ANNA KARENINA (1948)

This 1948 adaptation of Tolstoy's classic stars Vivien Leigh in the title role of Anna, a Russian beautiful woman who leaves her cuckolded bureaucrat husband, Karenin (Ralph Richardson), for an adventurous army officer, Vronsky (Kieron Moore). The affair ruins Anna's status in society and her husband refuses to give her a divorce, feeling discarded, Anna is sent to suicide by leaping in front of an onrushing train.

Director: Julien Duvivier
Producer: Alexander Korda
Script: Jean Anouilh, Julien Duvivier, and Guy Morgan (from the novel by Leo Tolstoy)
Costume Design: Cecil Beaton
Original Music: Constant Lambert

Starring: Vivien Leigh (Anna Karenina), Ralph Richardson (Alexei Karenin), Kieron Moore (Count Vronsky), Sally Ann Howes (Kitty Scherbatsky), Niall MacGinnis (Levin), Martita Hunt (Princess Betty Tversky), Marie Lohr (Princess Scherbatsky), Michael Gough (Nicholai)

Some Facts

Unable to find proper couturiers in London, Korda dispatched Vivien Leigh and Cecil Beaton (costume designer) to Paris to have her clothes for Anna Karenina made there.
In Paris Vivien was her gay, witty old self. However, after her return to London, Vivien became depressed. One day, she complained to Beaton that her gloves were too small. Piqued to the point of exasperation, the designer turned on her. "It's not that gloves are too small" - he said - "but that your hands are too big!"

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