Doctor Zhivago (2002)

Sadly Over-hyped

Admirable film.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I haven't read the book, and only remember fleeting glimpses of Shariff and Christie in the original. It does have a distinct "TV-film" feel to it, but the pace, script and acting are good, the sets look reasonably authentic, and there is good use of archive film where appropriate and the management of crowd scenes with minimal extras is cleverly done. Hans Matheson is excellent as Yuri, and Kris Marshall does a good job as Pasha. The stand-out performance for me is Alexandra Maria Lara as Tonya, who affects an understated Russian accent very well. Sam Neill turns in a fair performance as the evil (rather smug) Viktor, but the disappointment is Knightley, who gives the standard performance of Keira Knightley saying someone else's words that we've all become very familiar with. I do feel that the film fails a little in that it seems to want to show the story in all its glory, but without shocking *too* much ... so we have people dying in battle and skirmishes, with bloody wounds, but rather sanitised. The possible exception is in the 3rd episode, where a recent amputee is shown, but even then, we are spared the worst, which dilutes the impact for me, of what is a powerful story set in barbaric and inhumane times. It is a similar story with the bedroom scenes, which are an odd mixture of explicit sexual content with virtually no nudity to speak of. I admire the intent of the film(s) - the spreading of the story over three episodes, each over an hour long - which allows the characters to develop over time as I'm sure they must do in the book. With a little more willingness to shock for added realism, and a more convincing performance from Knightley, this would have been quite wonderful.

I don't understand why people say that the attraction between Yury and Lara in this version is not as obvious as in the original. The chemistry between them is undeniable, Keira is beautiful and tragic and portrays a real need to be saved which i think would completely appeal to Yury. Alexandra Maria Lara, while pretty, does not possess the same obvious beauty as Keira and i think she does a brilliant job of playing the needy, average housewife. Lara and Yury have a deep connection, which even as they travel along separate paths, still brings them together throughout their lives. The end scene where Yury sees Lara for the last time is incredible. The look in Hans Mathesons eyes as he watches her walk past the window is so poignant that i don't believe anyone watching it could fail to be moved. So magnificent was the acting between these two throughout i had to remind myself at times that they were only actors. Keira is strong and weak all at the same time, she is suitably seduced yet repulsed by victor and i think this is important as she does not just appear as a victim which adds a new dimension to their relationship and almost makes the story slightly more sordid and less pure. The one problem i had as a viewer with the original was that Julie Christie's performance made Lara appear as a innocent victim rather than a strong woman who survives through one of the most turbulent times of Russian history whilst constantly fighting against the manipulative Victor.

One wonders why the BBC dared to challenge David Lean's 1965 version of the Boris Pasternak novel with a script by Robert Bolt and a brilliant cast. But the TV series has its virtues -- greater length, allowing for inclusion of more of the novel, and a cast that generally stands well up to comparison with the actors in the film who engraved themselves in our mind's eye as the definitive Zhivago, Lara, Tonya (Zhivago's wife), Komorovsky, and Pasha (afterwards the iron-willed and ruthless Bolshevik general). Although it drags a bit in the first half, the second half of the TV production is exceptionally moving. Keira Knightley (Julie Christie in the film version) exudes sexual attractiveness, of course, but she also captures Lara's initial innocence, her loyalty first to Pasha and then to Zhivago after Pasha disappears, and her emotional depths. Hans Mattheson (Omar Sharif) grows on you as his troubles mount. Alexandra Maria Lara (!) (Geraldine Chaplin in the movie) is splendid both as Zhivago's loving wife and as jilted and martyred lover. Sam Neill (Rod Stieger) is appropriately slimy as Komarovsky, Lara's corrupter and relentless pursuer. Only Kris Marshall (Tom Courtnay) falls especially short; he is unconvincing as the ruthless general. The Alec Guiness character in the movie, General Zhivago, is strangely missing from the TV series, possibly because they were unable to find anyone who could possibly fill Guiness's shoes. Also missing is Lara's theme, the haunting music which many still remember from the movie. I liked the second half of the TV series and am once again impressed by the fact that Keira Knightley is a good deal more than a pretty face. In fact, she is a worthy next-generation successor to the role of ranking female British star.

Kiera Knightly is a much better Lara. Julie's Christie was much too pure. Kiera's Lara is complex, and better. Julie Christie never was believable as a young teenager.Hans Matheson is no Omar Sharif, of course, but he is closer to the appropriate age.Sam Neill was born to play Komarovsky. So full of cruel, cold ambition and self-absorption.Tonia is so much better too.In total, the entire film is broader, and a much more cohesive story. There is no doubt in this film about what drives the characters. There is still no room for the novel's mourning for the death of the individual life, of nobility of spirit, of poetry. But at least here we understand better why Yuri chooses Lara, and why Pasha abandons Lara, and how little Yuri sees his mother vanish.