Hilton Head Island: WAR AND PEACH; to survive; similar skeletons

 

WAR AND PEACH above is not a typo, though originally it was and remains one of my all time favorites.  It occurred in a letter I mailed in 1985 to a man I thought was a friend, but proved merely to be an acquaintance, from Tahiti where surrounded by tropical beauty I was reading for the second or third time Tolstoy’s novel.  The contrast between Russian snows and tropical heat was pleasing.

Last evening I finished watching for the third time the magnificent four part seven hour long 1960s Russian film version of the novel, which is undoubtedly one of the greatest films ever made, and not just for the colossal battle scenes in which more than 10,000 Russian soldiers took part, but for the human detail of the acting and the direction, often in ironic juxtaposition, such as Napoleon’s army crossing into Russia followed by a scene of the nobility dancing at the same moment at a formal ball.

As I watched I found myself wondering what the lives have been of some of the actors and actresses who were at the time not much older than I and may still be alive in a country that has changed so much.

I am not aware that anyone streams this WAR AND PEACE, but the DVD set is available to buy from Amazon for $19.99.  A bargain for a masterpiece.  

The novel has been filmed several times.  The version to which I refer is that directed and acted in by Sergei Bondarchuk.

Here is a link to a Wikipedia article about the film.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_and_Peace_(film_series)

 While I prefer ANNA KARENINA I may have to read WAR AND PEACH one more time, if I have time.

From entries for January 6 in THE ASSASSIN’S CLOAK, one from 1836:

Not a problem for solo sailors.

And from the BEING ALIVE anthology, a poem in part about similar skeletons.

The top photo has no meaning.  I am not reaching for anyone or anything.  Most of it is reflection on our bedroom window where I often sit and am sitting now.  The other night I happened to see my hand there and find the image mysterious.