the music was a fitting choice with the scenes, but i think the original music and noise would have been an important component to deciding which was the best performance
Coming from someone who's been suicidal (and has since gotten the help I needed, don't worry) Garbo's performance speaks to me the most. Somehow she lets you feel her pain without letting you see it. She looks numb, like she's in shock. Weeping, mumbling, and praying are what people do to get their pain to stop; Garbo's performance is of a woman who's forgotten that pain CAN stop. That's what makes a person believe they have nothing to live for. Her scene is the slowest, with the simplest direction, the longest shots, the fewest effects, but she doesn't need any of it. She has the kind of star power that lets her dominate the screen all by herself, even when she's standing there with an already-dead look on her face for a minute and a half. I also like Samojlova's performance--she's the one who best represents a woman who has been drugged, and believes she's just discovered a marvelous solution to her problems. But she's not even the best artist involved in that scene. The set design, which leaves her trapped in the claustrophic space between the train and an unmovable wall, is fantastic, and the chaotic camera shots afterwards do a spectacular job of implying what actually happens to a person's body when they leap beneath a train. The only one I hate is Pagett. She acts like somebody is holding a gun to her head, forcing her to do it. That's not what suicide is.
Sophie Marceau represents in most influential way the Anna Karenina figure with her elegance , mild face features , gentle movements , typical sadness in her big expressive eyes and goodness coming out of all her being .
Denny Dikova, I agree! Sophie is my favorite. She was absolutely divine and the ballroom scene with Sean Bean is amazing. I must have watched it thousands of times.
Did you know the movie studio butchered the Sophie Marceau version? They deleted scenes and ruined the flow. I would give anything to see those scenes. It was an absolutely gorgeous production!
The 1997 Anna Karenina with so lovely Sophie Marceau, Sean Bean, filmed on location in the splendour of the 19th C.St.Petersburg, classical music of the era, Tchaikovski, etc. Renoir paintings like costumes, The Best! the most beautiful!
Tatiana Samoilova absolutely the Best, in role of Anna Karenina she has no competition. With all my love and respect to Garbo, Leigh, Marieau and Knightly.
Vivian’s scene would have been my favorite if it cut when the train was a second from hitting her. Seeing the way she fell and her just lying still and pretty under the train undercuts the grotesque horror of her death
Absolutely. Glad I'm not the only one to see this. I was on a train that hit someone. We almost derailed. It was awful. The train went up and writhed before it went back down. This was in England and I will never forget it.
Especially since in the book she threw herself under the car and not the locomotive The trains of those times had snow bumpers and she would have just been thrown aside and not killed
The best directed was the Soviet version, with the Sign of the Cross in the Orthodox manner, followed by a bit of abstraction. Brilliant, putting one in mind of Meyerhold.
the candle and the candle's light going off with Anna's last breath...did not see it in any of the versions and it is quintessential to the philosophy of the novel....The quote: “And the candle by the light of which she had been reading that book filled with anxieties, deceptions, grief and evil, flared up brighter than ever, lit up for her all that had once been darkness, sputtered, grew dim and went out for ever.” Tatyana Samoylova: the sheer madness yet peacefulness of a mind a split second away from suicide...her face: ..ecstatic, mad yet enlighten...her face expression the candle itself...and the camera work showing patches of light and darkness rotating and replacing each other...genius ..
Personally I'd say Greta Garbo, her expression was so true and believable and if we think of the mental struggles that are going on in the character's mind, she portrays that struggle and possession beautifully. She looks like a woman who will not be dissuaded from what she's about to do.
Although every actress here has delivered the performance of her lifetime as Anna, but my heart goes out to Vivien Leigh. No one can deny the power of a vulnerable face, with restrained yet somewhat poetic expressions. She was a wonderful actress already, and the fact that she was in her mid-30s in 1948, added to the aptness of her portrayal. The fear of ageing, losing every remainder she's got after losing on her family, more importantly, her son and the social security... and the final detachment and submission to death, all seemed so real so evident from her performance.
I think Greta's acting is the best. The unspoken performance of staring blankly, losing hope and leaving no emotion left, expressed Anna best. Sophie Marceau's acting is also excellent. Especially the scene where she throws herself into the track of train is a very good direction. Vivien Leigh's action when she was hit by the train also very good. Keira Knightley's expression of crying eyes are also very impressive.
