Plot

In late-19th-century Russian high society, St. Petersburg aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a life-changing affair with the dashing Count Alexei Vronsky.

In 1874, in the Imperial Russia, the aristocratic Anna Karenina travels from Saint Petersburg to Moscow to save the marriage of her brother Prince Oblonsky, who had had a love affair with his housemaid. Anna Karenina has a cold marriage with her husband, Count Alexei Karenin, and they have a son. Anna meets the cavalry officer Count Vronsky at the train station and they feel attracted by each other. Soon she learns that Vronsky will propose to Kitty, who is the younger sister of her sister-in-law Dolly. Anna satisfactorily resolves the infidelity case of her brother and Kitty invites her to stay for the ball. However, Anna Karenina and Vronsky dance in the ball, calling the attention of the conservative society. Soon they have a love affair that will lead Anna Karenina to a tragic fate.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Anna Karenina, the wife of a Russian imperial minister, creates a high-society scandal by an affair with Count Vronsky, a dashing cavalry officer in 19th-century St. Petersburg. Anna's husband, Alexei, offers her a difficult choice: Go into exile with Vronsky but never see her young son again, or remain with her family and abide by the rules of discretion. Meanwhile, a farmer named Levin pines for Princess Kitty, who only has eyes for Vronsky.—Jwelch5742

In 1874 Russian Empire, Prince Stephan "Stiva" Oblonsky's wife, Princess Darya "Dolly," banishes her husband from their home due to his infidelity. Stiva's sister, Anna Karenina, a well-off and well-liked socialite living in St. Petersburg with her older husband, Count Alexei Karenin, and their son, Sergei "Seryozha" Alexeyich Karenin, travels to Moscow to persuade Dolly to forgive Stiva. Stiva meets his old friend Konstantin Levin, a wealthy land owner and aristocrat who is looked down upon by Moscow's elite for preferring country life to city life. Levin professes his love for Stiva's sister-in-law, Princess Ekaterina "Kitty" Alexandrovna, and Stiva encourages him to propose. However, Kitty declines as she hopes to marry Count Alexei Vronsky, a wealthy cavalry officer. Levin meets with his elder brother, Nikolai, who has given up his inheritance and taken a prostitute named Masha as his wife. Nikolai suggests that Levin marry one of the peasants on his estate. On the train to Moscow, Anna meets Vronsky's mother, Countess Vronskaya, facing scandal for her own infidelity. Once there, Anna meets Vronsky himself and they have mutual attraction. After a railway worker is killed in an accident at the station, Anna asks if anything can be done for his family. Vronsky is seen giving a large sum of money to other railroad workers for the deceased's family. Anna convinces Dolly to take Stiva back. At a ball that night, Kitty attempts to dance with Vronsky, but he dances with Anna, leaving Kitty heartbroken. Vronsky later tells Anna that he must be wherever she goes.

1874 is the height of Imperial Russia. It starts at the house of Prince Stepan "Stiva" Arkadyevich Oblonsky (Matthew Macfadyen) in Moscow. His wife, Princess Darya "Dolly" Alexandrovna Oblonskaya (Kelly Macdonald), catches Stiva and the governess of their five children having sex in a closet, having found the governess' note to her husband inviting him to their sex romp at that location. Dolly tearfully banishes Stiva out of the home, forbidding him from ever seeing her or their children again.

Stiva's sister, Anna Arkadievna Karenina (Keira Knightley), journeys to Moscow. She plans to arrive in Moscow by her brother's request to attempt to convince Dolly to forgive Stiva. Anna is a wealthy, well-liked socialite who lives in St. Petersburg with her older husband Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin (Jude Law), a Russian statesman, and their son Seryozha. Karenin allowed her to leave but warns her about fixing the problems of others. Anna ignores this and goes to Moscow anyway, leaving behind her son Seryozha.

Meanwhile, Stiva meets his old friend Konstantin "Kostya" Dmitrievich Levin (Domhnall Gleeson), a wealthy landowner in the country. Levin is looked down on by most of Moscow's elite society due to his disinterest to live in the city. Levin professes his love to Dolly's sister, Princess Ekaterina "Kitty" Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya (Alicia Vikander), and Stiva encourages him to propose to Kitty. Stiva gives Levin a complete makeover of his wardrobe and takes him to a party where Kitty would be attending. Stiva tells Levin that Count Vronsky is his rival for Kitty.

Stiva complains to Levin that while he is still virile, his wife has grown old and tired, with thin hair and an expanding body. He considers it very unfair to himself that is not allowed to have a mistress. However, Kitty declines his offer. It is later implied that she refused Levin's offer because she would rather marry Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), which would make her a wealthy Countess socialite, similar to Anna.

Anna, while on a train to Moscow, meets Vronsky's mother, Countess Vronskaya (Olivia Williams), known throughout Russia as an adulteress and living her own life in social isolation. Vronskaya says that she is going to Moscow to meet Vronsky. Levin meets up with his elder brother Nikolai Dmitrievich Levin (David Wilmot), who, like Levin, is an aristocrat, but has given up his inheritance to live a poor life on vices. Nikolai lives with a prostitute named Maria "Masha" Nikolaevna (Tannishtha Chatterjee) whom he has taken as his wife and suggests to Levin that he should marry one of his peasants working for him at his estate. Levin then returns to his country estate in Pokrovskoe.

