War and Peace
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	King Vidor
Screenplay by	Bridget Boland Mario Camerini Ennio De Concini Gian Gaspare Napolitano Ivo Perilli Mario Soldati King Vidor Robert Westerby
Produced by	Dino De Laurentiis Carlo Ponti
Starring	Audrey Hepburn Henry Fonda Mel Ferrer Oscar Homolka Anita Ekberg
Cinematography	Jack Cardiff
Edited by	Leo Cattozzo
Music by	Nino Rota
Production company	Ponti-De Laurentiis Cinematografica
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures (US) Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica (Italy)
Release dates	August 21, 1956 (1956-08-21) (United States) December 29, 1956 (1956-12-29) (Italy)
Running time	208 minutes
Countries	United States Italy
Languages	English Italian Russian
Budget	$6 million
Box office	$6.25 million (Rentals)[1]

War and Peace is a 1956 American-Italian war drama film directed by King Vidor and written by Vidor, Bridget Boland, Mario Camerini, Ennio De Concini, Gian Gaspare Napolitano, Ivo Perilli, Mario Soldati, and Robert Westerby based on Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel of the same name. The film, released by Paramount Pictures, was produced by Dino De Laurentiis and Carlo Ponti with a music score by Nino Rota and cinematography by Jack Cardiff.

The film stars Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and Mel Ferrer, along with Herbert Lom and Anita Ekberg, in one of her first breakthrough roles. It had Academy Awards nominations for Best Director (King Vidor), Best Cinematography, Color (Jack Cardiff) and Best Costume Design, Color (Maria De Matteis).

The film script had to condense the extensive original. It is primarily focused on Natasha, Pierre, and Andrei, their complex relationship and personal maturation on the backdrop of the historical events of the Napoleonic invasion.

• In Moscow, most of the scenes take place at the Rostov residence, and episodes at the country estates are curtailed, with some exceptions such as the hunt where Natasha first meets Andrei. This is a condensation of two scenes at the Rostov country estate, since in the novel Andrei, who by then is already Natasha's fiancé, is not present at the hunt.
• There is no scene from St. Petersburg.
• The relationship between Nikolas, Sonya, and Mary is toned down.
• Historical figures retained are General Kutuzov and Napoleon.
• Minor battles are omitted, while Napoleon's crossing of the Berezina is added.
• The concept of the inner dialogue is retained, notably in regard to Natasha, but the extensive use of French is not retained in the film.
• Events of the epilogue are not included, nor are Tolstoy's discourses about history.

The film received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 33% of 6 reviews were positive, with an average rating of 4.8/10.^[2]

• 
  Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer in the set of War and Peace in 1955
• 
  Screenshot of Audrey Hepburn in the role of Natasha and Mel Ferrer as Prince Andrei

• List of American films of 1956
• War and Peace - 1966-67 film series directed by Sergei Bondarchuk
• War and Peace - 1972 TV 20-part BBC Production.
• War and Peace - 2007 TV 4-Part Mini Series.
• War and Peace - 1941 Opera composed by Sergei Prokofieff.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to War and Peace.

• War and Peace at IMDb
• War and Peace at Rotten Tomatoes

v t e Nino Rota
List of compositions film scores Discography
Operas	I due timidi (1950) Il cappello di paglia di Firenze (1955) La notte di un nevrastenico (1959)
Concertos	Trombone Concerto
Film soundtracks	Romeo and Juliet The Godfather "Speak Softly, Love" The Godfather Part II The Godfather Part III
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