War and Peace (film series)

War and Peace
Original theatrical release poster for Part I: Andrei Bolkonsky.
Directed by	Sergei Bondarchuk
Produced by	Viktor Tsirgiladze Nikolai Ivanov G. Meerovich V. Krivonoschenko
Screenplay by	Sergei Bondarchuk Vasili Solovyov
Based on	War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Starring	Ludmila Savelyeva Sergei Bondarchuk Vyacheslav Tikhonov
Music by	Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov
Cinematography	Anatoli Petritsky Alexander Shelenkov Yu-Lan Chen
Edited by	Tatiana Likhacheva
Production company	Mosfilm
Distributed by	Continental Distributing (US)
Release date	14 March 1966 (1966-03-14) (Part I) 20 July 1966 (1966-07-20) (Part II) 21 July 1967 (1967-07-21) (Part III) 4 November 1967 (1967-11-04) (Part IV)
Running time	Part I: 147 minutes Part II: 100 minutes Part III: 84 minutes Part IV: 100 minutes Total: 431 minutes
Country	Soviet Union
Language	Russian French German
Budget	8,291,712 Soviet ruble (USD$9.2 million)
Box office	58,000,000 Soviet ruble (USSR estimate)

War and Peace (Russian: Война и мир, trans. Voyna i mir) is a 1966-67 Soviet war drama film written and directed by Sergei Bondarchuk and a film adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel War and Peace. The film, released in four installments throughout 1966 and 1967, starred Bondarchuk in the leading role of Pierre Bezukhov, alongside Vyacheslav Tikhonov and Ludmila Savelyeva, who depicted Prince Andrei Bolkonsky and Natasha Rostova.

The picture was produced by the Mosfilm studios between 1961 and 1967, with considerable support from the Soviet authorities. At a cost of 8,291,712 Soviet ruble – equal to 9,213,013 USD in 1967 rates, or $67 million in 2011, accounting for ruble inflation – it was the most expensive film ever made in the Soviet Union. Upon its release, it became a success with the audiences, selling approximately 135 million tickets in its native country. War and Peace also won the Grand Prix in the Moscow International Film Festival, the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

In St. Petersburg of 1805, Pierre Bezukhov, the illegitimate son of a rich nobleman, is introduced to high society. His friend, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, joins the Imperial Russian Army as aide-de-camp of General Mikhail Kutuzov in the War of the Third Coalition against Napoleon. As Pierre's father recognizes him, he attracts the attention of Hélène Kuragin and marries her, only to discover she is unfaithful to him. Bolkonsky takes part in the failed campaign in Austria, where he witnesses the Battle of Schöngrabern and the Battle of Austerlitz. The prince is badly wounded and is mistaken for dead. His wife dies at childbirth. Bolkonsky returns to his home and meets Natasha Rostova, the young daughter of a count.