Julie Christie as Lara—"the violent, sensual, sensitive girl" in Dr. Zhivago #saturdaymatinee #book2movie

Julie Christie as Lara in Dr. Zhivago

I was twelve when Julie Christie, born on this day in 1940, starred in Dr. Zhivago. Based on the book by Boris Pasternak, the movie was both breathtakingly beautiful and brutal. As a pubescent young girl, just beginning to understand and explore sexuality, the rape of Christie’s Lara by Rod Steiger’s Komarovsky was deeply disturbing. I’ve written a bit about that over on SimCarter.com if you have an interest.

Despite my traumatized response, the film was nominated for ten Oscars, winning five of those Academy Awards for Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Maurice Jarre’s score and the screenplay by Robert Bolt—who also won an Oscar for his screenplay for A Man for All Seasons. 

In short, a quality film lauded for production values that go to making a good film, great. While David Lean was nominated for directing, neither he or any of the actors—not Rod Steiger, not Omar Sharif and not Julie Christie received Oscar love. 

In fact only Tom Courtenay got a nom for Best Supporting Actor—Courtenay, by the way, can be seen as Eban in the upcoming Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society. The Golden Globes corrected some of that, dubbing it Best Picture, giving the Globe to Lean along with a Best Actor trophy to Omar Sharif. 

Still nada for Ms. Christie while Geraldine Chaplin took home a newcomer award.

No matter, the sweeping drama, lush, romantic and full of pathos, remains as epic as ever. And Julie Christie, who won the Oscar the following year for Darling, remains a legend. 

Today’s Saturday Matinee, based on the book by Boris Pasternak, can be streamed on Amazon, YouTube, Vudu and iTunes for about three American dollars.

Let’s have a look at the vintage trailer and note it boasts winning six Oscars. It only won five.