Vanya on 42nd St.

Have you see Wally Shawn portraying Vanya in this film. What do you think of it? Do you feel for Sonia?

Shawn comes close, but Moore's is the definitive performance. And yes, of course we are meant to care for Sonia. We are supposed to care for everyone in Chekhov.

At the risk of reactivating an old thread, I must say Vanya on 42nd street is one of my favourite movies. It's one of my "go to" DVDs. All of the performances are masterly and somehow the minimal props and decaying set add to the experience. At one point Astrov speaks of "decaying country houses, right out of Turgenyev" and that fits with the theatre as it was then, before Disney and co. got to it. I have always wondered if this film wasn't instrumental in rescuing the venue.

I think that we are indeed meant to feel for Sonya, and I do. Tchekov felt deeply for all his characters, perhaps most for those he disliked, and he manages to make his readers feel.
He was also a century or so ahead of his time in his concern for the environment and awareness of the effects of deforestation.
Does anyone know if Tchekov was vegetarian?

Nope, Chekhov was not vegeterian. As for Vanya on42nd street: I liked this movie - I saw it when I lived in the USA. Point is, Russian movie impressed me as well (I am Russian and moscovite). I mean, "Dyadya Vanya" feature movie, 1970 or so, director Andrey Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky, with famous and absolutely marvelous Russian actors: Innikentii Smoktunovsky (Vanya), Serguei Bondarchuk (Astrov), Vladimir Zeldin (Serebryakov), Irina Kupchenko (Sonya). Perhaps, it can be found in some Internet movie stores. I know that this movie was shown in Western Europe (it got some award in Italy, for instance). I strongly recommend those who are interested in Chekhov, and especially in Uncle Vanya, to see Konchalovsky's film.

I really want to see it :D

Well, what are you wating for? :-) Seemingly, you can get it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Vanya-Dyadya/dp/B000HAVU16

for $19.95

Not region 2 though :(