Doctor Zhivago

The film is based on the novel by Boris Pasternak "Doctor Zhivago" (1955).

The film was shot in Spain, Canada and Finland.

In 1963, producer Carlo Ponti purchased from the publisher-the Communist Feltrinelli the film rights of the novel, which gave them secretly in 1956 Pasternak.

Director David lean agreed to sign a contract for the film with reservations: part of the fee for shooting it will pay forward, the writer will be Robert Bolt, and producer will not intervene in the work process.

Work on the script began in the summer of 1963 in Venice, where he lived and where the Bolt came for consultation Lin. The preparation of the scenario has been much delayed because of the divorce of the Bolt. The difficulty was also from the epic literary source, which had to shrink in a specific time format. Bolt even appreciated that if the novel was filmed without cuts, it would have taken about 50 hours of screen time. In November 1964, work on the script continued in Madrid. The script was fully completed in February 1965, when shooting was in full swing. More than 500-page novel has been reduced to 284-page script.

From the beginning Ponty hoped that the main role will choose his wife Sophia Loren, but she passed the audition. 30-year-old Lauren looked too sensual and Mature woman, for the actress, which was in the beginning of the film to portray the 17-year-old innocent Lara.

The Studio offered the role of Lara various candidates, including Yvette, By and Jane Fonda.

Julie Christie got the lead role in the film, after she noticed Lin in the film "Billy liar".

The role of the revolutionary Pasha Antipov previously planned, Terence stamp, but Lin gave it to Courtney.

David Lin first noticed the dancer Geraldine Chaplin on the cover of a fashion magazine, and then asked her for the part of Tony Gromeko in the quality of the debut in the English movie. He had to contact her parents, Charles Chaplin and Oona Chaplin, in order to obtain their permission.

The leading male role was claimed by Peter O'toole, Paul Newman and Max von Sydow. In the end, the role was Omar Sharif, nominated by the Director offered his girlfriend Barbara Cole. Sharif, when contacted for a long time could not believe in the seriousness of intentions. He was an Egyptian with dark skin, in his own view, had nothing to do with the Russian type. However, Lina managed to convince him that the reincarnation and makeup will do the trick, the main thing — to imagine themselves Russian. The actor later recalled how during the filming required a lot of effort in the makeup to give his face more Slavic appearance, though the Eastern face gave a peculiar character of Yuri Zhivago.

Carlo Ponti understood that it is unlikely the film will be allowed to shoot in the Soviet Union, but still he wanted to shoot where the events of the novel. He decided to try and through diplomatic channels, sent a request to the Soviet Union. The answer has dispelled all hopes. Bluntly, the Soviet side denied this possibility.

Lin was hoping to get in the team of Freddy young, but the operator was already busy in the film "Khartoum". Instead, he had to take on the position of Nicolas Rouga.

One of the main problems in the course of filming became a constant debate with the Director of the picture Nicholas Room. The Director saw her shot in the dark and cold tones. Even the love scene had to be added on the film without heat, with a mood of despair. The operator, which in the previous project was a Director's assistant, saw a picture of a very different and much more optimistic. It ended in a disagreement. Lin waited for the end of the contract in the film "Khartoum" and invited into the picture operator Freddie young — with whom he worked for many years.

The shooting took place in difficult conditions. The total duration of the production of the film was more than 10 months and some winter scenes happened to remove in the summer. The temperature reached 47 °C in the shade, and the trailers were not equipped with air conditioning. Especially frustrating for the actors was dressed in fur clothing. Bolt later complained that when they wrote the script, didn't think what time of the year and which will host the shooting. The costume designer Phyllis Dalton had to follow closely, so that the actors don't "forgot" to wear warm clothes in the appropriate scene.

For the image of a blooming field were purchased and planted about 7 thousand Narcissus bulbs. It was in January, but due to the abnormally warm winter, the flowers still grew quickly and began to open up before we finished filming. Workers had to hastily dig out and transfer them to a cooler place.