1. Vivien Leigh’s performance shows how sad and innocent she really is and how ready she is to die. 2. Greta Garbo looked so despondent, so emotionless, it was so true. 3. Tatiana Samijlova looked like she was grieving and she was still trying to swallow down that she was not loved by anyone anymore. 4. Keira Knightley looked like Tatiana, except it was slightly less realistic. 5. Nicola Pagett’s acting took the death in a different way. But the scene didn’t make me feel any emotions at all. Overall, I love Vivien and Greta’s acting, It follows the book the closest and gives me chills
I have to say my favorite ,most tragic is Vivien Leigh, she even stopped dressing glamorous for the final moment, which is exactly what a hopeless person does, all the others were still dressed impeccably.
Hello. What? Karenina didn't die at the end of the book. After Karenina's death, there are still chapters. They describe Levin's thoughts and life. The last chapters also tell about Vronsky, who went to the Russian-Turkish War in Serbia. And please tell me, how did you learn this fact? I can't find this fact anywhere. Thanks.
I wonder if each actress studied the interpretations of previous actresses. Each one is stunningly effective, but I was most moved by Vivien Leigh’s take on the role, the waves of subtly different emotions washing across her face.
Sophie Marceau.....is deeply touching. I am haunted by that profile shot as she waits for the train. It seems to speak volumes. A little pout, childlike...'I must have been a bad girl...but it all seemed so right....I f*c*ed up....nobody loves me anymore, not even God....'' and all she needed was somebody who could truly love her....She seems like an adorable child./ But Vivien Leigh was profoundly touching, in a way that made me remember that sense of despair over a Love. Her self deprecating smile, her fatalistic surrender.....plus the amazing camera work, moody scenery and slow pace giving time to 'understand' it all. / As for Kiera Knightley....I couldn't wait for the train scene to get that 'actress pretends to be Anna Karenina' disaster of a film over with, hysterical nutcase with a spiteful gleam in her eye....
I was suicidal 20 years ago and considered throwing myself under a train, I didn’t because I knew it would traumatize the conductor and the clean up crew.
@@amysbees6686 I also found out several years later when I admitted to a friend how bad it had gotten for me she told me she had had a friend of hers throw himself under the same train. She said if she’d had it happen again she’d have done it herself.
The scene of the 1997 version is for me the most impressive. Seeing the body of Sophie Marceu fall, impresses. But it is the expression of Keira Knightley (2012), the one that shows true affliction, of someone who surrenders to death.
It is a bit though. At the beginning of the book, we are shown exactly that, so we know what’s coming. Which is why these “falls beautifully into eternal slumber” versions are so disappointing.
@@DiamanteDea Yeah, the first scene we see Anna in also involves a train worker being dismembered when he falls onto the track. We get a pretty good look at that gory imagery so that it lives in the back of our minds like an ever approaching threat.
The correct answer. It’s also just, for my money, the best and truest representation of Tolstoy’s scene. I am always put off by these “falls dramatically but gorgeously in front of the engine” versions. They feel like they rob Anna of a lot of her agency and intention.
Greta did it in a subtle way;Vivian looked realistic;T.Samoylova delivered a masterpiece;Keira over-acted looked theatrical,probably more suitable for Nettflix series or for soap opera.
Only Samoylova made it look like a vengeance - the intention to punish Vronsky mixed with despair and realization that her suicide is the only way out for her. With all due respect to other actresses.
I think all the performances are very, very good, and each scene is impressive. The Vivien Leigh version, however, fails to deliver as it shows her lying practically untouched under the train, when we know she must have been torn to pieces. My favorite is Garbo because she is more mature, appears older than the other actresses, and her expression shows grim determination and depths of anger and grief held in check by a powerful will.
I agree that the music original to each movie should have been used! I think the most technically feasible suicide was with Sophie Morceau, because I don't know how the other women fell "into" the train as it was already moving past them, and it's hard to believe that no one would see a woman standing on the tracks right in front of the train, since it was just beginning to move & pick up speed. I also liked the Sophie Morceau version, with her flashback to being a child, and the way she fell straight forward with arms outstretched .. a position of prostration & total surrender.
Trains would have been slowing to approach the platform, they actually do get it right that Anna doesn't jump in front of the train but rather into the space between the carriages. It would be a terrible way to go but actually feasible. Especially as in the book she doesn't jump from a platform but from ground level, by a train departing the station... so picking up speed rather than slowing down. She's killed by the wheeelsets and it's implied that she's decapitated.
