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Anna Karenina

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Anna Karenina [Review] ESP/ENG@victor235637d
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  1. Film Review: Anna Karenina (1948)@drax719d

    (source: tmdb.org)

    When it comes to cinema, some shoes are notoriously difficult to fill, even for the most talented performers. Vivien Leigh, one of the greatest actresses of the 1940s, found herself in such a predicament when taking on the iconic role that had previously been immortalised by the legendary Greta Garbo in not one, but two iconic films. That role was the heroine of Anna Karenina, the 1948 British film directed by Julien Duvivier.

    The film, like Garbo's 1927 silent and 1935 sound versions, is based on Leo Tolstoy's famous novel. Set in 1870s Czarist Russia, the story unfolds as Anna Karenina (played by Leigh), wife to the emotionally distant Count Alexei Karenin (played by Ralph Richardson), arrives in Moscow to visit her brother Stephan "Stiva" Oblonsky (played by Hugh Dempster). With her arrival, she brings a charm and diplomatic ability that helps Stiva, who had been unfaithful, to mend the fractured relationship with his wife Dolly (played by Mary Kerridge). However, while saving one marriage, she inadvertently sets in motion the chain of events that would destroy her own. During the trip she meets the dashing cavalry officer Count Vronsky (played by Kieron Moore) and that encounter evolves from infatuation into a torrid adulterous affair that would result in public scandal and lead to tragedy.

    Produced by Alexander Korda, the British film mogul who was giving Hollywood a run for its money, the film was an ambitious undertaking, featuring talents from neighbouring France, including renowned dramatist Jean Anouilh, famed cinematographer Henri Alekan, and prolific director Julien Duvivier. The technical aspects of the film are well done, with art direction by Andre Andrejew and impressive costumes by Cecil Beaton successfully reconstructing 1870s Russia at Shepperton studios. However, Korda's decision to make the film in black-and-white instead of using Technicolor, which was available at the time, resulted in a less spectacular and less grand appearance.

    The script, doctored by Guy Morgan after Anouilh’s original—set in contemporary France—had been rejected by Korda, is more faithful to Tolstoy's novel than previous Hollywood versions, but this also makes it longer, with an over two-hour running time. Unfortunately, the film focuses almost entirely on the main melodramatic plot, discarding Tolstoy's social commentary, which makes the ending feel rushed.

    Vivien Leigh, who was recovering from a long bout with tuberculosis, bravely tackles the role of Anna Karenina and invests all of her talent and energy, resulting in a character who displays a huge variety of strong emotions, sometimes even in a single shot. Her portrayal of Anna Karenina is incredibly strong, making the character seem more alive and convincing than Garbo's version.

    However, the film is compromised by the tragic miscasting of Irish actor Kieron Moore in the role of Vronsky. To say that Moore lacks chemistry with Leigh would be an understatement, and even Moore himself later admitted that he wasn't pleased with his performance. He is easily overshadowed by veteran actor Ralph Richardson in the role of Count Karenin, which is surprisingly sympathetic compared to most other versions.

    Julien Duvivier directs the film well, occasionally allowing for strange experiments, like Anna Karenina's nightmarish visions and some mild eroticism that was a challenge to the censorship standards of the time. The scene in which Kitty Shcherbatska, played by Sally Ann Howes, gets examined by a doctor following a mental breakdown over unrequited love for Vronsky is a notable example. Those details, however, fail to improve the generally disappointing impression of the film in its entirety.

    Anna Karenina was primarily made for the US market and suffered at the box office due to trade disputes between the British government and Hollywood studios, which had organised retaliatory boycotts and picketing of theatres, allegedly over the British oppression of Zionist settlers in Mandatory Palestine.

    While watchable and more than recommendable to Vivien Leigh's fans, this version of Anna Karenina represents a disappointment. Despite its strong points, it falls short of the iconic status achieved by Garbo's versions, and its flaws ultimately undermine the impact of this classic tale of love, duty, and societal expectations.

    RATING: 5/10 (++)

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  2. Film Review: Anna Karenina (1935)@drax787d

    (source: tmdb.org)

    The 1935 film adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel Anna Karenina stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Greta Garbo, one of the most iconic actresses in the history of cinema. Garbo's ability to seamlessly bridge the gap between the silent and sound film eras is a remarkable feat, as evidenced by her portrayal of the titular character in two vastly different, yet equally iconic, cinematic interpretations. The first was the 1927 silent film Love, which served as Garbo's introduction to the role of Anna Karenina. The second is the 1935 sound film Anna Karenina, directed by Clarence Brown.

    This later adaptation is much more faithful to Tolstoy's original novel, incorporating a more comprehensive plot and a wider array of supporting characters. Despite the film's relatively short runtime of just over an hour and a half, Brown's direction manages to capture the narrative's complexity and emotional depth. The use of sound, particularly the music composed by Herbert Stothart, adds a new layer of richness to the film's depiction of Tsarist Russia. It features traditional Russian songs and Gypsy music at the beginning, polonaises and mazurkas at the ball scene, and shows the main characters watching Eugene Onegin, a famous Russian opera.

    The technical advisor, Andrei Tolstoy, the author's grand-nephew, helped ensure the authenticity of the film's setting and cultural elements, preserving the traditions that were on the verge of being lost forever under Soviet rule. While Garbo's chemistry with her co-star, Fredric March, may not have been as palpable as her previous on-screen pairing with John Gilbert, both actors deliver solid performances. Garbo's portrayal of Anna Karenina remains the definitive cinematic interpretation, despite the efforts of many other acclaimed actresses who have taken on the role over the years.

    The supporting cast, including Maureen O'Sullivan as the romantic rival Kitty and Basil Rathbone as the cold and villainous Karenin, provide strong performances that complement Garbo's central role. However, the child actor Freddie Bartholomew, who plays Anna's son Sergei, has been criticised by some as somewhat annoying and distracting.

    One of the film's most notable challenges was the need to conform to the strict censorship standards of the MPAA Production Code, which, among other things, prohibited the depiction of suicide. As a result, the tragic ending of Tolstoy's novel was adapted to fit the Hollywood mould, leading to a somewhat over-Hollywoodised conclusion.

    Despite these creative constraints and mixed reviews, the 1935 Anna Karenina became a great commercial success, later earning the prestigious Mussolini Cup at the Venice Film Festival. Garbo's iconic performance makes this screen incarnation of Tolstoy’s heroine the best known in the entire history of cinema. . RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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