Field and pavilion shooting was completed on 7 October 1965 and took 232 days. For a film with a duration of 197 minutes is extremely long schedule in the practice of Hollywood. Lin had planned a premiere for March 1966, but the management of MGM strongly encouraged to complete installation by December 1965 — commercial the time. The President of the company announced to the crew that has rented the theaters and concert halls in new York and Los Angeles (he was absolutely sure that the film would get Academy award). MGM after the failure to hire expensive "mutiny on the "bounty" is vitally needed in the success. The Director initially said it was impossible, but then, on reflection, agreed. David Lin and the editor Norman Savidge created all conditions for full-time work in California MGM studios in CULVER city. After 10 weeks of desperate haste working material of the 31 hours was mounted to 197 minutes. Was completed the scoring. December 14, eight days before the premiere was finished recording all the music tracks. Final Assembly Lin was completed in the final hours and frame of film was brought to new York the day before the premiere.

In Soviet times, both the book and the film was banned. In USSR the book was published in 1988 on the wave of perestroika and glasnost, the picture for the first time after a long ban was shown in theaters in Russia in 1994.

David lean was deeply upset by the caustic reaction of the critics to the film, which continued after the premiere of around the world. He believed that the correct perception of the picture prevented hasty Assembly and the misunderstanding of the author's intention. During a promotional tour to promote the picture in the UK Lin even entered into an aggressive debate with one of the local kinobetriebe. After "Doctor Zhivago" Lin long departed from professional activities and the following picture was removed only in 1970.

"Doctor Zhivago" was the first (since the Second world war) colored blockbuster in which the story takes place in Russia and the Soviet Union.

After painting the female rounded fur hats and mens hats in the UK still call a style of Zhivago. Fashion house Saint Laurent and Dior in 1966 he released a winter collection inspired by the mood of the film and the outfits of the characters. In the fashion of the men even had beards and mustaches worn by the characters. In October 1966, Esquire magazine under the impression from the hype related to the release of the film, wrote: "this year, vodka sales will pass the gin".

The candidacy of composer Lin finally approved when the movie was nearing its end, so the essay from Maurice Jarre, it was only about 6 weeks.

The most difficult moment during the filming happened during the scene out of Yuri with his family. On a freight car, which was Omar Sharif, was mounted camera that showed the events of the "eyes" of Yuri. The woman (actress Lily Murati) had to catch up with the wagon, throw a child into it and then try to jump on the train on the move. Sharif, during the shooting, caught the actress by the hand, but couldn't hold her and Lily fell down under the wheels. The shooting was immediately stopped. Fortunately the car is not moved, but Lily broke her leg. The Director insisted the actress in the hospital, and then urgently to clothe and disguise the stand-in, so shooting technically complex episode not idle.

Julie Christie refused to appear in the scene of seduction in a bright red dress, considering that it is not. David Lin has convinced the actress that everything is fine. The dress gave her a hateful Komorowski and discontent on the face will look quite appropriate.

For scenes showcasing the paintings consultant Andrew Mollo recommended to accompany the international. Consultant and Director did not consider that the shooting took place in Franco's Spain, where the Communist party was banned. The police patrol that watched over the thousands of extras marching with red flags under the international, had to explain that we are shooting a historical film.

The scene in which Lara puts a candle to the frozen window and thaws circle, had carefully prepared. Water ice is replaced with dry ice, which is melted by directing a stream of warm air on the outside of the window. The icicles were replaced by pieces of mica. Remarkable ingenuity had to be, to show in the episode the frozen lake, which boosts the red cavalry. The episode also was filmed in the summer. Had to concrete the extensive flat area and cover it with marble chips, which is further compacted by a roller. The Director needed to achieve the effect of sliding horses on the ice, and this trick Lin has borrowed from Sergei Eisenstein to stage the battle on the ice. On the concrete in some places, put the steel sheets and the top has poured crumbs.