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(aka "Tolstoy's Anna Karenina" )
directed by Julien Duvivier
UK 1948
| Producer Alexander Korda was courting the
international market in the late '40s, when he launched a series
of ambitious productions. The most ambitious film on his slate
was Anna Karenina (1948), the eleventh of eighteen big
screen versions (not to mention seven television adaptations) of
Leo Tolstoy's classic tale of a woman torn between her one great
love and her devotion to her son. With Vivien Leigh, still
popular thanks to the success of Gone with the Wind
(1939), in the title role, the production had built-in appeal.
Despite impressive work from the set designer, art director and
a sterling performance by Ralph Richardson as Leigh's jilted
husband, the movie turned out to be an expensive flop. The problem was timing, though not, as some suggested, because MGM's classic 1935 interpretation of the story, with Greta Garbo as the doomed wife and mother, was fresh in audiences' minds. At the time, Leigh's interpretation of the role was eagerly anticipated. |
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Theatrical Release: 22 January 1948 (UK)
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DVD Review: 20th Century Fox (Cinema Classics Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC
Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!
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CLICK to order from:
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| Distribution |
20th Century Fox Region 1 - NTSC |
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| Runtime | 1:51:52 | |
| Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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| Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Spanish Dub (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) | |
| Subtitles | English, Spanish, French, None | |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 24 |
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| Comments |
Anna Karenina has been filmed many times including twice with Greta Garbo (the first silent was called simply Love), Cranes Are Flying's Tatyana Samojlova and in 1997 with Sophie Marceau. The version reviewed here stars Vivien Leigh and was a UK production produced by Alexander Korda and directed by Julien Duvivier. Complicated history of this production placed it in public domain and we saw multiple public domain releases over the years from the likes of Vidtape, Madacy and some multi-disc sets. Thankfully, in 2007 Fox rescued this title from public domain hell and released a very fine restored version with some choice extras. The video here is pristine, although it has some flickering and a few marks, but overall this is the best this film looked on home video.
Extras include a lengthy featurette and a shorter one on Leo Tolstoy and his legacy. A restoration comparison shows just how much work has been done with the transfer to look like it does in here. Cinema Classics Collection set also includes 2 pages of linear notes and a set of 4 lobby card replications. Anthony tells us in email: "Yes, the Fox issue is the best the movie has ever looked on video, but mention should be made that it is the cut version. To see the complete film (139 minutes, 134 PAL) one can purchase the all-region, not bad looking, Umbrella Entertainment DVD from Australia." (thanks Anthony!) |
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| Distribution |
20th Century Fox Region 1 - NTSC |
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