere and charming Natasha. Finally, we have Paul Dano as Pierre. To be honest, this casting didn’t initially excite me—Pierre is supposed to be a bear of a man, and Dano is anything but. At the same time, he is a chameleon of an actor, so I’m curious to see what he will do with the character that serves as Tolstoy’s philosophical and moral stand-in throughout the novel. Norton, James, and Dano are just the leads. We also have a number of heavy-hitters rounding out the cast: Gillian Anderson (whose BBC credentials are pristine), Jim Broadbent, and Greta Scacchi.

I have high hopes for War & Peace. Perhaps my expectations are too high. But the only way to be sure is to tune in on the 18^th and see the 21^st-century take on one of the most beloved novels of all time. If nothing else, I’ll escape the winter blues for a few hours.

Photo Credit: BBC