I veer back and forth on whether or not I like the plot and acting in this film — sometimes it doesn’t grab me at all, and sometimes it’s appropriately tragic and bleak. BUT it is one of the absolutely most gorgeously costumed movies I’ve ever seen, plus Sophie Marceau is beautiful and Sean Bean is hunky.
If you like Sean Bean catch him in the three Sharpe’s Rifles TV series. Uniforms look good. I can’t say much about the women’s stuff, not my era.
The 1977 BBC version starring Nicola Paget and Stuart Wilson remains my favourite adaptation. The acting was so good that I see Nicola when I read the book and don’t find any other actress to be convincing in the role. Somewhere in my collection I have an earlier black and White version with Sean Connery playing Vronsky but have yet to watch it.