This version had been locked in an Italian bank's vaults for quite a time but now has been showing to the Russian audience... to its great dismay. Myself and most of the people who have watched the first 3 episodes are not really keen, to put it mildly. The main problem is that it was made expressly for the Western audience in the 1990 and carries mainly a love line (quite schmaltzy at that) and little emotional impact. Great book, a talented director (once upon a time), awful script, lots of factual mistakes, abysmal casting (I LOVE Rupert Everett, but he's really not made for that part). This could be a mini-series of the decade. Instead it turned out to be yet another sub-par Russian-themed drivel. Read the book or turn to Gerassimov's 1957 sublime version - you will not be disappointed. Don't waste your time on this one.
Review of Tikhiy Don
