Doctor Zhivago
2 Discs Rs. 599/-
Cast: Omar Sharif, Julie Christi, Geraldine Chaplin
Directed By: David Lean.
While his earlier efforts "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and "Lawrence of Arabia" are widely hailed as two of the finest films ever created, “Doctor Zhivago” is another classic by director David Lean that reeks of incredible props, breathtaking locations and stellar performances from Sharif and Christie. Besides the haunting Maurice Jarre's theme song ‘Lara’s theme’ (Somewhere my love)’ that weaves in and out in the movie, the beautiful love story plot against a backdrop of the Russian revolution, it’s a pleasure to revisit this five Oscar winning classic in all its glory, more so when it comes with a Bonus DVD that captures many aspects of the movie from the making of the film, the adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of Boris Pasternak ‘Doctor Zhivago’, to the location and press interviews of the main stars.
The story is based on poet Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif) who has just graduated from medical school. He serves as a war doctor where he meets up with Lara (Julie Christie) a nurse volunteer. Yuri is shocked to see the bloodshed of innocent demonstrators on the street outside his house. Married to the beautiful Tonya (Geraldine Chaplin), Yuri is attracted to Lara, a face he cannot forget. But a political opportunist Komarovsky (Rod Steiger) a Bolshevik General rapes Lara and meets her privately. Lara's boyfriend Pasha (Tom Courtenay) is a committed revolutionary unaware that Lara is Komarovsky’s mistress.
While at war, Pasha goes missing, assuming he is dead, Lara moves on in her life. Yuri meanwhile has to confront his allies which include General Strelnikov Pasha, Komarovsky, and Yevgraf (Alec Guinness), Zhivago's half-brother. Alongwith Tonya, his child and her father, Zhivago leaves Moscow for the Urals only to find Lara working in a small town nearby. The romance is rekindled, with Zhivago leading a double life.
There are scenes in the film that are jaw dropping beautiful, like the ice crystals on a frozen windowpane, the fields of yellow flowers bloom and the train voyage.
- By Verus Ferreira