Now this episode moved me...and I wasn't expecting it. Things did not look promising at first. Again with the rushing of the plot...Andrei and his tree...snatched moments with Pierre and Andrei...things were looking distinctly clunky. Helene and Boris...what exactly was that? And was it all entirely necessary? A bit of "sexing up" to be sure...and Tuppence Middleton is very pleasing to look at...in spite of the character's very obvious nasty vapid emptiness. I'm sure I don't know why she is the most popular character with viewers...oh wait...I figured it out...modern society is as vapid, nasty, shallow and empty as Helene is...and this production of War and Peace was in danger of following suit. Even the duel between Pierre and Dolohov was empty of emotion. I just didn't believe them. If you doubt me, just compare the same scene in the 1973 version with Anthony Hopkins and you will FEEL the difference...unless you have a heart of stone.
BUT THEN came the Ball Scene with Natasha and Andrei. Suddenly things didn't just look up, they took off. And I have to also say that the scene at Otradnoe between Sonia and Natasha with Andrei listening while the girls looked up at the moon was absolutely magical. Full marks.
NOW the production has finally got going. Strong performances from Lily James and James Norton and also, eventually, Paul Dano, who by the end of the episode was no longer just sleepwalking through his part. Having to yell and throw things at Helene's character obviously "woke him up", although she is, I'm afraid, irretrievable (the character, not the actress - Tuppence is doing a great job in portraying a very difficult and unsympathetic role).
I hope the good momentum keeps up! Roll on Episode 4! (many thanks once again to the BBC for the great picture of the Waltz Scene!)
BUT THEN came the Ball Scene with Natasha and Andrei. Suddenly things didn't just look up, they took off. And I have to also say that the scene at Otradnoe between Sonia and Natasha with Andrei listening while the girls looked up at the moon was absolutely magical. Full marks.
NOW the production has finally got going. Strong performances from Lily James and James Norton and also, eventually, Paul Dano, who by the end of the episode was no longer just sleepwalking through his part. Having to yell and throw things at Helene's character obviously "woke him up", although she is, I'm afraid, irretrievable (the character, not the actress - Tuppence is doing a great job in portraying a very difficult and unsympathetic role).
I hope the good momentum keeps up! Roll on Episode 4! (many thanks once again to the BBC for the great picture of the Waltz Scene!)
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