Anna Karenina (1997)

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

Director:

Bernard Rose

Writers:

Leo Tolstoy (novel), Bernard Rose (screenplay)

Stars:

Sophie Marceau, Sean Bean, Alfred Molina

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Pyotr Shelokhonov	...	Kapitonich (as Pyotr Sholokhov)
Niall Buggy	...	Doctor

Storyline

Anna is a young and elegant wife of Mr. Karenin, who is wealthy and old. She meets the handsome Count Vronsky. Anna and Vronsky fall in love with each other, and he comes to be with her in St. Petersburg. They are very happy together and make a great looking couple, but soon their happiness gets under social pressures. Anna is hopelessly begging Mr. Karenin for a divorce, but he wants to keep the mother of their child. She has another baby born from her lover Vronsky. Conflict between her untamed desires and painful reality causes her a depression and suicidal thoughts.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | anna karenina character | saint petersburg russia | count | divorce | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the 70's, producer Carlo Ponti had also wanted to make a Russian co-production starring his wife Sophia Loren to be directed by George Cukor.

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Goofs

During the movie, title cards inform the viewer that the story arch unfolds in the years 1880 to 1882 - yet at the end of the movie Vronsky leaves to fight in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877- 1878.

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Quotes

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

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Connections

Version of Anna Karenina (1956)

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Soundtracks

Vespers, Op. 37/2
Written by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Performed by St. Petersburg Chamber Choir
Conducted by Nikolai Kornev (as Nikolai Korniev)
Courtesy of Icon Records and London Records

User Reviews

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.

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros.

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

4 April 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina

Filming Locations:

Menshikov Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$75,268, 6 April 1997

Gross USA:

$858,553

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$858,553

Company Credits

Production Co:

Icon Entertainment International, Icon Productions, Studio Trite

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1