MovieChat Forums > Anna Karenina (1935) Discussion > I would love to rate this higher

I would love to rate this higher

posted 15 years ago by iamweaver
8 replies | jump to latest

Greta Garbo was mesmerizing - the quintessential Anna, Basil Rathbone was chillingly excellent, and I enjoyed Reginald Owen as Stiva - but I felt that Frederic Marsh as Vronsky was weak. I loved his performance in "A Star is Born", but here his Vronsky is a nonentity playing against Anna. He's not nearly powerful enough to capture the attentions of such an amazing woman as Anna Karinin.

That said, I don't expect any movie to match up against the novel - but for a "cliff notes" version, it's not bad!

[–] TheLittleSongbird 14 years ago

I have to agree. I really liked this film on the whole, the production values were gorgeous, and I agree about Garbo and Rathbone. I also have to agree with you about March, he is not a bad actor, quite the contrary, but for some reason he left me cold as Vronsky.

"Life after death is as improbable as sex after marriage"- Madeline Kahn(CLUE, 1985)

[–] geode 13 years ago

I agree as well. I find March's early performances to tend towards the operatic, However, his later performances can be very good.

Oh Lord, you gave them eyes but they cannot see...

[–] aldiboronti 11 years ago

I think March's performance was pitch perfect. It's no surprise that he would leave people cold, he is after all playing a cold, designing and totally selfish character. Vronsky is quite willing that Anna should sacrifice herself and abandon her son to satisfy his obsessed desire. I find his character far more chilling and despicable than Rathbone's.

[–] inframan 12 years ago

The problem with March's performance is likely due to his being more "naturalistic" than the other leads who are more theatrical in their mannerisms & delivery. In a sense it would be more appropriate to lay the blame on the director for this disparity. Interestingly, I've read that Frederick March was one of Marlon Brando's favorite actors. Imagine Brando as Vronsky.

[–] netshopper-2 12 years ago

It is a fine film but March did not show the magnetism required to cause Anna to leave her family and ultimately kill herself for.

[–] carmenjones411 12 years ago

Agreed! Ronald Colman or Laurence Olivier would have been much better choices than wooden March.

[–] Xcalat3 12 years ago

I agree I thought it would be better, still a good movie but only a 6/10

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]