Anna Karenina (1997)

Director:

Bernard Rose

Writers (WGA):

Leo Tolstoy (novel)
Bernard Rose (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 April 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

In a world of power and privilege, one woman dared to obey her heart.

Plot:

Anna (Marceau) is a wife and mother who has an affair with the handsome Count Vronsky (Bean). Based on the novel by Tolstoy.

Plot Keywords:

Lover | Love | Obsessive Love | Family Relationships | Russia

Cast

Sophie Marceau	...	Anna Karenina
Sean Bean	...	Vronsky
Alfred Molina	...	Levin
Mia Kirshner	...	Kitty
James Fox	...	Karenin
Fiona Shaw	...	Lydia
Danny Huston	...	Stiva
Phyllida Law	...	Vronskaya
David Schofield	...	Nikolai
Saskia Wickham	...	Dolly
Jennifer Hall	...	Betsy
Anna Calder-Marshall	...	Princess Schcherbatksy
Valerie Braddell	...	Ambassador's Wife
Petr Shelokhonov	...	Kapitonich (as Pyotr Sholokhov)
Niall Buggy	...	Doctor

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements and some sensuality/nudity.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:12 (video rating) | UK:15 (original rating) | Argentina:13 | Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Peru:14 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Company:

Icon Entertainment International

Trivia:

Sean Bean was chosen by the director Bernard Rose to play Count Vronsky because Rose had seen him playing the role of Richard Sharpe in the Sharpe's series on British television - the director thought he looked natural in a period-military uniform

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Vronsky is shown out of Karenin's house after Anna's near death, a Soviet-era lamppost is visible further down the street.

Quotes:

Anna Karenina: What are you doing here?
Vronsky: You know that I have come to be where you are. I cannot help myself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Gossip Girl: It's a Wonderful Lie (#2.12)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Piano Sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor, op. 36

Eye candy which barely misses the mark!

I'm not sure how this movie slipped past me, as I try to stay on top of the period movies that come out. Nonetheless I caught it on one of the Encore channels last night, and I'm glad I did. Visually this movie is incredible! The cinematography could not have been much better, down to small details such as Levin "mowing" in the fields with the scythe in perfect rhythm with the workers.

As much as I like the film, however, I'm disappointed that Sophie Marceau's portrayal of Anna was not more passionate. On the whole I thought her performance was pretty good, but I agree with the comments above that she could have exhibited a much more involved and emotional presence in the face of a love that she could not resist. Ditto for Sean Bean, although he was somewhat better at it than Sophie. It's a situation where one fervently wishes that the actors were better than they were, because you know that it would have made the movie a "10." Both Bean and Marceau did provide some excellent glimpses into the souls of their characters, but only glimpses. One would wish for more intimate looks into their motivations and their respective desolations. I was not at all put off by accents of the actors. So Marceau has a mild French accent...French was the dominant language of the Russian court up to the Revolution, so it would not have been out of place at all.

The story of Levin and Kitty fares better, if only because of the stellar performance of Alfred Molina. Offhand I can't think of a more underrated actor (save perhaps Ron Perlman). Ms. Kirshner was fine as Kitty, although her journey from infatuation with Vronsky to love for Levin was given short shrift.

Overall I loved this movie, but I just wish it had been two marks better.