World Literature

The film “Anna Karenina”

Introduction  

Anna Karenina is a 1997 film based on the novel with the same title by Leo Tolstoy. The ballroom scene begins with people dressed in black and white dancing to a waltz by Tchaikovsky. Anna Karenina is in attendance to this ball in Moscow, and so is the handsome Count Vronsky. He is dressed in uniform and takes note of Anna from a distance. He comes to ask Anna for a dance but she is taken away by another guest. He is forced to dance with Kitty but ditches her as soon as possible. He cannot wait to dance with Anna. He eventually gets to her, they dance together, and they seem to really enjoying each other’s company. They hold each other close and dance to the slow music, to the disappointment of Kitty.

This scene is perfect for the first meeting of Anna and Count Vronsky. The building is perfect as it suits the party really well. The costumes are ideal too: the black and white suits worn by the men are suitable for this setting. Besides, the women look well suited for this scene too. The fact that Count Vronsky is dressed in a different costume is also fine because it distinguishes him as a character worth noting. The music played is also good especially the waltz by Tchaikovsky; as it is a sign that the ball is in Russia and is well suited for the intended emotions. The choreography is also noted to match a presumed romantic theme as especially witnessed in the dances. They are well practiced, and go well with the setting of this scene. The particular changes in movements are good and flow well into each other.

Discussion

This is a critically important scene in this movie. This is because the plot is based on the meeting of Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky: the concept of love in the film. The way they meet is critical to the development of the plot. It has to be perfect because the audience have high expectations on this scene. The setting has to be faultless because this is when the affair between them starts. Count Vronsky is attracted to Anna on the first day of their meeting; this means that the emotions have to be powerful.

The ballroom scene also reveals the concept of jealousy, which Kitty feels when he sees Anna dance so close with Count Vronsky. Kitty had hoped that Count Vronsky would propose to her, but he did not. In this scene, Kitty is so disappointed at the way Anna is dancing with Count Vronsky. She is not even concentrating on her dance. At some point, she fixes her gaze on the two and almost trips because she does not realize that she should be dancing. This also helps the audience understand that Kitty and Vronsky cannot be together – this scene predicts the outcome of the movie, and it develops a side of the story that Kitty will marry someone else, in this case, Levin.

This scene is also important because, it gives the viewer a strong start of the emotional attachment between Anna and Count Vronsky. This love has to be created from the very start. If this was not set right, it could have lead to an underdevelopment of the plot. The feelings between Anna and Count Vronsky can be felt even by the look in their eyes. This is good because it prepares the audience to understand what the characters may have to sacrifice for their love. As for Anna, she sacrifices her life because of the love she feels for Count Vronsky; she cannot bear the thought of him marrying another woman. This is why she commits suicide. Count Vronsky has to sacrifice the life of honorable marriage and stick with Anna though she is his mistress. This is why this scene is important; it presumably predicts the whole story concisely.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that the ballroom scene is an essential part of this movie because if it were to be removed, Anna would never have met Count Vronsky. This would mean that there would be no plot to this movie. This scene creates the mood of the whole movie; the dances add beauty and aesthetic context to the movie. The music of this scene gives the right setting to the scene. Finally, the meeting of Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky in this scene creates the whole story.