This version of Anna Karenina has little resemblance with Tolstoi novel. In the first place, for it's simplicity. While Tolstoi novel is a complex portrait of Russian society in the end of the nineteenth century, the movie is a rather simple melodrama, in which the complex and dense characters of the novel, Levin, Kitty, Dolly and Stiva are mere extras. Anyway, I think that is impossible to make a film of 2 or 3 hours about Anna Karenina. Only on a mini format we can show the whole complexity of the plot and the emotional variations of the characters. Having that in mind, we can say that the film is very acceptable. It is not a master piece, but considering it's old age of 70 years, we can see it we some pleasure (I voted a 6). The director, Clarence Brown, begins the movie in the best way. The plan of the feast table, tracked by the camera, in which the table seems to be endless is excellent. Also, the ball is magnificent, showing all the luxury and lavishness in which the Russian high society lived those days. To all this magnificent MGM production is not minor the role of David O'Selznick. On the other hand, Greta Garbo does one more of her equal performances of alike characters. Can someone see any difference between Mata Hari, Queen Christine, Marguerite Gauthier or Anna Karenina? Only in the scenes with Freddie Bartholomew, in which she untie herself and smile, we can see that if she was allowed, she could have made other kind of characters, becoming a more versatile actress and getting a higher level on her actress career. The choice of Fredric March as Vronsky seems to me a enormous casting error. His Vronsky could nor enchant a woman and much lesser make her abandon house, husband, son and be a society pariah for the rest of her life. The performances of the supporting actors are very good, with an highlight for the young Freddie Bartholomew, for Basil Rathbone as Karenin and for May Robson as Vronsky's mother.
Review of Anna Karenina
