The original novel has been a breakthrough for the time and, in many of its aspects, remains relevant nowadays. I am a Russian speaker, but hopefully anyone can appreciate the superb rendering of the ambivalent protagonist. Another powerful performance by Oleg Yankovsky - a reason already good enough to recommend the film.

When I read the gut-wrenching book of Tolstoy I got totally influenced. It is one of the best books I have ever read. Though I did not love the movie still I find myself lucky at least I saw the adaptation. Chop off thirty minutes and trim the background scenes to the storyteller it could have been a great movie. Actually the first 45 minutes is totally öloyal to the book. On a train a couple of people starts discussing family life,women,sexuality, marriage etc.. When a woman told "the underlying reason for the plight of women is because they marry not for love" the story-teller gets involved in the story and he tells how he killed his wife and all the lateral process.. Actually a small novella which describes a discussion on a train so it could be more of theater than a movie but what is really worse the director made it tediously long!For example when the story-teller says "But in this same honeymoon there came a period of satiety, in which we ceased to be necessary to each other, and a new quarrel broke out. It became evident that the first was not a matter of chance." the movie doesn't have to reflect a similar scene in the background but everywhere detailed background scenes! Unfortunately I see once again that Soviet motion-pictures cannot cinematize their own literal products! I say you should not watch the movie before reading the book