Dr. Zhivago Haters Gather Here!

[NipkowDisc]

Maybe Sharif shoulda been Pasha ( Strogonoff )   and Courtenay Zhivago. 

[Hibi]

I dont hate the film, as there are parts that are well done, but the film suffers from the miscasting of Sharif in the lead (O'Toole turned it down, not wanting to be tied down to a year or more of filming another Lean epic) and the film overall has a disjointed quailty that was confusing to me until I'd seen it a few times (I dont know how close it is to the novel, I never read it). And as has been remarked, there is little chemistry between the leads or any reason to believe why their relationship is such an epic love story. I wouldnt mind if the film were put in mothballs for at least 5 years as its shown too often (as we all know)........

 

It was a huge hit, so clearly many people love it (not so much the critics at the time) and as Lorna said, if not for The Sound of Music, it would no doubt have won Best Picture that year........

[jamesjazzguitar]

I dont hate the film, as there are parts that are well done, but the film suffers from the miscasting of Sharif in the lead (O'Toole turned it down, not wanting to be tied down to a year or more of filming another Lean epic) and the film overall has a disjointed quailty that was confusing to me until I'd seen it a few times (I dont know how close it is to the novel, I never read it). And as has been remarked, there is little chemistry between the leads or any reason to believe why their relationship is such an epic love story. I wouldnt mind if the film were put in mothballs for at least 5 years as its shown too often (as we all know)........

 

It was a huge hit, so clearly many people love it (not so much the critics at the time) and as Lorna said, if not for The Sound of Music, it would no doubt have won Best Picture that year........

 

Well one would hope there are parts that are well done in a movie that is this long.   I'll admit I just don't have the patients to wait for those parts.    Therefore it is unfair for me to even judge the film since I haven't watched it start to end.

[NipkowDisc]

I say Rod Steiger carries this film. 

[NipkowDisc]

I say Rod Steiger carries this film. 

[misswonderly3]

Speaking of anachronisms, anyone else notice the hair? Then again beehives might have been all the rage during the revolution.

 

Basil, if you're referring to Julie Christie's "do" in that video pic posted here on the thread, I wouldn't call that a "beehive". It's more a "chignon", a "bun", the hair sort of rolled and tucked neatly at the back of the head.

A "beehive", on the other hand, sports an "updo", with the hair (sometimes with a little enhancement, ie, extra hair not rooted in the lady's head) all curled around and piled up on TOP of the head.

a la Audrey Hepburn in her big "ball" scene from "My Fair Lady". Now that's definitely an anachronism.

 

As for the B-52's, who doesn't love Kate and Cindy and their fun retro look, hair, capri pants, and all. But even then, they were from the late 70s/early80s, and they were wearing their "do's" with a conscious intention to look like they'd walked straight out of 1962.

 

Thus:

 

[NipkowDisc]

It is a great film but...

 

I doan know. Ya gotta care about the characters.

 

Zhivago's a pacifist doctor who loves the pretty redhead, so what?

 

The bolshevik revolution is raging, so what?

 

Kamorovsky sees the redhead smitten (who knows why?) with the idealistic nut and reminds the redhead that she's a woman and suggests that she should get over the nut.

 

Apart from the frigid train ride that's all there is that I can see.

 

There's the real love story. 

[johnm001]

I also find the score annoying . . . although perhaps it's because I associate it with the movie.

I find almost nothing to like about Lean's films, past BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI. 

And yes, I've seen them in their original road show presentations, the way they were meant to be seen.  Repetitive music scores, with scene after scene just screaming for better editing (even in KWAI, just not as bad).  Like a still photographer got his hands on a movie camera and wasn't exactly sure what to do with it.  Pre-KWAI, when he still understood how to make pictures that MOVE, I quite like his work.

[LornaHansonForbes]

(O'Toole turned Zhivago down, not wanting to be tied down to a year or more of filming another Lean epic)

Seriously?

I never hoid that. Damn, I bet it would've been awesome with O'Toole.

[NipkowDisc]

I find almost nothing to like about Lean's films, past BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI. 

And yes, I've seen them in their original road show presentations, the way they were meant to be seen.  Repetitive music scores, with scene after scene just screaming for better editing (even in KWAI, just not as bad).  Like a still photographer got his hands on a movie camera and wasn't exactly sure what to do with it.  Pre-KWAI, when he still understood how to make pictures that MOVE, I quite like his work.

Well said. I think you nail it home.

[Hibi]

Seriously?

I never hoid that. Damn, I bet it would've been awesome with O'Toole.

 

Yep. Lean wasnt too happy about that and I dont think they spoke for years afterwards......

[BasilBruce]

Here's a theory, Julie Christie and Peter O'Toole look like they could be siblings (In my opinion). What if O'Toole told Lean he wouldn't play Zhivago, but he would play Laura. Add a wig and make everyone else where lifts in their shoes and the world would never know.

[HoldenIsHere]

Here's a theory, Julie Christie and Peter O'Toole look like they could be siblings (In my opinion). What if O'Toole told Lean he wouldn't play Zhivago, but he would play Laura. Add a wig and make everyone else where lifts in their shoes and the world would never know.

 

Interesting theory

 

It reminds of the "truth game" during that party scene in DARLING . . where the guy puts on the wig and pretends to be Julie Christie's character Diana Scott.

[NipkowDisc]

n/t

[NipkowDisc]

Nobody understands this film but me. The real story with Doctor Zhivago is the unrequited love of Komarovsky for Lara. He tries to set her straight about Pasha but she won't listen.

But the noble Komarovsky cannot allow the impetuous young woman to ruin her life so he acts. Not the best kinda act but nobody's perfect. What irks Lara is that she knows in her heart that he is right. We need a sequel.