Anna arrives in Moscow and meets Count Vronsky at the station when he comes to receive his mother, and they have an immediate and mutual attraction. As the train leaves the station, a railroad worker is caught beneath train tracks (as he was checking the wheels for safety) and is violently killed. Vronsky, to impress Anna, decides to give money to the deceased man's family.

Anna convinces Dolly to take Stiva back. Anna says that Stiva loves her and the kids and that they mean everything to him. Anna gently threatens Dolly that not forgiving Stiva would mean that Dolly accepts her fate. Dolly is livid as she says that she is the victim and Stiva is the one who should be punished. Dolly forgives Stiva and hires a new governess who is considerably older.

At a ball that night, Kitty is radiant and dances with many aristocratic men. As Kitty must dance with the officers and gentlemen who have filled her dance card, she attempts to dance with Vronsky, who indulges her, but then quickly abandons her and instead decides to dance with Anna. Their love and passion are noticed by everyone, including a visibly upset Kitty who stares at Anna in the middle of the ballroom. Anna notices this, and decides to leave the ball, feeling she has upstaged Kitty. Anna boards a train bound back to St. Petersburg, but at a rest stop notices Vronsky, who declares that he must be where she is at every moment. Anna also was dreaming about her time with Vronsky all throughout her journey.

In St. Petersburg, Vronsky visits his friends along with his cousin Princess Elizaveta "Betsy" Tverskaya (Ruth Wilson) who is mutual friends with Anna and Karenin. Vronsky begins to show up at all the places Anna and Betsy visit. During a party held by Betsy, Vronsky believes Anna to have not attended due to him and leaves the party, only to have missed Anna, who arrives late. Betsy informs Anna that Vronsky has left, so she need not worry about a scandal. Betsy is worried that Vronsky is pursuing a married woman and wanting her to break her marriage vows. However, Vronsky returns and starts to flirt with Anna openly. Even though Vronsky has a promotion awaiting him in Tashkent, he refuses it and Anna agrees that she does not want him to leave.

The party guests gossip behind their backs, which soon catches Karenin's attention. Anna arrives home and speaks with her husband about Vronsky. She denies there is any attraction. They go to bed, and the next day Anna and Vronsky meet at a hotel and make love.

Back at Levin's country estate, Stiva visits, where he tells Levin that Kitty and Vronsky are no longer getting married. Still heartbroken, Levin decides to give up on love and instead focuses on living a country life. He plows his fields with his workers and has thoughts of taking one of his workers' daughters as his wife. Karenin hears word that both his wife and her lover are in the country and decides to surprise her there at his country estate. Anna reveals to Vronsky that she is pregnant, and she wishes to be his and only his. While retreating back to her country house she encounters Karenin who suggests he join her for the horse races that evening. Countess Vronskaya, upon hearing the rumors of her son and Anna, gives Anna a disgusted look and instead gives her attention to the young Princess Sorokina (Cara Delevingne). The races begin and Karenin notices Anna acting oddly whenever Vronsky is racing. Anna unintentionally admits her feelings for Vronsky publicly when his horse collapses and injures Vronsky and she is the only one to scream.

On their way home Anna confesses to Karenin that she is indeed Vronsky's mistress and wishes to divorce him. Because divorce in Russia calls for public humiliation for either one of the spouses, he refuses. Russia, divorces can only occur if one of the spouses disappear for a long time or if either one is cheating. If divorce is for the latter reason, the innocent spouse must show proof of the other spouse's infidelity. The unfaithful spouse, once divorced, will not be allowed to keep custody of any child she/he had had with the first spouse and will not be allowed to marry a second time

Vronsky demands she gets a divorce from her husband but Anna, knowing the consequences of a divorce, says they will find a way.

As Levin is plowing his field one morning he sees a carriage with Kitty and returns to Moscow to demand with Stiva that he must marry Kitty. Months later, Anna receives Vronsky. He tells her that his military duties have delayed his visit. Anna, starting to show her pregnancy, receives Vronsky at her house in St. Petersburg, and berates him. Vronsky, shocked at this new temper in Anna, replies only that he was doing his duties as an Officer. Soon Karenin comes back home to find out that Vronsky has been visiting Anna though he was forbidden to be in the house or near his wife.

Karenin searches Anna's desk and finds love letters. Now with evidence of Anna's infidelity, he declares that he will divorce her, keep their son, and drive her out into the street. Anna begs for her son to be with her, but Karenin enraged with anger shouts out that he would never have his son be with an adulteress mother. Meanwhile, Levin and Kitty are reunited at the Oblonsky house for dinner. There, Karenin arrives to give news that he is divorcing Anna, much to the dismay of Stiva and Dolly. Anna begs Karenin to forgive her, but Karenin has made up his mind, even though it is obvious that he still loves Anna. After the dinner, Levin and Kitty confess their love to each other and eventually marry.

