Doctor Zhivago

[Smokey]

David Lean is one of best director who directed multiple academy award winner movies such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai and Doctor Zhivago.

Just recently watched Doctor Zhivago which I had not seen in a long time, and was not as impressed as I was with his other movies such as Lawrence and River Kwai. David Lean like to do his movies in grand scale, but Zhivago failed to reach that scale.

Zhivago is story of love triangle between a doctor (Omar Sharif) and his two lovers that happend during Russia revolution, and romance take center stage during this movie and revolution drama as background story.

If David Lean switched and did the russian revolution as main them of movie and romancce as side story, IMO Zhivago would have been much more entertaining (like he did with Lawrence of Arabia). The romace get dragged on for 3 hours and it get repetitions. You say enough already.

Sorry, but 3 out of 5 stars :)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wJkTJjlmzOw/TvOIrWyYEuI/AAAAAAAABqw/NTcn8RiIBig/s1600/ZHIVAGO2.jpg

[JohnMichael]

My favorite movie of all time. Since it was titled "Dr. Zhivago" and not the Bolshevik Revolution I was impressed in seeing how the revolution impacted he and his family. He had been part of Russia's elite and suffered the loss of wealth and power.

I felt the war and change of regime well represented without making it a true war film. The winter scenes on the way to their country home were breathtaking. The movie had it all. 5 Stars and now I want to see it again.

[Feanor]

Of the trio, Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge on the River Kwai, and Doctor Zhivago, I'd agree that Zhivago is the least good, IMO. It is a meandering tale seeming to lack direction although the point be made that it reflects the unpredictability of the revolutionary time and its exigencies.

I probably liked Bridge on the River Kwai best of the three.


Bridge on the River Kwai - 4.5/5*
Lawrence of Arabia - 4/5*
Doctor Zhivago - 4/5*

[Smokey]

Since it was titled "Dr. Zhivago" and not the Bolshevik Revolution I was impressed in seeing how the revolution impacted he and his family. He had been part of Russia's elite and suffered the loss of wealth and power.

Which really film just glazed over those revolution "downfall" events. Covering those events in more depth rather than just backdrop IMO would have give the film more weight and substance.


The winter scenes on the way to their country home were breathtaking.

No denying excellent cinematography of this film. That is always been one of Lean's signature in his films. Same with director John Ford :)

[Smokey]

I probably liked Bridge on the River Kwai best of the three.


Bridge on the River Kwai - 4.5/5*
Lawrence of Arabia - 4/5*
Doctor Zhivago - 4/5*


Bridge on the River Kwai was so diffrent from other war movies as all the leading actors die at the end. The messgae was that there are no heros in war :)