Masterpiece Theater: Anna Karenina (2001)

Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. This famous line commences a refreshingly modern interpretation of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina-—an epic tale of love, duty, marriage and infidelity. This richly detailed film charts the tragic romantic triangle formed when the dashing Count Vronsky defies social conventions and falls into forbidden love with Anna, the ignored wife of an aristocrat. Soon, Anna’s children—a son by Alexei and illegitimate daughter by Vronsky—become pawns in Alexei’s game to see that Anna pays a terrible price for her indiscretion. With its gripping narrative and unbridled romance, Anna Karenina reveals the uncontrollable passion, emotional betrayal and courage of a woman who violates moral strictures and risks everything to follow her heart. Helen McCrory stars as Anna, along with Kevin McKidd (Trainspotting) as Count Vronsky, the handsome object of her desires; and Tony Award-winner Stephen Dillane (The Real Thing) as Alexei Karenin, Anna’s callously principled husband.

The Best Anna Karenina

There have been many Anna Karenina adapatations but this 2000 Masterpiece Theatre production I regard as the best. Helen Mcrory is probably the best Anna I have seen. Stephen dillane who plays Karenin portrays his character in very symphatic light you feel bad for his charcter yet you feel bad for Anna in her loveless marriage. Kevin Mckidd plays vronsky and brings charm. And unlike other version Levins story is not cut out. Though the costumes are not as pretty as the 1997 version or the actors as attractive that does not matter this just a enjoyable tragic adaptation of Anna Karenina. June 14, 2008

Magnificent Anna!

Helen McCrory did an exceptional job in capturing the majesty and the desperation of Anna Karenina. The "vaults" of Tolstoy joined two characters Levin and Anna in their unbridled passion for life with much different end results and paths. I cannot imagine anyone else capturing more the essence of Tolstoy's major female protagonist than Helen McCrory did.

Stephen Dillane did a fabulous job in the role of Alexei Karenin and Kevin McKidd perfected the character of Count Vronsky . I think that Stephen Dillane's interpretation of Alexei was so superb that it surprised me; and I gained such a depth of understanding for this character because of his portrayal; much more than in reading the novel which I loved.

At first, I wavered because I did not feel that Oblonsky was cast properly; but despite the difference in appearance; this role was executed perfectly. I cannot understand how Douglas Henshall was cast as Levin with his thick Scottish brogue but even that was overlooked as you got more and more into the story.

The acting was that good. I would recommend this highly. This gripped me from beginning to end. And after seeing how Anna was treated during the ballroom scene at Betsy's, you understand the double standard that existed then and in some ways is still with us today.

For such a long novel, this rendition was perfectly paced and executed brilliantly. Very enjoyable. You will not regret taking the time to watch this series. Masterpiece Theater did a magnificent job.

Bentley/2007 December 3, 2007

Masterpiece Theater has done it again

This is an excellent adaptation of Anna Karenina. Brilliantly casted, with Helen McCrory as Anna and Kevin McKidd as Vronsky. McKidd has a sort of Russian look about him, though I can't exactly describe it. McCrory's animated deep-set eyes look more and more tired and hopeless by the end of the movie. A near perfect Anna in all her moods and actions. And her laugh is the kind that sticks in your head afterwards, and sometimes you miss hearing it.

It must be hard to condense such a mammoth novel, but this adaptation succeeded in bringing together most of the central points of the book (much more so than the wretched version with Sean Bean and some french actress, which was far too short and left out critical scenes).

Every time I hear Chopin's "Waltz in C# Minor," I think of the ball scene in which Anna is ostracized and Vronsky accepted. Sadly, this double standard is still in place today.
July 31, 2006

a beautifull film about love

this is probably the best adaption of anna karenina i have seen unlike most adaptions this version shows levin alot more than previous adaptions and has a darker fell to it. even though the two leads lack chemistery it does not affect the movie. July 20, 2006

Rapturous Anna

Helen McCrory literally embodied the role of the ill-fated Anna Karenina in this production. Her journey from the pinnacle of High Russian society to the depths of despair as an outcast was captured by Ms. McCrory exceptionally well.

Stephen Dillane and Kevin McKidd also expertly deliver, playing Alexei Karenin and Alexei, the Count Vronsky, respectively. Dillane's portrayal of the icy, unfeeling Karenin was superb; even more so was McKidd's steamy, passionate reading of the enamoured Vronsky.

I was also well pleased with the performances of dear old, always-in-period-pieces Amanda Root, and familiar faces with Paul Rhys and Paloma Baeza, all delivering excellent performances.

However, the role of Levin (Kitty's eventual husband), played by Douglas Henshall, worked my last Tolstoy-loving nerve. Actually, I was relatively unimpressed with the fact that the entire cast, while portraying Russian nobility and speaking about journeying to St. Petersburg and Moscow, spoke with upper-crust British accents. I believe well-developed Russian, or at least SOME version of Eastern-European, accents for the cast would have heightened the atmosphere of the Russian background in which the story is set. Mr. Henshall's ridiculously thick Scottish brogue -- dripping moss-covered syllables as he mumbles on about rubles and vodka and the czar (?!?!) -- simply defied both logic and validity.

I think his role could have been much better cast.

Overwhelmingly, however, "Anna" remained very true to the novel, and I think, despite his undoubted confusion over the accents of the actors, Mr. Tolstoy himself would consider this adaptation a credit to the world were he able to view it for himself. January 26, 2006

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