Anna Karenina (1997)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

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:

Anachronisms: 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.

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:

Prelude in F Sharp Minor, op. 23/1

Very disappointing!

First of all: It's a great story. Incredible, how the author Leo Tolstoi describes the feelings of a woman who gave up everything (marriage, child, social reputation) for her love and commits suicide when she thinks that she will lose this love too. But the film is horrible. Yes, the pictures are good, but first of all the choice of Sophie Marceau was a terrible mistake. In the book Anna is, before she meets her later lover Wronski, a well situated lady with no personal conflicts in her life. She is self-confident, and other women come to her to get good advices for their problems with the husband, the children and so on. And then Anna meets Wronski, and her life shatters like glass. They fall in love madly, but this love is for both the worst thing that ever happens to their lives. It ruins both of them. Sophie Marceau isn't able to play this self-confident, cool woman. From the beginning she seems to be a nervous teenager, and so the drama of the story can't be developed.

There is also no passion between her and Sean Bean. I only felt very, very bored. It's a pity, that this great story was ruined, because when I heard that there would be a remake of Anna Karenina, I was very curious, because the book is one of my favourites. Unfortunately I have to say: Go and read the book! It's much better!