Anna Karenina, 1977 Masterpiece Theater

Director Basil Coleman
Stars: Nicola Pagett, Eric Porter, Stuart Wilson

sez says: we started a project of watching all the different film versions if Anna Karenina, in the date order they were made. We are about 2/3 the way through the project and this is far and above the best so far. But then the others were 2 or 3 hours and this one is nearly 10 hours (10 episodes of 55 minutes each) so a lot more detail is woven into the presentation. This is an adaptation of a deeply textured novel that explores issues such as social hypocrisy, patriarchy and women's rights, religion, love and loyalty, nothing short of the meaning of life and truth are considered by Tolstoy.  These are not things that can be given there due in a stripped down version.  But a serious effort is made to do the novel justice in this version and it is well acted too.  All of that is appreciated. GRADE B+