Review of Doctor Zhivago (1965) by Alex W — 25 May 2012

The doctor is in, and I know when I think of a romantic drama about a doctor, I think of an awesome, sweeping epic. Seriously though, it does actually fit, yet even if it didn't, David Lean was gonna try, because that guy could have directed traffic, and you were going to end up with a long, sweeping adventure of an epic about a man trying to get to the grocery store. He had to turn everything into a sweeping dramatic epic, and if he could, he'd throw a little bit of romance in the mix to supplement more substance that you'd expect out a big budget blockbuster. From that description, you'd think that he was the James Cameron of his time, except the difference is that Cameron is still consistently entertaining when he's in the middle of working substance in with the style. Don't get me wrong, I know good classic filmmaking when I see it, and I'm seeing it here, but really Dave, if you were going to take all night, you could have at least not intensified our desire to go to bed. Evidently, I'm one of the handful of people who feel that way with David Lean films, or at least almost all of the other ones, because although this film is still old enough to be considered a materpiece, plenty had to just give up a say, "Okay fine, it's a little bit boring." Well, I'm going to have disagree with those people, because this film really isn't all that boring, yet is still a real limper, decidedly not to where it keeps the film from standing out, let alone descending into the frightening world of tedium, yet still to where the film stands to pick up the pace if it's going to keep us here for so long.

I've had someone tell me before I went into this film, "you'll be bored out of your gourd" (My mom's a dork), yet I soon came to find that this film really isn't any more slow than any other David Lean film. The problem is that Lean, regardless of what he and the critics thought, was never really all that exciting of an epic storyteller, and sure enough, this film travels few place and not very fast. It follows that classic Lean formula of atmosphere, complete with dryness and, during the less sweeping moments, an almost pronounced limitation of intrigue, made worse by long periods of exposition that really don't feel like they're heading anywhere, or at least not heading anywhere fast. The film is hardly boring, yet it does hit points where it is decidedly dull, and even those points are mere moments of intensification amidst consistent slowness and dryness that lands a hard blow to the film's intrigue in many more spots than it should. The final product comes out formulaic as a David Lean film, yet still with a degree of squandered potential, even though the actual concept, in detail, isn't quite as promising as expected. Still, on that scale, while the film still doesn't hit terribly hard, this is still David Lean, and while I'm not nut about him like everyone else, again, I know good classic filmmaking when I see it. Lean's execution is as improvable as always, yet with his conventional missteps come his conventional and ultimately triumphant good moves, particularly when it comes to style.

Freddie Young's and an uncredited Nicholas Roeg's cinematography gives the film a kind of subtle haze that is only occasionally noticable, but really stops you cold (Pun... okay, intended) in your tracks when it does go pronounced, particularly during the many sweep shots that David Lean did and we will always love so much, especially when we're looking at locations and art direction this phenomenal. The film, like many a Lean film, is a real feast for the eyes, as well as the ears, for Maurice Jarre's score is one to note, poignantly understanding the spirit and sweep of the environment and sounding great while doing it, creating an epic composition that is sadly underused, yet always a joy to hear when it does finally kick in. Lean understood the style of an epic, as well as the atmosphere, a piece of knowledge that only occasionally plays upon within this film, yet when he does, the film truly resonantes with enthralling depth, whether it be in its portrayal of the rocky romance or the tragedies of war. The story is a worthy one with potential that is quite easily underexplored at the end of the day, yet still has enough depth in execution to engage you, with that depth spawning from Lean's direction and Carlo Ponti's production, as well as a slew of fine performances. Julie Christie was among what seemed to be a handful of actually good actresses of the '60s, and she wasn't about to let you forget it with this film, delivering on not necessarily a supreme performance, yet one with grace and emotional range that leaves you to attach to the Lara Antipova character and her struggles, while such rather underused talents as Tom Courtenay play their parts as components to the tension quite well, with Courtenay standing as an effective antagonistic presence of intelligence tainted by radical views. As for leading man Omar Sharif, our titular central character is one of nobility and greatness, as well as vulnerability and flaws, all defining aspects to both the Dr. Yuri Zhivago character and the film itself that Sharif nails with delicate grace. Zhivago is strong yet trapped in many ways: In war, in love and in principle, and with a kind of unraveling anguish, broken up by a glimmer of hope, Sharif shapes a performance structure that emits a fiery lead presence of compellingness that helps in making this film so engaging, regardless of its faults.

Overall, the film follows perhaps too closely to the classic David Lean formula, falling into such traits as consistent slowness and dryness in the atmosphere, as well as lengthy lapses in intrigue, leaving the film to often feel rather aimless, something it can't afford to be with such a sprawling length and worthy subject matter, yet through dazzling style and sweep, the film engages, while Lean's general inspiration in direction and across-the-board fine performances - particularly those by a show-stealkingly antagonistic Tom Courtenay and a lead position-justifyingly emotional and layered Omar Sharif -, the film is often emotionally enthralling, thus leaving "Doctor Zhivago" to stand as your usual David Lean epic, complete with sweep and general resonance that makes it well worth the long sit.

3/5 - Good.