The best and most realistic death was 1967 but by far the most realistic Anna if you actually read the book is 1997 S.M. Keira K was badly cast for many reasons. Firstly this book is about a 19th cent high society 30+ year old beauty, KK looks a 20th cent 24 year old heroin addict supermodel, I'm not saying she's on heroin, I'm saying she has that look.KKs look is far too skinny, young, and British looking among other things. She should have been kitty. She's perfect for Jane A but not for Alex T. Sophia has classical beauty, and seems poised and sophisticated enough to convince the audience she's high society. She's convincing in her affections and is beautiful/classy enough to snag a man from a hot 18'year old chick. I think a lot of you are missing the point. Yes there always artistic leeway but with KK it's just far too much leeway. 67 and 97 actually read the book and get the premise. An older woman wanting a passion she's never had.
Before someone says Jolie again I ask you to 1. Read the book 2. Look at the beauty standards 140 years ago. Jolie is starting to look much like Pamela A. Hung up wet too long. She's starting to look harder and just too damn skinny and botoxed up.
I read the book several times and would agree that 1967 is the best adaptation . kK has not the poise or the look even though she is an excellent actress. Leigh is too petite and a bit neurotic looking . I would rate Leigh as the most unsuitable cast.
@@drmilimiliy9343 they look more like 2 teenagers, don'fit together, don't fit into the era, only Kitty is "there", in the 19th C. Knightley is good in Jane Austen.
I am writing from Yakutia, which is in Russia. Of all the versions of Anna Karenina's death, I like the play of Keira Knightley, Sophie Marceau, Vivien Leigh.
La mejor versión que he visto de Anna Karenina es la Bernard Rose; los escenarios poderosos, el vestuario, la musica formidable, y desde luego una espléndida Sophie Marceau como Anna Karenina. Extraordinario libro del genio Tolstoi, y la película le hace justicia.
The same time we would also need to have a copy of each of these films to watch them, Not sure but the soviet movie from 1967 looks really interesting, though I doubt I could find it.
You should add Russian versions from 2009 and 2017 with drubich and boyatakaya. Not sure if Samoilova is the best , but I think russian actresses give the most in-depth performance
Keira, but the real deaths was: "Suddenly he remembered the man hit the day of his first encounter with Vronsky and knew what to do. With light and quick step down the ladder ranging from the water tank to the road and stopped at the passing train. She looked the lower part of the wagons, bolts, chains and high wheels cast the first wagon iron that rolled slowly, trying to determine the sight of the center between the front and rear wheels and when that center would be front to her. There! He said, watching the shadow of the wagon and sand mixed with coal scattered on traviesas-, There, at the same center! I chastise me and deliver all myself. I wanted to throw himself under the center of the first car that came along with it; but the red bag, which wanted to break off, the amused and did not have time: the center had passed. It was necessary to wait for the next car. The impounded a similar feeling to that experienced when he was about to enter the water for bathing, and crossed himself. The familiar gesture of the sign of the cross awakened in his soul a series of memories of his childhood and youth. And suddenly the fog covered everything faded, and life was presented for a moment with all their bright past joys. But Anna did not lose sight of the second car approaching. At the precise moment that the center passed before her, she threw the bag and burying his head between his shoulders, threw himself under him, landing on his hands. Making a slight movement as if to rise soon, he stayed on his knees. At that time he was horrified by what he did: Where am I? What I do? For what? He wanted to go back and pull back, but something huge, inflexible, hit him on the head and dragged her back. Lord, forgive everything !, pronounced, feeling the impossibility of fighting. " (translation with Google, this is my original)) " De repente recordó el hombre atropellado el día de su primer encuentro con Vronsky y comprendió lo que debía hacer. Con paso ligero y rápido bajó las escalerillas que iban desde el depósito del agua hasta la vía y se detuvo junto al tren que pasaba. Miraba la parte baja de los vagones, los pernos, las cadenas y las altas ruedas de hierro fundido del primer vagón que rodaban lentamente, tratando de determinar con la vista el centro entre las ruedas delanteras y las traseras y el momento en que ese centro estaría frente a ella. ¡Allí! -se dijo, mirando la sombra del vagón y la arena mezclada con carbón esparcida sobre las traviesas-, ¡Allí, al mismo centro! Lo castigaré y me libraré de todos y de mí misma. Quiso tirarse bajo el centro del primer vagón que llegaba junto a ella; pero la bolsita roja, de la que quiso desprenderse, la entretuvo y no le dio tiempo: el centro había pasado ya. Era preciso esperar el vagón siguiente. La embargó una sensación semejante a la que experimentaba cuando se disponía a entrar en el agua para bañarse, y se persignó. El gesto familiar de la señal de la cruz despertó en su alma una serie de recuerdos de su infancia y de su juventud. Y súbitamente se desvaneció la niebla que lo cubría todo, y la vida se le presentó por un momento con todas sus radiantes alegrías pasadas. Pero Anna no bajaba la vista del segundo vagón que se acercaba. En el preciso instante en que el centro pasaba ante ella, arrojó la bolsita y, hundiendo la cabeza entre los hombros, se arrojó debajo de él, cayendo sobre las manos. Haciendo un ligero movimiento como si se dispusiera a levantarse en seguida, quedó de rodillas. En aquel momento se horrorizó de lo que hacía: ¿Dónde estoy? ¿Qué hago? ¿Para qué? Quiso retroceder y echarse para atrás, pero algo enorme, inflexible, le dio un golpe en la cabeza y la arrastró de espaldas. ¡Señor, perdóname todo!, pronunció, sintiendo la imposibilidad de luchar."
