Everyone knows Ingrid Bergman won her second Academy Award for Anastasia as Hollywood's way of forgiving her for running off to Italy for a few years. She didn't actually give a career-best performance in the movie. As long as we have that out of the way, we can watch the movie without high expectations.
In the famed story of the lost Romanoff princess, Ingrid stars as the young woman without a memory of her past. When she meets con artist Yul Brynner and his sidekick Akim Tamiroff, they convince her she's the long-lost Anastasia. They teach and train, filling her with facts and memories from Anastasia's past, preparing her for the final test: meeting the Dowager Empress, Helen Hayes. As Anastasia's grandmother, she will be able to spot an imposter if she sees one. Along the way, Yul and Ingrid fall in love.
This sounds a lot like the animated version, doesn't it? Well, if you've seen that one, you'll be in great shape to pay better attention to this long, wordy version. There are no songs to get you through, but there are plenty of beautiful gowns, interesting historical tidbits, and lovely set designs to keep you interested. If you're a fan of the cast, especially Helen Hayes, you'll want to check this out. The First Lady of American Theatre gets quite the spotlight in this movie, even though she doesn't come in until the end.
In the famed story of the lost Romanoff princess, Ingrid stars as the young woman without a memory of her past. When she meets con artist Yul Brynner and his sidekick Akim Tamiroff, they convince her she's the long-lost Anastasia. They teach and train, filling her with facts and memories from Anastasia's past, preparing her for the final test: meeting the Dowager Empress, Helen Hayes. As Anastasia's grandmother, she will be able to spot an imposter if she sees one. Along the way, Yul and Ingrid fall in love.
This sounds a lot like the animated version, doesn't it? Well, if you've seen that one, you'll be in great shape to pay better attention to this long, wordy version. There are no songs to get you through, but there are plenty of beautiful gowns, interesting historical tidbits, and lovely set designs to keep you interested. If you're a fan of the cast, especially Helen Hayes, you'll want to check this out. The First Lady of American Theatre gets quite the spotlight in this movie, even though she doesn't come in until the end.