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Vivien Leigh (Gone With the Wind), in her best role since Scarlett O’Hara, is the most tragic adulteress of all – Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. After falling in love with Alexei Vronsky, a Russian army officer, Anna scandalises Moscow by leaving her husband and child to live with him. But when her forbidden lover’s ardour cools, she finds herself outcast by an unforgiving society and she must make a desperate decision about her own lovelorn fate.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Rob S
Format:DVD
I bought this version hoping the picture quality would be a lot better than the Polish import version (which Amazon also sells) that I had bought only a few months before this version was released. Thankfully the picture quality throughout the film is far better, however at several points, particularly near the end there are 2, 4 or 5 thin,vertical black lines on the picture which are not there on the Polish import or the version they showed on ITV very recently
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They disappear once Anna boards her final train and her last look at the oncoming train is not blighted but I am very surprised they hadn't been removed prior to release.
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They disappear once Anna boards her final train and her last look at the oncoming train is not blighted but I am very surprised they hadn't been removed prior to release.
22 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By Andrea Bowhill
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
Anna Karenina is set in dramatic Russia 1875, Leigh takes the lead as Anna, the film opens with Anna's bother Stefan Oblonsky (Hugh Dempster) discussing with a friend a martial spat that he had with his wife, she has threaten to leave him. He has asked his sister to intervene, Anna immediately takes the train from St Petersburg to Moscow in a bid to help her brother, her company during the train journey is Countess Vronsky (Helen Haye) who herself is on her way to meet her son. Arriving at the station Anna briefly makes the acquaintance of the Countess Son, Count Vronsky (The very young and dashing Kieron Moore) although the meeting was very brief Count Vronsky passion is sparked by Anna's beauty. While Anna is visiting Moscow the Count tries to pursue Anna, although Anna loves the attention and has a wonderful time she keeps her senses for she is already married with child to a very influential man in society.
Anna takes the train back to St Petersburg to meet her husband Alexei Karenina (Ralph Richardson) Alexei is a boring bureaucratic husband who pays little attention to his wife caught in a loveless marriage with nothing in common apart from their son, Anna's mind begins to wander. Count Vronsky had followed Anna back to St Petersburg's in pursuit refusing to give up, he has the knowledge that Anna is unhappy in marriage. Count Vronsky persistence finally pays off, Anna beings an affair at first discretely but soon Anna can bare no more and leaves her husband, in doing so she must pay the consequences of her decision, alienated by her husband and society she is forced to leave with her lover for Venice, Italy but while away Anna feel the Count is bored with his isolated life she now lives in desperate fear of believing her lover will lose interest and abandon her.... Read more ›
Anna takes the train back to St Petersburg to meet her husband Alexei Karenina (Ralph Richardson) Alexei is a boring bureaucratic husband who pays little attention to his wife caught in a loveless marriage with nothing in common apart from their son, Anna's mind begins to wander. Count Vronsky had followed Anna back to St Petersburg's in pursuit refusing to give up, he has the knowledge that Anna is unhappy in marriage. Count Vronsky persistence finally pays off, Anna beings an affair at first discretely but soon Anna can bare no more and leaves her husband, in doing so she must pay the consequences of her decision, alienated by her husband and society she is forced to leave with her lover for Venice, Italy but while away Anna feel the Count is bored with his isolated life she now lives in desperate fear of believing her lover will lose interest and abandon her.... Read more ›
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Nostalgia
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was initially undecided as to which of the various film versions of this tragic epic love story to opt for, but eventually decided on the Vivien Leigh/Ralph Richardson (1948) release.
Although we have not seen any of the other versions, my wife and I were transfixed by this film; the torment suffered by Anna and the appalling attitude of her boring, high and mighty, husband - cold as any Russian winter - who is concerned only with his political standing. His treatment of Anna in relation to their son, when he becomes aware of her extramarital affair is thoroughly despicable, even though she may be in the wrong.
In some respects, my wife felt that parts of the film were a little frightening, especially the premonitions Anna has of death, paralleled with a fatality witnessed early on in the film.
