Thirteen years after Garbo's MGM version, Duvivier's film repeats several of it's problems: turgid pace, an overly-opulent design and an actress caught between a miscast Vronsky and perfect Karenin.
This was Vivien Leigh's first film in three years; she had endured a serious mental breakdown after a miscarriage but had recovered to appear onstage as Sabina in Thornton Wilder's allegorical comedy THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH under Laurence Olivier's direction. Her Anna is beautifully delicate and tragic but an inner fire is missing.
Kieron Moore as Vronsky is resoundingly dull but Ralph Richardson as Karenin is at his dry, unfeeling best.
The compensations include Cecil Beaton's costumes, the cinematography and Martita Hunt as Princess Betty and while Vivien - and the film - do rise to a haunting ending, by then it has almost run out of steam.
Shelf or charity shop? A shelf for Vivien alone..
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