Onegin
(1999)
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Onegin (Fiennes) is a bored, unaffected St. Petersburg aristocrat who inherits his uncle's large estate. When he rejects the advances of his neighbor Tatyana (Tyler), her sister's fiance considers this an offense worth fighting over. In a senseless, tragic duel, Onegin prevails. Six years later, Onegin returns to St. Petersburg and is reintroduced to Tatyana. This time, he falls helplessly in love with her and discovers, crushingly, that she has already married and has no intention on reciprocating his emotions. Fienne's debut as a feature film director is aided greatly by Adefarasin's cinematography, brother Ralph's performance, and Tyler's mere appearance. Based on the classic verse novel EUGENE ONEGIN by Pushkin. |
Ralph Fiennes is directed by his sister Martha in this ponderous adaptation of Pushkin's classic. Fiennes is well cast as lothario Evgeny Onegin, a decadent, dissipated aristocrat who moves to his recently deceased uncle's estate in rural Russia. There he proceeds to devastate the lives of all around him, rejecting the advances of the luscious Liv Tyler and driving affectionate bumpkin Toby Stephens into a deadly duel. Years later, he encounters Tyler again and falls hopelessly in love — but this realisation comes too late. Though beautifully shot, Onegin desperately needs pace, and the endless shots of Ralph's face show more sisterly devotion than emotion.
Halliwell's Film Guide
Sumptuous version of a classic tale of doomed love, but one that has an unwonted air of Anglo-Saxon repression about it; and Tyler is miscast.