War and Peace AKA Voyna i mir

War and Peace AKA Voyna i mir

Mosfilm

14 March 1966

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

A little stilted, and I'd forgotten what a jerk Prince Andrei is, especially to his wife.  But the costumes and sets are nice.  Sergey Bondarchuk directed, co-adapted the Tolstoy novel, and played Pierre.

Anna Karenina (1948)

Anna Karenina (1948)

British Lion

22 January 1948

Historical Drama, Romance

DVD
B-

A streamlined but effective version of the very long novel*, with Leigh presenting a vulnerable and mostly sympathetic Anna.  Richardson even makes Anna's stick of a husband somewhat sympathetic.  Julien Duvivier directed and co-wrote.

*Levin disappears for about an hour, even though his religious and romantic struggles are a secondary thread in the book.