Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina is a 1948 British film based on the 1877 novel of the same title by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. The film was directed by Julien Duvivier, and starred Vivien Leigh in the title role. It was produced by Alexander Korda (with Herbert Mason as associate producer) for his company, London Films, and distributed in the United States by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was by Jean Anouilh, Julien Duvivier and Guy Morgan, music by Constant Lambert, decors by André Andrejew and deep focus cinematography by Henri Alekan. Plot Anna Karenina is married to Alexei Karenin, a cold government official in St Petersburg who is apparently more interested in his career than in satisfying the emotional needs of his wife. Called to Moscow by her brother Stepan Oblonsky, a reprobate who has been unfaithful to his trusting wife Dolly once too often, Anna meets Countess Vronsky on the night train to Moscow. They discuss their sons, with the Countess showing Anna a picture of her son Count Vronsky, a cavalry officer. Vronsky shows up at the train to meet his mother, and is instantly infatuated with Anna. He boldly makes his interest known to her, which Anna demurely pushes away – but not emphatically so. At a grand ball, Vronsky continues to pursue the married Anna, much to the delight of the gossiping spectators. But Kitty Shcherbatsky, Dolly's sister who is smitten with Vronsky, is humiliated by his behaviour and leaves the ball – much to the distress of Konstantin Levin, a suitor of Kitty's who was rejected by her in favour of Vronsky. However, after a change of heart, Kitty marries Levin.