'Spectacular' BBC period film based on classic novel now streaming on iPlayer

A "spectacular" period film that was once thought lost, but recovered in 2010, is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Anna Karenina is a British TV adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1877 novel of the same name. It aired a few years after its release on American television in 1964.

The film's synopsis reads: "The 1961 BBC adaptation of Anna Karenina is a television film that starred Sean Connery as Vronsky and Claire Bloom as Anna Karenina. The drama, broadcast on November 3, 1961, tells the story of a Russian socialite's passionate affair with the dashing Count Vronsky and the tragic consequences of her actions." Jack Watling, Valerie Taylor, Daphne Anderson, June Thorburn, Albert Lievenand Frank Williams star alongside Bloom and Connery. The film, which was lost until 2010, has been hailed by fans.

One wrote on IMDb: "The standard of production from the BBC is top notch with super attention to the detail of the costumes and the studio sets.

"Like many of their embryonic television dramas, the corporation managed to recruit an experienced cast adept at stagecraft. That gives us a sense of continuation as the story proceeds without looking too static."

Another wrote a rave review and described it as "spectacular", adding: "This harks back to 1961 and that in and of itself is pretty amazing!

"Why you may ask is that amazing? Because they were the largest and most revered home television production organisation world wide.

"They clearly wanted to make this production a show case as proof of their production capabilities! And this Tolstoy choice was considered an extremely difficult production, thereby proving BBC values! And thank goodness they succeeded in every one of production departments with an eye for detail in every department!"

However, one reviewer on Letterboxd awared the film three and a half stars, stating: "The loveliest aspect of the BBC4 broadcast of this once-lost 1961 TV play is that Claire Bloom in 2024 is able to introduce and reflect on it.

"She clearly adores the novel and points out several occasions on which this adaptation omits or curtails some of the most dramatic moments but, even without that pointer, I think would have sensed that it's a bit rushed in parts, particularly in not allowing the attraction between Anna and Vronsky to grow more believably into a passionate bond over time."

Anna Karenina is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.