Anna Karenina Page #2

INT. OBLONSKY'S DRESSING ROOM, SAME TIME--

DAY:

Oblonsky, dressed now and holding a cup of coffee, checks from the window.

OBLONSKY'S POV--

Dolly, in furs, the four youngest children and the Nurse, who carries Vasya,

all wrapped up against the cold weather, have come out of the house to a

waiting sleigh, as noisy as starlings, bickering, competing, reprimanding.

The Oblonsky's Coachman assists, with a rug to spread across knees.

Oblonsky hands his coffee to Matvey and lights a small cigar. He detours

to take a sugared almond from a dish of sweets, and leaves the room . . .

INT. SCHOOLROOM, OBLONSKY HOUSE, SAME

TIME--DAY

Tanya is at her lessons with Mlle. Roland. When Oblonsky's face appears

smiling round the door, Tanya jumps up and runs to him, greeting him,

laughing, kissing his face, hanging on his neck.

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OBLONSKY:

My Tanruchoshka! Mind my cigar.

He pops the sugared almond into her mouth and puts a conspiratorial finger

to his lips. Mlle. Roland, who has stood up for him, clucks in reprimand.

OBLONSKY (CONT'D)

Be good today. I'm off.

Tanya runs back to her seat and bends to her schoolbook. Oblonsky looks

Mlle. Roland in the eye. He moves his head slightly, unmistakably ask-

ing her to come outside. Mlle. Roland moves her eyes at him in humorous

reproach. Clearly, this is familiar ground. Oblonsky closes the door behind

him.

mlle. roland

(PAUSE)

Read the chapter carefully. I'll come back to

test you on it . . . Read it twice.

INT. (ST. PETERSBURG)--DAY

CLOSE--Pretty fingers put on several rings, and then pick up a Fabergé

jade paper-knife to slit an envelope and withdraw a letter.

TITLE OVER:

ALEXEI KARENIN'S HOUSE, ST. PETERSBURG

400 MILES NORTH OF MOSCOW

8

INT. ANNA'S BOUDOIR, KARENIN HOUSE, SAME

TIME--DAY

It is early in the day. Anna's maid, Annushka, has been dressing Anna.

Annushka is young, loyal, modest.

Anna is at her dressing-table-bureau, which is host to at least two pho-

tographs of a small boy (Serozha) and a child's unframed drawing of

"Maman." As she starts reading the letter, Anna's eyes frown.

FLASH BACK, VERY SHORT, ALMOST SUBLIMINAL--

INT. (LINEN CLOSET)--DAY

Oblonsky and Mlle. Roland in a passionate embrace, vertical, clothed.

BACK TO SCENE:

Anna turns the page, reads on, concerned.

FLASH BACK-- SHORT, A BEAT OR TWO--

INT. LINEN CLOSET, OBLONSKY HOUSE--DAY

Still kissing, Oblonsky hoists up her skirts.

BACK TO SCENE:

Anna turns to the second page.

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FLASH BACK-- SHORT

INT. BEDROOM LEVEL, OBLONSKY HOUSE--NIGHT

Oblonsky, coming in quietly and late from a night on the town, enters his

dressing room. He stops. He smiles a foolish apologetic smile.

REVERSE-- (DRESSING ROOM)

Dolly is waiting for him, shocked, enraged, holding out a billet-doux on

pink paper:
a love note.

BACK TO SCENE:

Anna speaks as in exasperation to a naughty child.

ANNA:

Tsk, oh . . . Stiva!

INT. KARENIN'S STUDY, KARENIN HOUSE--DAY

ANNA:

. . . and Dolly found a note from the

governess.

Anna is speaking to her husband "confidentially." Karenin, a busy man,

drains his coffee cup and hands it (as with Oblonsky and Matvey) to his

valet, Korney, who bows and withdraws. Karenin continues transferring

papers from his desk to his portfolio . . .

Which done, he nods to his private secretary, Mikhail Slyudin, who comes

forward to receive it, bows and leaves.

10

KARENIN:

Well . . . ?

Karenin is twenty years older than Anna and a senior figure in govern-

ment. He has an unattractive reedy voice and is pleased with himself as a

model of probity. He has the habit of cracking his knuckles.

ANNA:

Stiva wants me to come to Moscow . . . to

persuade Dolly to forgive him.

KARENIN:

I'm to be deprived of my wife so that adul-

tery may be forgiven? I can't excuse him

just because he's your brother.

ANNA:

It's for Dolly's sake too.

KARENIN:

(has to go)

I have four committees today . . .

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