Komarovsky & Lara: Another Love Story  

[NipkowDisc]

Nobody understands this film but me. The real story with Doctor Zhivago is the unrequited love of Komarovsky for Lara. He tries to set her straight about Pasha but she won't listen.

But the noble Komarovsky cannot allow the impetuous young woman to ruin her life so he acts. Not the best kinda act but nobody's perfect. What irks Lara is that she knows in her heart that he is right. We need a sequel.

Komarovsky & Lara: Another Love Story  

Lara's mother was feeling a little shaky so the gallant Komarovsky is holding her hand for support. 

[Swithin]

It seems to me that when people bring up their least favorite movie Dr. Zhivago always comes up. So I figured we should Discover why we dislike it so much. Please tell me I'm not alone in wishing David Lean had stuck to warm places.

Actually I think this is one of the best titled threads ever! There are plenty of threads to discuss pros and cons -- this thread is a special place for people who don't like the film.

[BasilBruce]

Nobody understands this film but me. The real story with Doctor Zhivago is the unrequited love of Komarovsky for Lara. He tries to set her straight about Pasha but she won't listen.

But the noble Komarovsky cannot allow the impetuous young woman to ruin her life so he acts. Not the best kinda act but nobody's perfect. What irks Lara is that she knows in her heart that he is right. We need a sequel.

Komarovsky & Lara: Another Love Story  

Peter O'Toole as Laura is thinking: how am I going to win best actress when Rod Steiger is stealing my thunder?

[NipkowDisc]

I like this part.

 

There's a moral here.

 

 

Don't try to sound like a big wup with deserters on top of a barrel.

 

 

 

 

[sewhite2000]

Sorry, Swithin, but not immediately seeing a nearby thread in which the pros and cons of the film can be discussed and unwilling to look for some thread on p. 73 to bump up, I will offer a defense of DR. ZHIVAGO here.

 

Many posters on here at least seem to acknowledge Rod Steiger's performance was extraordinary. I would also give a shout out to Tom Courtenay, who was the only actor in the film to get an Oscar nomination.

 

But Julie Christie. My God! That scene where Steiger momentarily holds a veil to her face as if she's a mystic Arab princess, how any heterosexual male couldn't fall in love with her at that moment, I don't know.

 

It is exceedingly long, and it is a bit emotionally dry, but for better or worse, that's what Lean decided his MO was going to be from BRIDGE to the end of his career. I feel like he ought to be saluted for being true to his own vision, rather than conforming to the expectations of the posters here.

 

I tend to like the first half more than the second. Maybe I just dig oppressive monarchist opulence than I do Communist dogmatism.

 

I'm frankly stunned at all the people saying "I can't watch all of it" or "I keep falling asleep during it". I want to yell at all those people to just watch TRANSFORMERS if they can't stay awake for DR. ZHIVAGO, but I think most of the people I would be yelling at consider themselves elitist film snobs despite their inability to watch this movie in its entirety and so would not like TRANSFORMERS either.

 

I do think it's extraordinarily unfair to participate in this thread if you couldn't even commit to watching the entire movie before you dissed it. Terribly lazy on the part of all you people. It needed to be said!

[misswonderly3]

 ...I do think it's extraordinarily unfair to participate in this thread if you couldn't even commit to watching the entire movie before you dissed it. Terribly lazy on the part of all you people. It needed to be said!

 

sewhite, I'm afraid I'm going to have to report you to the moderator for participating on a thread you're not allowed on.

[Swithin]

sewhite, I'm afraid I'm going to have to report you to the moderator for participating on a thread you're not allowed on.

Yes, Miss W., you are after all the police person of off-topic! Maybe sewhite should get warning points!  One can always start a thread if there's no on-topic thread going, for what one wants to discuss!

[Richard Kimble]

I like this part.

 

There's a moral here.

 

 

Don't try to sound like a big wup with deserters on top of a barrel.

 

Interesting you chose that scene. For me it was of the very few that had any sort of emotional impact.

 

Though it would probably have been more affecting if handled by someone other than the aloof Lean.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Sorry, Swithin, but not immediately seeing a nearby thread in which the pros and cons of the film can be discussed and unwilling to look for some thread on p. 73 to bump up, I will offer a defense of DR. ZHIVAGO here.

 

Many posters on here at least seem to acknowledge Rod Steiger's performance was extraordinary. I would also give a shout out to Tom Courtenay, who was the only actor in the film to get an Oscar nomination.

 

But Julie Christie. My God! That scene where Steiger momentarily holds a veil to her face as if she's a mystic Arab princess, how any heterosexual male couldn't fall in love with her at that moment, I don't know.

 

It is exceedingly long, and it is a bit emotionally dry, but for better or worse, that's what Lean decided his MO was going to be from BRIDGE to the end of his career. I feel like he ought to be saluted for being true to his own vision, rather than conforming to the expectations of the posters here.

 

I tend to like the first half more than the second. Maybe I just dig oppressive monarchist opulence than I do Communist dogmatism.

 

I'm frankly stunned at all the people saying "I can't watch all of it" or "I keep falling asleep during it". I want to yell at all those people to just watch TRANSFORMERS if they can't stay awake for DR. ZHIVAGO, but I think most of the people I would be yelling at consider themselves elitist film snobs despite their inability to watch this movie in its entirety and so would not like TRANSFORMERS either.

 

I do think it's extraordinarily unfair to participate in this thread if you couldn't even commit to watching the entire movie before you dissed it. Terribly lazy on the part of all you people. It needed to be said!

If one can't get through an entire movie, that's a reason to diss it right there.

[BasilBruce]

If only the Sandman didn't visit 97.3% of the population when Zhivago plays.