The Cherry Orchard (1999)

Set in Russia during the turn of the 20th century, a Russian aristocrat (Charlotte Rampling) returns to her country estate after an extensive stay in Paris. She finds the estate heavily in debt and about to be auctioned off. A former peasant, now a wealthy merchant (Owen Teale) urges her and her brother (Alan Bates) to save the estate by turning their beloved cherry orchard into summer cottages for vacationers which they refuse to do. Based on the classic play by Anton Chekhov and directed by Michael Cacoyannis (ZORBA THE GREEK). I'm a big fan of Chekhov's plays, notably THE SEA GULL, THREE SISTERS and UNCLE VANYA but THE CHERRY ORCHARD has always mystified me. Its aristocrats seem oblivious to their complicity in their own destruction. Its former peasants seem ambiguous toward the aristocracy, detesting them yet desirous of their status. Unlike stage versions, the film benefits because we see and spend time in an actual cherry orchard and we can begin to feel why this orchard means so much to the family. The film is well acted and directed and its a respectable adaptation of Chekhov's play but its themes of social change, class struggle and the political landscape of Russia aren't emphasized enough. With Gerard Butler, Xander Berkeley, Michael Gough, Melanie Lynskey, Katrin Cartlidge and Frances De La Tour.