Review of Doctor Zhivago (1965) by Garrett C — 10 Mar 2012

I'm very conflicted about my opinion of Doctor Zhivago. I love how it's photographed, the sets are fantastic, and the performances are masterful. The real problem I have is with the story. While it is clearly very literary with several subplots and a very long span of time.

The story just seems to completely unrealistic. Why would Tonya be so alright would the fact that Zhivago has a mistress? Why did the film completely ignore Tonya as if she wasn't there after she and Sasha left for France? What where they thinking with that ending? Lara just goes off and never comes back, Zhivago unconvincingly twitches and gasps about like underwater cartoon characters when they breath air.

Their deaths were just plain pathetic, but as least Alec Guinness softens that blow of stupidity with a good ending for his scenes with the long lost daughter of Lara and Zhivago. The beginning hours of the film were actually extremely good before everything fell apart.

It was like watching the beginning scenes of Gone With the Wind all over again. A war is brewing and revolution is in the air with doomed love blossoming right in the heart of it. These early parts were also very political, and I must admit I don't think I fully comprehended the horrors of communism until I saw the scene where Zhivago finds his home filled with 13 families in it.

It's only fair. I also noticed that there was a strong historical context in this, with many of the problems in the film happening right then in 60's America. Left wing extremists wanting to take over, brutal war waging, free love, etc.

It is clearly very literary with several subplots and a very long span of time. There are scenes where the characters are clearly thinking more about their situation and environment then we are allowed to know through the medium of film.

The score is nice, but I think the now extremely famous Lara's Theme was a bit overused. Overall I would say Zhivago is no Bridge or Lawrence, but it is extremely fascinating in its own unique way.