Although the story as depicted in the film has been outlined elsewhere, I have not read the book, so I am unable to comment on how faithfully this film version represents it, but I am pleased that I purchased this dvd.
As another reviewer has remarked, black vertical lines are noticeable for a few minutes towards the end of this particular print, apparently taken from the National Film Archive Collection, but which is not uncommon in old films, and which I should have thought may be difficult to eradicate. I was also rather amused by the so-obvious 'model train' plastered with icy snow on which Anna is travelling at the beginning of the film, but then visual effects have since improved considerably. Bearing in mind that the original film was released some 65 years ago, the picture quality is very good and I would recommend it to anyone interested in films of this genre.
Although we have not seen any of the other versions, my wife and I were transfixed by this film; the torment suffered by Anna and the appalling attitude of her boring, high and mighty, husband - cold as any Russian winter - who is concerned only with his political standing. His treatment of Anna in relation to their son, when he becomes aware of her extramarital affair is thoroughly despicable, even though she may be in the wrong.
In some respects, my wife felt that parts of the film were a little frightening, especially the premonitions Anna has of death, paralleled with a fatality witnessed early on in the film.
Although the story as depicted in the film has been outlined elsewhere, I have not read the book, so I am unable to comment on how faithfully this film version represents it, but I am pleased that I purchased this dvd.
As another reviewer has remarked, black vertical lines are noticeable for a few minutes towards the end of this particular print, apparently taken from the National Film Archive Collection, but which is not uncommon in old films, and which I should have thought may be difficult to eradicate. I was also rather amused by the so-obvious 'model train' plastered with icy snow on which Anna is travelling at the beginning of the film, but then visual effects have since improved considerably. Bearing in mind that the original film was released some 65 years ago, the picture quality is very good and I would recommend it to anyone interested in films of this genre.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Megan
Format:DVD
Vivien's performance as Anna Karenina is once again Oscar Worthy, the costumes designed by Cecil Beaton are wonderful and Vivien looks arguably more beautiful than in Gone With The Wind! The film is a piece of art and very dedicated to Tolstoy's play. When watching the film it is constantly gripping you with twists and turns and it is definitely one of Vivien's best. As the new Anna Karenina has been recently released I hope this gains more attention and acclaim it deserves.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Henry Turner
Format:DVD
In many ways Anna Karenina is one of the most cinematic of novels. When you read it you can imagine exactly how every scene should be played. But in attempting to transfer the novel to the screen most directors have come unstuck. This, I'm afraid, is one of the dullest, least romantic and least Tolstoyan adaptations. It plods along, uncertain which line of narrative to follow. As such there is little focus and you just don't care about the characters. Ralph Richardson is great as Karenin. Kieron Moore as Vronsky, Anna's Lover, is as unengaging as Aaron Johnson in the latest version. Vivien Leigh is fine - but no more. Leigh seemed to specialise in damaged, dangerous women, but her Anna just doesn't seem to work. A line I never thought I'd ever use: I preferred Keira Knightley!
The film was clearly shot on a limited budget in post War Britain. Some of the austerity measures in the production design don't really make the grade. There's a dreadful shot of a model train (very badly realised) for example, when we first see Anna that completely throws you out of the world of the film. But the real problem for me was watching a film that lacked both focus and drama. The film isn't dreadful, but neither is it a highlight of late 1940s British cinema.
The film was clearly shot on a limited budget in post War Britain. Some of the austerity measures in the production design don't really make the grade. There's a dreadful shot of a model train (very badly realised) for example, when we first see Anna that completely throws you out of the world of the film. But the real problem for me was watching a film that lacked both focus and drama. The film isn't dreadful, but neither is it a highlight of late 1940s British cinema.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Storm in a samovar...
No,it's not a Russian version of STORM IN A TEACUP, an earlier film of Vivien's for Korda, but the ultimate effect could well bear the name. Read more
Published on 27 April 2010 by "filmfogey"
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a fantastic film!
Vivien Leigh is a Very Special "Anna Karenina", and the film becomes the classic novel of Tolstoy a spetacular entertainment!
Published on 21 Mar 2000
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