Doctor Zhivago, a cinematic masterpiece that turns 60, continues to captivate audiences with its sweeping romance and historical backdrop. This film is a testament to the changing tides of history and the enduring power of love.
In 1965, Julie Christie had a year that perfectly encapsulated the cinematic mood of the mid-1960s. She portrayed an amoral model in Darling, a film that reflected the vibrant and forward-thinking culture of Swinging London. However, her role as the elusive Russian beauty Lara in Doctor Zhivago showcased a stark contrast, with the film being a lengthy historical epic directed by David Lean. While Darling hinted at the future, Doctor Zhivago embraced a more traditional and old-fashioned narrative, yet both films found an audience that year, thanks in part to Christie's magnetic presence.
Doctor Zhivago explores a pivotal moment in history when a stable place is transformed by insurgents, leaving it unrecognizable. It's a story that resonates with the sense of an era crashing into another, a theme that runs throughout the film.
Lean's direction is masterful, and his attention to scale elevates the love story between Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif) and Lara. Their love affair survives the chaos of war and fate, spanning from Moscow to the Ural Mountains. Despite some criticism for not delving deeply into Russian history, Lean focuses on the individuals caught in the current of history, a terrifying yet deeply romantic narrative choice.
The original novel by Boris Pasternak faced significant challenges, as it was smuggled out of the USSR for publication in 1957 due to its criticism of the Communist party. Lean, working with Robert Bolt, the screenwriter of Lawrence of Arabia, approached the historical moment with a delicate balance, showcasing the scope of the events while avoiding political entanglements.
The film begins in 1913 Moscow, on the brink of World War I and the Russian Revolution. Yuri Zhivago, an orphaned doctor and celebrated poet, is engaged to Tonya (Geraldine Chaplin). Meanwhile, Lara, a beautiful 17-year-old, is caught between the affections of Victor Komarovsky (Rod Steiger) and her true love, Pasha (Tom Courtenay), an idealistic young Bolshevik.
Lean skillfully builds the romance between Zhivago and Lara, keeping them apart for much of the first half, only to unite them on the frontlines during World War I. Their love, though faithful to their respective partners, is overwhelming, and it finds its place to flourish in an abandoned mansion deep in the Ural Mountains.
Doctor Zhivago is a lengthy film, lasting over three hours, and while it lacks the fleetness of Lawrence of Arabia, it makes up for it with its grand scale and intimate moments. Lean's staging of conflicts, such as the attack on demonstrators and the early days of Communist rule, is persuasive and powerful.
As Pasha tells Zhivago, "The personal life is dead in Russia. History has killed it." Zhivago's poetry, once celebrated, is now seen as anticommunist, and he, like many others, is simply reacting to circumstances beyond his control.
Yet, amidst the bitter cold of Doctor Zhivago, there is warmth in the moments shared between Zhivago and Lara. Their love story, an us-against-the-world narrative, bends towards tragedy, but it serves as a reminder that love and art can persevere through dark times.
So, while Doctor Zhivago may be seen as a relic of an earlier era, its enduring appeal lies in its ability to capture the essence of love and history, leaving a lasting impact on audiences.
