Watch Vanya on 42nd Street

Vanya on 42nd Street is a 1994 film directed by Louis Malle based on Anton Chekhov's classic play Uncle Vanya. The film follows the story of a rehearsal of the play in a rundown New York theater in the early 1990s. The film stars Wallace Shawn as Vanya and Phoebe Brand as the family matriarch Maria Petrovna, along with George Gaynes, Julianne Moore, Brooke Smith, and Lynn Cohen.

The film takes place in an unusual setting for a Chekhov play – an empty, abandoned theater located on New York's 42nd Street. The theater serves as both the backdrop and the stage for the play's rehearsal. The rehearsal process is led by director Andre Gregory, who is known for his work on experimental theater productions. The cast members are all stage actors, who have been rehearsing the play for some time.

The film opens with the actors arriving at the empty theater to begin the rehearsal. They gather in the theater's dimly lit foyer and make their way to the dusty and decrepit stage, where the characters' lives will be played out. The actors are dressed casually in everyday clothes, and the set is minimal, with only a few pieces of furniture scattered about.

As the rehearsal commences, the characters come to life. Vanya is an embittered, middle-aged man living in the Russian countryside with his sister Sonia and his niece Sonya. He is disillusioned with his life and his work, and he is struggling to find meaning and purpose. Maria Petrovna is a proud and wealthy landowner, who has spent her life managing the family estate. She is no longer young, but she is still charming and manipulative, and she revels in the attention of her admirers.

The other characters include Sonya, who is in love with the handsome doctor Astrov, played by George Gaynes. Julianne Moore plays Yelena, the doctor's beautiful wife, who captivates everyone around her. Meanwhile, Brooke Smith plays Sonia, Vanya's niece, who is a shy and sensitive young woman.

As the rehearsal progresses, the cast members explore their characters' inner lives and emotional struggles. The dialogue is witty, poignant, and insightful, capturing the essence of Chekhov's original play. The actors' performances are understated and natural, bringing a sense of realism and authenticity to the film.

The rehearsal scene is shot in a documentary-style format, with hand-held cameras capturing the actors' interactions in real-time. The lighting is minimal, with the actors lit only by the dim light that spills onto the stage from the theater's foyer. The result is an intimate and immersive experience, as the viewer feels as though they are a part of the rehearsal process.

Throughout the film, the theater's decay serves as a metaphor for the characters' own deteriorating lives. The theater has been neglected and abandoned, just as Vanya and the other characters feel neglected and abandoned by their own lives. Yet amidst this decay and despair, there are moments of hope and beauty. There is the budding romance between Sonya and Astrov, the wonder of Yelena's beauty, and the tender compassion of Maria Petrovna.

Vanya on 42nd Street is ultimately a tribute to the power of theater, the resilience of the human spirit, and the beauty of life. It is a poignant and thought-provoking film that captures the essence of Chekhov's original play while bringing it to life in a fresh and modern way. It is a must-see for all fans of theater and literature.

Vanya on 42nd Street is a 1994 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 59 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3.