Karenin gets a note that Anna has gone into premature labor and is dying. Karenin tears the card and returns home. As Anna lies dying, Karenin sees that she has confessed her sins before God and that she was in the wrong. Vronsky is there at her side, and she again berates him and tells him that he could never be the man Karenin is. Karenin feeling ashamed of how he has treated Anna, begs for her forgiveness. Anna forgives him.

The next day Vronsky leaves at the request of Karenin. Karenin forms an attachment to Anna's baby who is called "Anya". He cradles her and watches over as if she was his child. Princess Betsy calls on Anna and discusses with her what will happen to Vronsky now that he has left St. Petersburg and has gone back to Moscow. Anna notices that Karenin is in the doorway and invites him in. She tells Betsy to tell Karenin everything she has told her.

Karenin comes back to see Anna in tears and in rage. Anna tells him that she wished she would have died instead now she has to live with Karenin and still hear about and see Vronsky wherever she goes, and even more so with her bastard daughter from him. Karenin assures her that they will indeed be happy together again, but Anna only wants Vronsky. Karenin still does not agree to a divorce but releases Anna from her confinement. Anna informs Vronsky through a telegraph and the two leave for Italy along with little Anya. Levin and Kitty return to Levin's country estate where all his servants and attendees are enchanted with his new wife.

Levin's maid informs him that Nikolai and his wife Masha are in the country and seek solitude because Nikolai is sick and will probably not live another day or so. Having told Kitty about his brother and the situation with his wife Masha, Levin feels Kitty will be alarmed and outraged. Levin tells Kitty he will send Masha away so Kitty does not have to meet her. However, he is mistaken, and Kitty dutifully asks that his brother and wife and join them in their country estate and that she will nurse him. Kitty ignores societal norms to help Masha nurse Nikolai. Levin is shocked but he starts to notice that she has indeed grown up and is living for others instead of herself.

Word has gotten to Countess Lidia Ivanovna (Emily Watson), leader of the high society that includes Karenin, that Anna and Vronsky have returned to St. Petersburg. Anna writes Countess Lidia to see if she can intervene so that she may see Serozha for his birthday. Anna wakes her son to profess her love for him and that she was wrong to leave him. However, she tells him that he must come to love his father, for he is good and kind, and is far better than she will ever be. Karenin sees Anna and motions for her to leave. Anna returns to Vronsky's hotel room.

Vronsky arrives late, and Anna starts to believe that he is fooling around. Anna whips up her courage to attend the Opera, proclaiming that she is not ashamed for what she has done, and neither should Vronsky. Anna attends the Opera, and the attendees look at her with disgust and amusement. She starts to understand that society is still not accepting of her or Vronsky. One of the other attendees then starts a ruckus and verbally insults Anna. All of the Opera house sees the commotion, including Vronsky. Anna is humiliated, but retains her poise, but cries back at the hotel. Vronsky rushes to her, and she yells at him and asks him why he did not stop her from going. Vronsky tries to settle the situation by giving her Laudanum with water.

The next day Anna has lunch at a restaurant where the society women there ignore her and go out of their way to avoid her. Dolly grabs a seat next to her and tells Anna that Kitty is pregnant and is in Moscow to have the baby. Dolly explains that Stiva is the same, but that she has come to love him for who he is, and that she misses Anna. As Anna arrives at the Hotel, Vronsky is reading a letter, but then hides it. Anna informs Vronsky that she doesn't want to think about a divorce or anything only that she loves him and that wherever he goes she shall go with him. Vronsky informs her that he must meet with his mother one last time to settle some accounts, but when Anna sees that Princess Sorokina has come by the hotel to pick him up to send him to his mother's, Anna starts to lose her grip on reality. She believes Countess Vronskaya wants Vronsky to marry Princess Sorokina. She drinks more Laudanum and asks her maid to dress her. Anna goes by train to see if Vronsky is truly with his mother.

As she stops from station to station, she thinks of her son, her daughter, Karenin, and has a hallucination of Vronsky and Princess Sorokina making love and laughing about her. At the last station, Anna yells out, "God forgive me!" as she jumps on the tracks and into the path of an oncoming train. Levin, still shocked and amazed at Kitty's kind heart and willingness to have helped his brother, realizes that love while immature in the beginning can grow into something more beautiful and more earnest. He also starts to believe that fate is indeed the working of God, and how God truly has blessed him with Kitty and now with a son.

He returns home in the rain to find Kitty giving their newborn son a bath. He tells her that he just realized something. Kitty asks him what is, and Levin cradling his baby boy in his arms looks at her, with tears in his eyes and says that someday he will tell her. Oblonsky and his family eat with Levin and Kitty, and Oblonsky looking weary and sad, goes outside lights a cigarette and seems to be crying. It can be implied that he is mourning his sister, or that he is indeed happy and will give up his old life as an adulterer. Karenin is seen to be happily retired from public duties. Serozha and Anya, now a toddler, are seen playing among the daisies growing in the field.