Three Sisters

While one does not want to destroy the essence of a play, theater and film are different media and require different approaches. With this in mind, Olivier's adaption of Chekov's "Three Sisters" successfully overcomes the problems of filming a play without losing any of the work's theatrical aspects. The story opens in turn-of-the-century Russia. Three sisters--Watts, Plowright, and Purnell--along with brother Jacobi dream of leaving their small town in the countryside so they might return to the sophisticated atmosphere of their beloved Moscow. During a celebration for Purnell's patron saint, the siblings are joined in the festivities by Olivier, an aging doctor a...