By 1956, Henry Fonda had been one in every of Hollywood’s largest stars for practically 20 years, however his stardom was not constructed on him being a cool, charming adonis. He was an everyman, very like James Stewart. In temperament, he makes fairly a little bit of sense because the shy and awkward Pierre, however the character’s dimension is a significant half as to why he feels uncomfortable with individuals, which Fonda does not have. He was going to attempt his finest to appear to be Leo Tolstoy’s character, however producer Dino De Laurentiis needed a dashing main man, as Fonda recalled within the e-book “The Movies of Henry Fonda” by Tony Thomas:

“I knew I used to be bodily all flawed for Pierre, however I made a decision that, with the suitable spectacles, some strategically positioned padding and my hair combed ahead, I may move. Then it appears they did not need a Pierre who appeared like Pierre. One who appeared like Rock Hudson is nearer to what they’d in thoughts. They went right into a nervous shock after they noticed my authentic make-up. The padding went instantly –- over my anguished protests. And from that time on, it was a continuing wrestle between the producer and me as as to if or not I would put on the spectacles. I gained about half the time –- normally when he was nowhere close to the set.”

De Laurentiis was clearly extra serious about making a Hollywood blockbuster, and Fonda needed to serve the fabric. The top outcome falls someplace within the center, and for as a lot as Fonda offers himself over to the function, there’s nonetheless one thing off about this rail-thin film star on the heart. Past Fonda, the movie itself finds itself caught between the 2 worlds, and Pierre most likely finest exemplifies that divide.