In 1874 Russian Empire, Prince Stephan “Stiva” Oblonsky’s wife, Princess Darya “Dolly,” banishes her husband from their home due to his infidelity. Stiva’s sister, Anna Karenina, a well-off and well-liked socialite living in St. Petersburg with her older husband, Count Alexei Karenin, and their son, Sergei “Seryozha” Alexeyich Karenin, travels to Moscow to persuade Dolly to forgive Stiva. Stiva meets his old friend Konstantin Levin, a wealthy land owner and aristocrat who is looked down upon by Moscow’s elite for preferring country life to city life.
Levin professes his love for Stiva’s sister-in-law, Princess Ekaterina “Kitty” Alexandrovna, and Stiva encourages him to propose. However, Kitty declines as she hopes to marry Count Alexei Vronsky, a wealthy cavalry officer. Levin meets with his elder brother, Nikolai, who has given up his inheritance and taken a prostitute named Masha as his wife. Nikolai suggests that Levin marry one of the peasants on his estate. On the train to Moscow, Anna meets Vronsky’s mother, Countess Vronskaya, facing scandal for her own infidelity.
Once there, Anna meets Vronsky himself and they have mutual attraction. After a railway worker is killed in an accident at the station, Anna asks if anything can be done for his family. Vronsky is seen giving a large sum of money to other railroad workers for the deceased’s family. Anna convinces Dolly to take Stiva back. At a ball that night, Kitty attempts to dance with Vronsky, but he dances with Anna, leaving Kitty heartbroken. Vronsky later tells Anna that he must be wherever she goes.
Anna Karenina is a 2012 British historical romantic drama film directed by Joe Wright. Adapted by Tom Stoppard from Leo Tolstoy’s 1877 novel of the same name, and remake of the 1985 film of the same name. The film depicts the tragedy of Russian aristocrat and socialite Anna Karenina, wife of senior statesman Alexei Karenin, and her affair with the affluent officer Count Vronsky which leads to her ultimate demise.
Keira Knightley stars in the lead role as Karenina, marking her third collaboration with Wright following both Pride & Prejudice (2005) and Atonement (2007), while Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson appear as Karenin and Vronsky, respectively. Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly Macdonald, Domhnall Gleeson and Alicia Vikander appear in key supporting roles.
Anna Karenina (2012)
Directed by: Joe Wright
Starring: Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Theo Morrissey, Cecily Morrissey, Freya Galpin, Octavia Morrissey, Beatrice Morrissey
Screenplay by: Tom Stoppard
Production Design by: Sarah Greenwood
Cinematography by: Seamus McGarvey
Film Editing by: Melanie Oliver
Costume Design by: Jacqueline Durran
Set Decoration by: Katie Spencer
Art Direction by: Thomas Brown, Nick Gottschalk, Niall Moroney, Tom Still
Music by: Dario Marianelli
MPAA Rating: R for some sexuality and violence.
Distributed by: Focus Features
Release Date: September 7, 2012 (United Kingdom), November 8, 2012 (United States)
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