Doctor Zhivago 1965
Doctor Zhivago ★★★ 1965 (PG-13)
Sweeping adaptation of the Nobel Prize-winning Boris Pasternak novel. An innocent Russian poet-intellectual is caught in the furor and chaos of the Bolshevik Revolution. Essentially a poignant love story filmed as a historical epic. Panoramic film popularized the song “Lara's Theme.” Overlong, with often disappointing performances, but gorgeous scenery. Lean was more successful in “Lawrence of Arabia,” where there was less need for ensemble acting. 197m/C VHS, DVD . Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness, Klaus Kinski, Ralph Richardson, Rita Tushingham, Siobhan McKenna, Tom Courtenay, Bernard Kay, Gerard Tichy, Noel Will-man, Geoffrey Keen, Adrienne Corri, Jack MacGowran, Mark Eden, Erik Chitty, Peter Madden, Jose Maria Caffarell, Jeffrey Rockland, Wolf Frees, Lucy Westmore; D: David Lean; W: Robert Bolt; C: Frederick A. (Freddie) Young; M: Maurice Jarre. Oscars '65: Adapt. Screenplay, Art Dir./Set Dec., Color, Color Cinematog., Costume Des. (C), Orig. Score; AFI '98: Top 100; Golden Globes '66: Actor—Drama (Sharif), Director (Lean), Film—Drama, Screenplay, Score; Natl. Bd. of Review '65: Actress (Christie).