Anna Karenina *** (1948, Vivien Leigh, Ralph Richardson, Kieron Moore, Sally Ann Howes, Martita Hunt) – Classic Movie Review 2915

Producer Alexander Korda and director Julien Duvivier’s 1948 British remake of the 1935 Greta Garbo Hollywood success based on Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel Anna Karenina is appealing enough but not quite another triumph.

Unfortunately, the famous story about married Russian lady Anna Karenina (Vivien Leigh), the wife of 19th-century Russian noble Alexei Karenin (Ralph Richardson), who falls tragically in love with the handsome and brilliant young officer Count Vronsky (Kieron Moore), is not nearly such a success as a vehicle for Leigh as it was for Garbo.

The role exposes the limits of Leigh’s acting and charisma, though she is lovely and looks the part, while Moore doesn’t help in a stiff, unconvincing performance. But Richardson as Karenin is the film’s raison d’être on the star acting front, though there are many good performances to relish from the sterling support cast.

The production, designed by André Andrejew, is superb and the film is beautifully photographed by Henri Alekan in lovely deep focus black and white cinematography, though surely it needed colour this time. And, oh, look at the 139 minute running time compared with Garbo’s film’s 95 minutes! Screen-writers Jean Anouilh, Guy Morgan and Julien Duvivier make a huge, over-stuffed meal of it.

Also in the cast are Marie Lohr as Princess Shcherbatsky, Sally Ann Howes as Kitty, Niall MacGinnis, Martita Hunt, Michael Gough, Hugh Dempster, Mary Kerridge, Heather Thatcher, Helen Haye as Countess Vronsky, Austin Trevor as Colonel Vronsky, Ruby Miller, John Longden, Leslie Bradley, Michael Medwin, Frank Tickle and Jeremy Spenser, who makes his screen debut aged 11 as Giuseppe. It is also the film debut of Michael Gough (as Nicholai), Barbara Murray and Maxine Audley.

Anna Karenina is directed by Julien Duvivier, runs 139 minutes, is written by Jean Anouilh, Julien Duvivier and Guy Morgan, based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy, scored by Constant Lambert, designed by André Andrejew, shot by Henri Alekan, produced by Alexander Korda for his company London Films, with Herbert Mason as associate producer, and distributed in the US by 20th Century Fox.

It cost £700,00 and took back a relatively modest ₤149,414 in the UK.

The cast are Vivien Leigh as Anna Karenina, Ralph Richardson as Alexei Karenin, Kieron Moore as Count Vronsky, Hugh Dempster as Stefan Oblonsky, Mary Kerridge as Dolly Oblonsky, Marie Lohr as Princess Shcherbatsky, Frank Tickle as Prince Schcherbatsky, Sally Ann Howes as Kitty Shcherbatsky, Niall MacGinnis as Konstantin Levin, Bernard Rebel as Professor Leverrin, Michael Gough as Nicholai, Martita Hunt as Princess Betty Tversky, Heather Thatcher as Countess Lydia Ivanovna, Helen Haye as Countess Vronsky, Michael Medwin as Kitty’s doctor, Gino Cervi as Enrico, Beckett Bould as Matvey, Leslie Bradley as Korsunsky, Therese Giehse as Marietta, John Longden as General Serpuhousky, Mary Matlew as Princess Nathalia, Valentina Murch as Annushka, Judith Nelmes as Miss Hull, Ruby Miller as Countess Meskov, John Salew as lawyer, Patrick Skipwith as Sergei, Ann South as Princess Sorokina, Jeremy Spenser as Giuseppe, Austin Trevor as Colonel Vronsky, Gus Verney as Prince Makhotin,,Barbara Murray and Maxine Audley.

Leonard Maltin called it ‘turgid’ in his Movie Guide but his review still recommends the DVD on the cover!

Remade in the UK in 1997 with Sophie Marceau and 2012 with Keira Knightley. There are also several TV mini-series (1977, 2000, 2009, 2013) and a TV movie in 1985. The Garbo version remains the finest screen attempt at the novel.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2915

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