Jon Monsarrat review: stands the test of time, but not my thing

Rating: 5/10 (4 August 2002)

Let me admit up front that I am an action movie guy. I like it when stuff blows up, and while I enjoy an intelligent story and deep themes, I don't have the film school background to appreciate the cinematography and costuming if, for example, the plot is awful and the characters unappealing.
So I went into Doctor Zhivago quite skeptical, but I was pleasantly surprised. The film is a saga covering one man's life from birth to death, and as such there is no real story arc with a firm conclusion. But learning something about Russian history was more interesting than I thought. So while the three hours were a little boring, I think somebody with a better appreciation for drama would just love this film. Also I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful sets and settings... a lot has improved in 40 years of film-making ("Anna and the King"), but Doctor Zhivago still makes an impact.
A couple of complaints. Is it just me, or is "Lara's Theme" played too repetitively? Also, I wasn't too keen on the adultery.
Who should see this film:
-- non-arty types like me who occasionally dabble in the classics. This one is safe.
-- drama types and film school types, definitely for you
-- romance movie lovers or anyone interested in Russian history
I'll give Doctor Zhivago a 5 out of 10, which means it's not really my thing, but considering that -- surprisingly good.