Sean Bean was chosen by the director Bernard Rose to play Count Vronsky because Rose had seen him playing the role of Richard Sharpe in the Sharpe's series on British television - the director thought he looked natural in a period-military uniform
During the movie, title cards inform the viewer that the story arch unfolds in the years 1880 to 1882 - yet at the end of the movie Vronsky leaves to fight in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877- 1878.
Rakhmaninov's music, the Vespers and the Second Symphony, used throughout the film, were not written until at least 30 years after the novel was written and 20 years afterthe film says it is set.