Review of Doctor Zhivago (1965) by Bubbles Mcgrumbly-Cynical Optimist — 07 Jul 2008

I don't often enjoy love stories, but this was quite wonderful. Omar Sharif, as usual, was lovely to watch - his eyes are so expressive, and they never failed to move me; they possessed a very palpable turmoil, and it was probably this single source of emotional depth that held the film together. Tom Courtenay's character was not as I had imagined; I felt it had been over-simplified, and I also seem to remember Pasha being a far more prominent character in the novel. I was amazed by Rod Steiger's portrayal of Komarovsky, as it was so similar to the way I had imagined the character in the novel. Julie Christie was brilliant, but not quite the way I imagined Lara originally. The music was mostly very charming and memorable - a little too memorable, at times! I still haven't got Lara's theme out of my head, despite not really liking it that much...

There were a lot of beautiful shots that will haunt my memory for a long time. The image of Yuri writing at the desk, with Lara bathed in the red glow of the fire... the onion domes silhouetted against the winter sunset, in the funeral scene... Zhivago galloping away across a frozen wilderness, a sort of reversal of the famous mirage scene in 'Lawrence'...

One of the only downsides to it was that it left me feeling curiously empty at the end. It didn't give me the sense of horror, coupled with the release of tension I get from watching 'Kwai', nor the silent awe and emotional exhaustion I get from 'Lawrence'. Nevertheless, an enjoyable piece of cinema, and one that will certainly be watched many more times!