Really nice film!

Rating: 8/10 (23 April 2002)

`Doctor Zhivago' tells the story of a doctor (who is a poet as well) named Yuri that though is happily married with her childhood sweetheart, falls in love with the wife of a revolutionary.
The film is placed in the times before and after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and I have to say the historic background is quite good. This movie gives us a clear view of how Russia was like during those days: people starving to death, revolutionaries oppressed, newspapers censored, etc. Another important thing shown was the June offensive in 1917 with the mass desertion of the army. By seeing what the soldiers had to face (terrible health conditions, hunger in freezing cold, fighting with hardly any equipment, etc) it was obvious why Lenin's promise of peace seemed so appealing to the soldiers. As Pasha (Lara's husband) said: `the truly lucky ones were those who lost an arm or a foot and had to return home'. Furthermore, the Russian civil war between the Reds and the Whites is well described as well. The savageness and cruelty between this two enemies was unbelievable. In fact, there is a part in the film where the Reds burn down a whole village because they were suspicious some people were helping the Whites.
So to sum up I think this is a really nice movie. `Doctor Zhivago' must be seen by anyone who appreciates cinema and even more those who like Russian history. It contains nice panoramic views, great acting and interesting characters. Though it may be a bit too long for people who are easily bored. But that wasn't my case. I simply liked it. A true epic. My score: 8/10.