‘Dr. Zhivago’ – the perfect fall movie

With the leaves changing color, nothing could be more romantic than taking your girl to the center of the park for a picnic. Well, almost nothing except a movie I watched recently called “Dr. Zhivago.”

This movie is now one of my favorites because of its unique ability to bring out the intense tragedy of the story line. It was released in 2002 as a teleplay, a play written or adapted for television, and was directed by Giacomo Campiotti, who does a lot of foreign television movies.

This traumatic story is primarily set during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent Russian Civil War from 1918-1921. The movie opens up with little Yuri Zhivago running toward a dead body, which we soon discover is his father. The main antagonist, Victor Kamarovsky, played by Sam Neill, famous for his Jurassic Park roles, is the indirect reason why Zhivago’s father committed suicide by jumping off of the train.

With nowhere else to go, Zhivago is taken in by his father’s cousin. This begins the tragedy of his life. However, instead of taking the easier path like the majority of people in this movie, he continues to take the harder path, seeking to truly live life.

Zhivago grows up with a childhood friend, Tonya, and they eventually marry. However, not long after, he spots Lara and begins to write poetry about love. Tonya catches him writing these love poems and ends up reading them.

His reputation as a poet develops to be as popular as his reputation as a doctor.

After the movie introduces Zhivago, the focus turns to Lara, and introduces a bit more about the antagonist Victor. Lara sees Victor for a time, but suffers greatly and is sexually exploited by him. Lara’s mother sees this and believes that it was her own actions that caused her daughter’s difficult relationship with Victor. She tries to commit suicide, but Zhivago is summoned.

The mother recovers thanks to Zhivago’s efforts. In the meantime, the Bolshevik Revolution begins, and Zhivago becomes a military doctor. During his time in the military, he meets up with Lara again. She serves as his nurse and they develop a working relationship. Zhivago, who had stopped writing his love poems, began writing poems once more.

Zhivago returns to his family and they find a decent and livable home. Just a few miles away from their home is a town where Zhivago meets Lara once more. This time, the two finally realize their love for one another. He continues to visit her, and leads two lives between two women.

Throughout the entire traumatizing story, regardless of how heartbreaking most scenes were, nothing could prepare even someone like me for the end. Zhivago goes through so much only to suffer a sad ending. However, it is hopeful; he lives his life and tries to enjoy the most of it until the very end.

I dare even the toughest and roughest of men to watch this movie without spilling a tear from their eyes.