Customer Reviews
VIVIEN LEIGH PORTRAYS ANNA KARENINA THE TRAGIC HEROINE - By: Andrea Bowhill, 14 Nov 2006 
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 & 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 & 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 finallly pays off, Anna beings an affair at first discretely but soon Anna can bare no more & leaves her husband, in doing so she must pay the consequences of her decision, alienated by her husband & 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 & abandon her.
They return to Russia but Anna fears grow worst each day, while Count Vronsky can walk among society with out any problems, Anna must pay as punishment, she is caught up in double standards of society she must suffer isolation for cheating on her husband. Her loneliness & fears within, leads to a tragic end.
Directed by Julien Duviver & based on the book by Leo Tolstoy. Anna Karenina was released in 1948, Vivien Leigh who's captivating beauty & talent should have been perfect for this role, unfortunately compared to her other films Leigh did not put in one of her better performances but that wasn't to say it was a bad one either. The whole cast keep it together throughout with their strong acting skills & has this film ticking over. Worth even viewing for the elegant set decor & of course Cecil Beaton's lavish costume designs.
A.Bowhill
