Moscow 1805: the lives of three families living in the tsarist Russia is running quite differently.
At a celebration young Natascha Rostowa meets Prinz Andrej Bolkonski and falls in love with him although she knows that he is already married.
Her cousin Sonja is in love with Natascha's brother Nicolai, but she is poor and there is no chance for the two coming together.
Pierre, on old friend of the family, is the illegitimate son of Count Besuchow, who dies and leaves him a letter, acknowledging Pierre as his legitimate child and making him his heir.
In the meantime Russia has entered the war against Napoleon to support Austria. Andrej also joins the fight as adjutant of General Kutusow. He leaves his pregnant wife Lise at his father's country seat. The old Prince Bolkonski is leading a harsh regime his daughter Marja is suffering from.
Pierre who suddenly is wealthy is courted by Hélène his father's steward's daughter and finally marries her. But soon he has to recognize that it has been a false decision.
Nicolai Rostow joins the army and is wounded during a withdrawal and only saved by Denissow. Nicolai presents his rescuer to his family and Denissow falls in love with Natascha and proposes to her, but her mother refuses him.
After the bloody defeat in Austerlitz Andrej stays behind and is considered to be dead. but he returns home, finding his wife dying during childbirth. To cheer him up Pierre takes him to the Rostow's country seat where Andrej falls in love with Natascha and leaves the house confused by his feelings. At a ball to celebrate the peace agreement between the Tsar and Napoleon Natascha and Andrej meet again and dance together. Andrej cannot hide his feelings for her, but withdrawas leaving Natascha desperate. He asks his father to marry her, but the old Prince is not very fond of his son's idea and urges him to go to the Polish border first. Before Andrej leaves he visits Natascha to ask her to marry him. She is very happy and agrees to wait one year for his return.
Meanwhile Hélène's father Prince Kuragin plans the marriage of his son Andrej to Marja Bolkonski, but Prince Bolkonski and his daughter see through the plan and Marja refuses.
Pierre's wife Hélène has an affair with Dolochow, her husband's friend. When Dolochow humiliates Pierre, he challenges him to a duel. Natascha tries to bring Hélene to prevent the duel, but she just sends Natascha away. Dolochow is hurt in the duel and Pierre sends his wife away. But soon Prince Kuragin convinces him to forgive Hélène and to keep up appearances.
When the Rostows visit an uncle in the country, Nicolai tells his mother that he wants to marry Sonja, but the Countess tries to keep him from doing so as she wants him to marry a rich heiress. Nicolai is angry and directly seeks Sonja to ask her to marry him, but Sonja refuses asking him not to fight with his parents and wait.
Andrej, positioned at the Polish border hears that Anatol Kuragin has impregnated a daughter of a Polish memeber of the landed gentry and now urges him to marry the girl.