The Cherry Orchard
This screen adaptation of Anton Chekhov's timeless play stars Charlotte Rampling as Lyubov, a Russian woman who returns from France to her family's estate in 1900 and discovers that the family fortune's been squandered. It seems the only way to save her beloved home is to sell the surrounding orchard land for development -- but Lyubov is unwilling to sacrifice any part of the property, and her despair grows as the mortgage date draws nearer.
Member Reviews
Much too long - MarieLoup
What a long and dull movie. The story is timeless, I must admit but shot at a way too slow pace. And the bad ending doesn't help. I would not say I don't recommend the movie but you need to be prepared to watch it until the end.
A special word for Mrs Rampling who plays exquisitely her character. And the Cherry Orchard is so beautiful.Stylish but a bit wooden - Port_Moresby
Beautifully shot, with no expense spared for period realism and sumptuous details, this is nonetheless a rather unaffecting adaptation of Chekhov's play. Cacoyannis has done a fantastic job of making it feel like a movie and not a filmed play, so that even though most of it takes place in the one house it's never confined to a particular set for an inordinate amount of time. This is a good thing, since Chekhov's dialogue is great enough to make the theatrical experience riveting but plays on film remove immediacy and suffer for it. Unfortunately, the dialogue is a bit stilted and overwrought, and the performers can never decide if they want to go for a naturalistic feel or be theatrically stylized. Rampling, who is usually such a genius, seems the most confused, and it removes one from the experience quite a bit. A shame, as the rest of the film is so delicate and fine (particularly the score based on themes by Tchaikovsky and played gorgeously by Ashkenazy).
Member Reviews
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Much too long - MarieLoup
What a long and dull movie. The story is timeless, I must admit but shot at a way too slow pace. And the bad ending doesn't help. I would not say I don't recommend the movie but you need to be prepared to watch it until the end.
A special word for Mrs ...Stylish but a bit wooden - Port_Moresby
Beautifully shot, with no expense spared for period realism and sumptuous details, this is nonetheless a rather unaffecting adaptation of Chekhov's play. Cacoyannis has done a fantastic job of making it feel like a movie and not a filmed play, so that even ...