Who played Anna Karenina in the 1935 film adaptation starring Fredric March?

Greta Garbo played Anna Karenina in the 1935 film adaptation starring Fredric March.

The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film was directed by Clarence Brown and adapted from Leo Tolstoy’s 1877 novel. Garbo portrayed Anna, a married Russian aristocrat whose relationship with Count Vronsky leads to social isolation and tragedy. Fredric March played Vronsky, and Basil Rathbone played Alexei Karenin.

The film was Garbo’s second screen version of Tolstoy’s novel. She had previously played Anna in the 1927 silent film Love, also known as Anna Karenina, opposite John Gilbert. The 1935 production therefore belongs to a longer history of cinematic adaptations.

The 1935 film is sometimes confused with later versions featuring Vivien Leigh, Sophie Marceau, or Keira Knightley. Those actresses played Anna in different productions. Garbo’s performance is specifically associated with the 1935 MGM film directed by Clarence Brown.