"A Brilliant intellectual comedy" "A
fantastic and affectionate spoof of Russian Literature, Tolstoy
in particular, and any movie ever made about Russian history."
The basic story involves a nerdy Russian farmer's
war adventures, his love life, and his search for the meaning
of life.
A cowardly 18th Century Russian farmer, Boris
Grushenko (Woody Allen) grapples with issues of sex, love, and
death. Woody originally planned to release the movie with the
title, "Sex and Death." When UA informed the Woodman
that this title was unacceptable, he compromised and settled for
"Love and Death."
Director/writer Woody Allen's "Love and
Death," is a hysterical, historical look at 18th Century
Russia, around the time of the Napoleonic Wars, which "invades
the land and spirit of Tolstoy". Boris (Allen), one of three
sons of a farmer, Dimitri Grushenko (Brian Coburn) at the beginning
of the film is in love with his cousin Sonya (Keaton) who loves
one of his brothers, Ivan, who loves another girl, Natasha (Jessica
Harper). When Ivan announces his marriage to Natasha, Sonya impulsively
announces that she too is to be married to the Herring fish merchant,
Leon Voskovec.
When war with France breaks out, the reluctant,
"short on courage" Boris joins the the army with his
brothers, under pressure from his family, which leads to humorous
situations for klutzy Boris in Boot Camp. His mother proclaimed
to their party guests: "He'll go and he'll fight, and I hope
they will put him in the front lines." Boris: "Thanks
a lot, Mom. My mother, folks."
Through hilarious twists in fate, he inadvertently
becomes a hero, experiences bedroom escapades, with the luscious
Countess Alexandrovna (Olga Georges-Picot) a duel with the jealous
Anton Inbedkov (Harold Gould), reunites with Sonya, and becomes
involved in a plan to kill Napoleon himself.
The film has a great mix of both intellectual
and physical humor. In Allen's hilarious script, in between various
segments, Allen inserts intellectual humor, along with the physical
laughs. Like Tolstoy does in his book, War and Peace, various
characters have discussions about morality, talk demonstratively
about wheat fields and the golden sun, all which is cleverly injected
into conversations.
Characters talk to themselves and the camera,
briefly putting the story on hold. For example, Keaton thinks
aloud in a humorous fashion of whether she should marry Boris,
or would she feel trapped,etc. Boris at the same time, facially
reacts to her discussion and talks about wheat, in a very funny
imitation of a Tolstoy character.
Favorite scenes Include: Sonya at home with her
merchant husband and her lover. Boris's adventures at boot camp
and the battle Field, Boris's flirting with the Countess at the
Opera Theatre, the duel, the beginning scenes from Boris &
Sonya's marriage the sequences leading up to their assassination
attempt on Napoleon, and Woody dancing around with the Grim reaper.
It pokes fun at similar scenes in Ingmar Bergman movies.
Diane Keaton and Woody Allen make a great screen
comedy team. They have an obvious affection for each other, and
great comedy timing. "Allen and Keaton are the most delectably
funny movie team since Mae West and W.C. Fields." - (L.A.
Herald Examiner)
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