The Cherry Orchard

1999 Drama

Renowned Greek filmmaker Michael Cacoyannis wrote and directed this adaptation of the classic final drama by playwright Anton Chekhov, set in 1900. Lyubov Ranevskaya (Charlotte Rampling) left Russia to escape troubling memories of the death of her son. Now her family is riddled with debt and Lyubov and her teenaged daughter Anya (Tushka Bergen) have come home to the family estate, looking for a way to pay their bills. Much to their dismay, the Ranevskayas are forced to sell their land to Lopakhin (Owen Teale), a crude businessman who intends to build a housing development in what was once the family's cherry orchard. The international cast also includes Alan Bates as Lyubov's brother Gaev, Katrin Cartlidge as Lyubov's ward Varya, and Michael Gough and Frances de la Tour as the family's servants.

Director: Michael Cacoyannis

Starring: Alan Bates, Gerard Butler, Michael Gough, Tushka Bergen, Owen Teale

 10 Reviews  1 Awards

Reviews

  • An exquisite performance by Charlotte Rampling, whose work as Lyubov Andreyevna Ranevskaya, the matriarch of the great estate the cherry orchard sits on, is the film's dazzling centerpiece.

    Kenneth Turan - Los Angeles Times

    27 April 2013

  • While Cacoyannis' film may not be totally faithful to the master's pen, for literature students and theater lovers, this Cherry Orchard is a rare treat.

    Marta Barber - Miami Herald

    27 April 2013

  • Any Chekhov is better than no Chekhov, but it would be a shame if this was your introduction to one of the greatest plays of the last 100 years.

    John Petrakis - The Chicago Tribune

    27 April 2013

  • There are affecting scenes, and not all of Cacoyannis' additions to the Chekhov text detract from the effect of its moving brilliance.

    Jonathan Foreman - New York Post

    27 April 2013

  • As Ranevskaya, the film's focal point and one of its only sources of vitality, Rampling is an enigmatic treasure.

    - The Boston Globe

    27 April 2013

Awards

  • Best Cinematography

    Thessaloniki Film Festival (1999)

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