Anna Karenina (1915)

Genres - Drama, Romance, Culture & Society  |   Sub-Genres - Period Film, Political Drama, Romantic Drama  |   Release Date - Mar 31, 1915 (USA - Unknown), Mar 31, 1915 (USA)  |   Run Time - 55 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
  • AllMovie Rating
  • User Ratings (0)
  • Your Rating

Share on

Synopsis by Hal Erickson

Believe it or not, this 1915 American version of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina was the second full-length treatment of the story; the first was filmed in Russia in 1914. Produced by the fledgling Fox Film Corporation, this Anna Karenina starred Danish actress Betty Nansen in the title role. Despite its relatively brief 5-reel running time, the film was a fairly lucid retelling of the aristocratic Anna's disastrous extramarital affair with the dashing Count Vronsky. The familiar dramatic setpieces, including Anna's climactic suicide, were not nearly as fascinating to watch as an extended "location" sequence in which Anna and the Count were seen enjoying a skiing expedition. Anna Karenina would of course be remade several times, most memorably by Greta Garbo in 1936 and Vivien Leigh in 1947.

Characteristics