Love (1927/I)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Edmund Goulding

Writers:

Leo Tolstoy (novel)
Frances Marion (continuity)

Release Date:

2 January 1928 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A surging romance suggested by Tolstoi's immortal novel, "Anna Karenina."

Plot:

In Czarist Russia, Anna Karenina falls in love with the dashing military officer Count Vronsky and abandons...

Plot Keywords:

Military Officer | Russia | Young Boy | Mother Son Relationship | Suicide

Cast

John Gilbert	...	Captain Count Alexei Vronsky
Greta Garbo	...	Anna Karenina
George Fawcett	...	Grand Duke Michel
Emily Fitzroy	...	Grand Duchess
Brandon Hurst	...	Senator Alexei Karenin
Philippe De Lacy	...	Serezha Karenin, Anna's Child (as Philippe de Lacy)

Also Known As:

Anna Karenina (UK)

Runtime:

USA:82 min (1994 alternate version)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | USA:Passed

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The film was originally filmed with Dimitri Buchowetzki as director, Merritt B. Gerstad at camera, and Ricardo Cortez playing opposite Garbo. Producer Irving Thalberg was not satisfied with the completed film, so he disposed of it, and attempted reshoots with Norman Kerry. Even with a new director, Edmund Goulding, Thalberg still disliked the new footage. So Kerry was replaced with John Gilbert, replaced Gerstad with his favorite cameraman, William H. Daniels. Finally, Thalberg was satisfied.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Garbo (2005)

Soundtrack:

Varför ser jag Tärar Idina Ögon

Effective but unremarkable adaptation of ANNA KARENINA

With a mix of modern dresses for the ladies and typical regimental outfits for the men, this adaptation of ANNA KARENINA is quite different from the novel and other film versions in a few ways. After deserting her family for Vronsky, he does not tire of and desert her - he stays faithful - it is she who voluntarily gives him up to prevent his being thrown out of the Guards and thereby saves his name from disgrace - her suicide is to save him, rather than being an act of despair.

Anna's completely "losing it" when his horse falls in a race - in front of society - is her downfall as it exposes their affair to the world, after which society must wreak its revenge. Without this "flaw," things might have gone otherwise for her.

The finest scenes are between Garbo and Philippe de Lacy, who plays her son. Their two scenes are so full of playful mother-son love as to prove to better than Garbo's scenes with Gilbert. Indeed, there is none of the passion or obsession here that the two displayed earlier that year in FLESH AND THE DEVIL. de Lacy is a beautiful young actor and a "natural." One of the annoying things about Vronsky is his inability to understand this love - he selfishly wants Anna all to himself - the cad!

Garbo's farewell scene with Gilbert, she knowing she'll never see him again and he oblivious to this fact, is also quite well done.

The TCM print is flawed by having a live audience reacting poorly on the soundtrack, although the newly commissioned score by Arnold Brostoff is quite fine. This soundtrack addition occurred in 1994 and seems the only one accompanying prints of the film currently.

There is a beautifully photographed waltz with Garbo and Gilbert - oft seen in compilations and reminiscent of his waltz scenes with Mae Murray in THE MERRY WIDOW.

All in all, worth catching for Garbo, but the two later remakes of the work are much better.