They are all good in their own way. Not Vivien's fault, but to show her face after being hit full on by a train as still flawlessly beautiful is not very realistic. I loved Vivien's Anna, and never have understood it being so underrated. The only other one I have seen is Garbo's and she is wonderful too.
I have a question for the experts: in one of the many films done about Anna Karenina, the death was filmed at the Haapsalu railway station in Estonia. Does anyone know which exact version ?
@@vadimpm1290 yes, that's what I was originally referring to. Expressionism vs realism, on the other hand, is something different. Not sure how present it would be here though.
In my opinion none exactly did the same expression as Anna did in book. Keira did it so emotional,but there was a vengeance in her face too. She killed herself not only in terms of escaping but also punisment of vronsky was a contribution. Actresses didnt show despair , guilt and vengeance at the same time.
You make an excellent point, but I think that by the time Anna arrived at the train station, she was just done. Very little emotion other than the sadness of regret, then absolute resignation. IMHO, Sophie Marceau portrayed this feeling of utter desolation the best.
As strange as it sounds, I liked the Russian one, as it sort of metaphorically reflects chaos and dramatic, unstoppable nature (say so) of a violent death, with no glamorizing/attitudinizing it by any means. This feature is also relatively well captured in last (Keira's) performance. However, the first one performance (by Greta Garbo) is remarkable for it reflects existential dread and confusion Anna is facing right before her death. Also, the presence of the 'old man' and camera obsessively focused on details builds sort of unsettling, bleak and overwhelming ambience, which I think was Tolstoy's intention to create.
would ve been better if theyd have f**ked off the annoying and superfluous background music and just let us have the actual movie soundtrack but all good performances in their own right.............Vivien Leigh was the first that I ever saw in the role.
In my opinion I loved the facial expression and feel of Tatyana Samojlova (1967) in depicting the Anna Karenina death scene. Her beauty and expressions seems to me like a perfect match for the novel.
Could not agree with you more. The director obviously had a great deal to do with it, but no other actress came close to depicting the essence of the character.
The best Anna Karenina is Sophie Marceau imo. I was never able to forget that scene; the last thought she had of herself as a child, the eye close-up and the candle burning. Extraordinary.
The reason i love the Kiera Knightley version is for the obvious reasons. Cinematography. The train is showing to move at a faster speed making the scene more realistic and heart racing. She cries well, shows true emotions of the decided death. Just because other movies are considered classic, doesn't mean its great. maybe yes for its time, but now, adrenaline is where its at.
Anna was drugged by the time. Probably was not completely conscious of her choice. Sophie's was the best. Keira is a GREAT actress, but this adaptation is ridiculous. It is really hard to watch the movie...
I don't agree. Sje was the least realistic with her emotions. From someone who tried to commit suicide, there is no tears at that moment. There is just resolve, contentment. numbness and a strange sense of peace, cos the pain will finally end. Greta and The 1977 actress did the most realistic acting. Take with from me I know what it fees like from personal experience.
Then Tolstoy too must just be considered classic "for his time" and doesn't mean it's great.... how shortsighted is that? emotional truth is timeless, and art is not determined "by adrenaline"....
