Anna Karenina

I just watched the latest Anna Karenina movie.  I  really was in a mood for a beautiful  romantic version of this beloved book. I cannot say my wish was fulfilled. It is an original adaptation  with ballet scenes and theater settings as to indicate that life is a show where we have fixed roles that we cannot change. I couldn’t find anywhere Tolstoi ‘s atmosphere of deep dramatic Russia. The casting was disappointing as well.  While many film critics praised Kyra Knightley’s interpretation, I found her far away from the 19^th century Russian aristocrat, more like a flirty young contemporary woman and some times even vulgar. Vronsky, her lover played by Aaron Taylor-Johnston looks like a good for nothing, superficial lad. How could she fall in love with him is miracle.  Jude Law is Anna’s cuckold husband, but his role was much expanded and his character much humanized and deviated from the original. Still, he is the best actor in the movie and the title should have been “Mr Karenin”.

I hope I will like more the forthcoming Great Gatsby.

The picture in the lookbook is of Vivien Leigh in a much better version of Anna Karenina.

Other actresses who played Anna Karenina:

Vivien Leigh, 1948

Greta Garbo, 1927, 1935

Jacqueline Bisset, 1985

Keira Knightley, 2012

Tatiana Samoilovna, 1974

Sophie Marceau, 1997