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Doctor Zhivago Overview:

Doctor Zhivago (1965) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by David Lean and produced by Carlo Ponti and Arvid Griffen.

The film was based on the novel of the same name written by Boris Pasternak published in 1957.

SYNOPSIS

The ultimate in mid-'60s, big-budget Hollywood filmmaking, with casts of thousands, exotic locations, strikingly beautiful stars, and the sheen that only money can buy. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Boris Pasternak, about a Russian surgeon and poet, married to one woman yet in love with another, who becomes a victim of the Russian Revolution. The 30th Anniversary edition includes a documentary on the marking of the film and is remastered.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1965 --- Ceremony Number 38 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Supporting ActorTom CourtenayNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: John Box, Terry Marsh; Set Decoration: Dario SimoniWon
Best CinematographyFreddie YoungWon
Best Costume DesignPhyllis DaltonWon
Best DirectorDavid LeanNominated
Best Film EditingNorman SavageNominated
Best Music - ScoringMaurice JarreWon
Best PictureCarlo Ponti, ProducerNominated
Best WritingRobert BoltWon
See More Oscar Winners

Doctor Zhivago BlogHub Articles:

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

By Beatrice on Oct 15, 2018 From Flickers in Time

Doctor Zhivago Directed by David Lean Written by Robert Bolt from the novel by Boris Pasternak 1965/USA/Italy/UK Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Carlo Ponti Production/Sostar S.A. Repeat viewing/Netflix rental One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Zhivago: It’s to show there’s no going back... Read full article

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

on Jun 22, 2016 From Journeys in Classic Film

Doctor Zhivago is a movie whose reputation precedes it. Doctor Zhivago marks my first foray into David Lean territory – a director I’ve avoided because his movies require getting comfy for over two hours. With that, Zhivago lives up to the definition of the word “epic” and ... Read full article

Doctor Zhivago (1965, David Lean)

By Andrew Wickliffe on Jul 10, 2015 From The Stop Button

When Doctor Zhivago got to its intermission, I assumed director Lean would keep things moving as fast in the second half as he did in the first. These expectations were all high melodrama. Instead, the post-intermission section of Zhivago feels utterly detached from the first, even though there are ... Read full article

Doctor Zhivago, Happy Anniversary! Premiered, Wednesday, December 22nd, 1965, in New York City. (2)

By C. S. Williams on Dec 22, 2013 From Classic Film Aficionados

   ... Read full article

Doctor Zhivago, Happy Anniversary! Premiered, Wednesday, December 22nd, 1965, in New York City.

By C. S. Williams on Dec 22, 2013 From Classic Film Aficionados

   ... Read full article

See More Doctor Zhivago Articles

Doctor Zhivago Quotes:

Kostoyed Amourski: I am the only free man on this train! And the rest of you are CATTLE!
Pasha: They rode them down, Lara. Women and children, begging for bread. There will be no more 'peaceful' demonstrations.
See More Quotes from Doctor Zhivago
Doctor Zhivago Facts
In the scene where Julie Christie slaps Rod Steiger, Steiger slaps her back. Steiger slapping her back was not in the script or discussed during filming, Steiger did it only during filming and the stunned reaction of Christie was genuine. When Rod Steiger kisses Julie Christie for the first time, her struggling and surprise is genuine because Steiger deliberately French kissed her, sticking his tongue into her mouth.
Carlo Ponti wanted to shoot the film in the Soviet Union, but the government refused his requests. David Lean visited Yugoslavia and the Scandinavian countries in search of locations. Both areas were too cold and the bureaucracy in Yugoslavia was too prohibitive. In the end, the majority of the film was shot in Spain.
The film was shot in Spain during the regime of Gen. Francisco Franco. While the scene with the crowd chanting the Marxist theme was being filmed (at 3:00 in the morning), police showed up at the set thinking that a real revolution was taking place and insisted on staying until the scene was finished. Apparently, people who lived near where filming was taking place had awoken to the sound of revolutionary singing and had mistakenly believed that Franco had been overthrown. As the extras sang the revolutionary Internationale for a protest scene, the secret police surveyed the crowd, making many of the extras pretend that they didn't know the words.
William Hartnell and T.P. McKenna were both offered parts.
The inside of the ice palace was mostly made up specifically formed wax.
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