Doctor Zhivago

PG-13

Released Dec 22, 1965

3 hr. 17 min.

Romance

History

Drama

War

List

82%

50 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

During the Russian Revolution, Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif), is a young doctor who has been raised by his aunt and uncle following his father's suicide. Yuri falls in love with beautiful Lara Guishar (Julie Christie), who has been having an affair with her mother's lover, Victor Komarovsky (Rod Steiger), an unscrupulous businessman. Yuri, however, ends up marrying his cousin, Tonya (Geraldine Chaplin). But when he and Lara meet again years later, the spark of love reignites.

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Critics Consensus

It may not be the best of David Lean's epics, but Dr. Zhivago is still brilliantly photographed and sweepingly romantic.

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Jeffre L

Such a wonderful movie. It is long - basically two movies. Just wonderful - my favorite of all time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/24

Full Review

Alec B

From a story perspective, the film is your relatively standard "sweeping romantic epic set against the backdrop of real history" but David Lean directs the hell out of it, per usual. There are too many amazing shots to count and the cast is fantastic from Omar Sharif right down to those that only have a few lines (Klaus Kinski is unforgettable even in a tiny part). I'm still not sure why it was blasted by critics in it's day, but I suspect that they wanted this film to fail because of Lean's past successes. Upon noticing a weaker narrative structure and a love story they began a feeding frenzy of nitpicking criticisms.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/28/23

Full Review

Kev F

A great drama about a person's life affected by Russia's transition from an empire into a communist country.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/11/23

Full Review

Он очень интересный и замечательный.Доктор очень красивый и его работа выдающаяся.Я очень восхищаюсь им и его романами.Советую всем посмотреть этот фильм,потому что он интересный.Мне очень понравилось.Хотелось бы поделиться этим замечательным работа со знакомыми и родственниками.Спасибо

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/06/23

Full Review

Ben T

A beautiful film with wonderful cinematography. Omar Sharif does a great job as the film's lead and keeps the viewer invested in his journey through both love and war.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

Jack I

I have to say---perhaps without much evidence that Rotten Tomatoes---just like Siskel and Ebert really knew (very) little about true greatness in film or for that matter--truly bad films. Acters and acting seems to be something that these folks (wish) that they had been involved in and so in a distorted way, they try to tell us what constitutes "greatness' or the opposite of greatness. I am 70 years of age and saw Zhivago when I was fourteen when it was released to overseas theaters in Japan. I thought then, as I do now, that the film was the greatest work of art that had ever been or ever will be! Julie Criste, Rod Steiger, Omar Sharif and the supporting cast were/are flawless! Everything about David Lean's work is superb and stands the test of time! Academy awards are given away like nickel candy these days but in the days of this work of art---such awards had to be EARNED!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/23/22

Full Review

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David Lean

Director

Omar Sharif

Dr. Yuri Zhivago

Julie Christie

Nurse Lara Antipova

Geraldine Chaplin

Tonya

Tom Courtenay

Pasha Antipova

Alec Guinness

Gen. Yevgraf Zhivago

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James Powers

Hollywood Reporter

Despite the grim and brooding background, Zhivago has a surging buoyant spirit that is unquenchable. Doctor Zhivago is more than a masterful motion picture; it is a life experience.

Dec 22, 2016

Full Review

Richard Roud

Guardian

One of those rare film adaptations which, unless you have already read the book, makes you wonder why anyone ever bothered to make the film at all.

Apr 29, 2016

Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

Maurice Jarre's music is as beguiling as ever and Lean squeezes all the pathos that he can out of the romance between Sharif's Yuri Zhivago and Julie Christie's febrile and gorgeous Lara Antipova.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 1, 2015

Full Review

Pauline Kael

McCall's

It isn't shoddy (except for the music), it isn't soap opera; it's stately, respectable and dead: the photography static, the comings and goings without rhythm. It's like watching a gigantic task of stone masonry, executed by unmoved movers.

Sep 19, 2023

Full Review

Bob Halliday

Salt Lake Tribune

Doctor Zhivago, in the film version, is a work of art to match the novel and even excel it in some respects.

May 12, 2021

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

A masterpiece of emotional resonance and melodramatic romanticism.

Rated: 10/10

Aug 24, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

During the Russian Revolution, Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif), is a young doctor who has been raised by his aunt and uncle following his father's suicide. Yuri falls in love with beautiful Lara Guishar (Julie Christie), who has been having an affair with her mother's lover, Victor Komarovsky (Rod Steiger), an unscrupulous businessman. Yuri, however, ends up marrying his cousin, Tonya (Geraldine Chaplin). But when he and Lara meet again years later, the spark of love reignites.

Director: David Lean
Executive Producer: Arvid Griffen
Screenwriter: Boris Pasternak, Robert Bolt
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Home Vídeo, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Warner Bros.
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, History, Drama, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 22, 1965, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $87.1K

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