March 12, 2019 (XXXVIII:7) : DR. ZHIVAGO (1965, 197 min.)

DIRECTOR David Lean WRITING adapted from the Boris Pasternak novel PRODUCER Carlo Ponti MUSIC CINEMATOGRAPHY Freddie Young EDITING Norman Savage PRODUCTION DESIGN John Box DIRECTION Terence Marsh SET DECORATION Dario Simoni COSTUME DESIGN Phyllis Dalton

The film permeated the 1966 , winning Oscars for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Robert Bolt), Best Cinematography, Color (Freddie Young), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color (John Box, Terence Marsh, and Dario Simoni), Best Costume Design, Color (Phyllis Dalton), and Best Music, Score (Maurice Jarre). The Mark Eden...Engineer at Dam film also received Oscar nominations for Best Picture (Carlo Erik Chitty...Old Soldier Ponti), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (), Best Roger Maxwell...Beef-Faced Colonel Director (David Lean), Best Sound (A.W. Watkins, Franklin Wolf Frees...Delegate Milton), and Best Film Editing (Norman Savage). The film was Gwen Nelson...Female Janitor also nominated for the Cannes Palm d’Or. Lucy Westmore...Katya Lili Muráti...The Train Jumper (as Lili Murati) CAST Peter Madden...Political Officer ...Yuri ...Lara DAVID LEAN (b. March 25, 1908 in Croydon, Surrey, England, Geraldine Chaplin...Tonya UK—d. April 16, 1991 (age 83) in London, England, UK) was ...Komarovsky an English film director (19 credits), producer, screenwriter (10 ...Yevgraf credits) and editor (29 credits), responsible for large-scale epics, Tom Courtenay...Pasha such as The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), for which he won Siobhan McKenna...Anna Best Director at the Academy Awards, Lawrence of Arabia*** Ralph Richardson...Alexander (1962), for which he won Best Director at the Academy Awards, ...The Girl Doctor Zhivago (1965), for which he was nominated for the Jeffrey Rockland...Sasha Palme d'Or at Cannes and Best Director at the Academy Awards, Tarek Sharif...Yuri at 8 Years Old and A Passage to India* ** (1984), for which he was nominated Bernard Kay...The Bolshevik for Best Director, Best Writing, and Best Editing at the Academy Klaus Kinski...Kostoyed Awards. He also directed adaptations of novels Gérard Tichy...Liberius (as Gerard Tichy) Great Expectations** (1946), for which he was nominated for Noel Willman...Razin Best Director and Best Writing at the Academy Awards, and Geoffrey Keen...Medical Professor Oliver Twist** (1948), and the romantic drama Brief Adrienne Corri...Amelia Encounter** (1945), for which he won the Grand Prize of the Jack MacGowran...Petya Festival at Cannes and for which he was nominated for Best Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—2

Director and Best Writing at the Academy Awards. These are the 1957 novel Doctor Zhivago was rejected for publication in the other films he directed: Major Barbara* (1941uncredited), In USSR. Pasternak was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature * (1942), This Happy Breed ** (1944), Blithe 1958, but the Communist Party of the Soviet Union forced him to Spirit ** (1945), The Passionate Friends (1949), for which he decline the prize, though his descendants were later to accept it in was nominated for the Grand Prize of the Festival at Cannes, his name in 1988. Madeleine (1950), *** (1952), Hobson's Choice** *** (1954), Summertime** (1955), for which he was CARLO PONTI (b. December 11, 1912 in Magenta, Lombardy, nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards, and Ryan's Italy—d. January 10, 2007 (age 94) in Geneva, Switzerland) was Daughter (1970). Before primarily directing, he edited films in an Italian film producer with 167 productions to his credit. the 1930s and early 1940s, such as: The Night Porter (1930 Working at his father’s law firm in , he became involved in uncredited), These Charming People (1931), Insult (1932), The the film business through negotiating contracts. Attempting to Ghost Camera (1933), The Fortunate Fool (1933), Matinee Idol establish a film industry in Milan in 1940, Ponti produced Mario (1933), Tiger Bay (1934), Dangerous Ground (1934), Brewster's Soldati's (1941) there, starring Alida Millions (1935 uncredited), Escape Me Never (1935), With Valli, in her first notable role. The film’s depiction of the Italian Pleasure, Madame (1936), As You Like It (1936), The Last struggle against the Austrians for the inclusion of northeastern Adventurers (1937), Pygmalion (1938), French Without Tears Italy into the during the unification of Italy in (1940), Spies of the Air (1940), 49th Parallel (1941), and One of the 19th century made audiences identify Austrians with Germans Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942). during World War II, resulting in Ponti being briefly jailed for *also edited undermining relations with Nazi Germany. In 1954 he had an ** also wrote early artistic success producing 's , for *** also produced which he won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Famously, Fellini denied Ponti's role in its success, saying "La ROBERT BOLT (b. August 15, 1924 in Sale, Cheshire, Strada was made in spite of Ponti and [Dino] De Laurentiis.” England, UK—d. February 20, 1995 (age 70) in Petersfield, Ponti produced Boccaccio '70 (which featured work by Fellini) Hampshire, England, UK) was an English playwright and a two- in 1962, Vittorio De Sica’s in 1964 and time Oscar-winning screenwriter, known for writing the Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow in 1963. He produced his most screenplays for Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago popular and financially successful film, David Lean's Doctor (1965) and (1966), the first of which Zhivago, in 1965, for which he was nominated for an Oscar for earned him an Oscar for Best Writing and the latter two of which Best Picture. He subsequently produced three notable films with won him Oscars in the same category. He wrote for 24 films, , in 1966, Zabriskie Point in including: A Man for All Seasons (1957 TV Movie), The Red 1970 and The Passenger in 1974. He also notably produced early Tent (1969), Ryan's Daughter (1970), Lady Caroline Lamb films for Jean-Luc Godard and Agnès Varda. These are some (1972), The Bounty (1984), (1986), and Without other films he produced: Idealist (1943), Les Misérables (1948), Warning: The James Brady Story (1991 TV Movie). Without Pity (1948), The Emperor of Capri (1949), Toto the Third Man (1951), The Three Pirates (1952), The Devil Is a Woman (1953), Easy Years (1953), Ulysses (1954), Giacomo the Mambo (1954), Woman of (1954), Attila (1954), The Miller's Beautiful Wife (1955), War and Peace (1956), The Black Orchid (1958), Heller in Pink Tights (1960), (1960), Lola (1961), A Woman Is a Woman (1961), Léon Morin, Priest (1961), Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962), The Condemned of Altona (1962), Le Doulos (1963), Bluebeard (1963), Les Carabiniers (1963), Contempt (1963), Operation Crossbow (1965), (1965), The 10th Victim (1965), Doctor Zhivago (1965), (1966), The Firemen's Ball (1967), Diamonds for Breakfast (1968), The Sin (1972), Massacre in Rome (1973), Flesh for Frankenstein (1973), Virility (1974), Blood for Dracula (1974), Bisexual (1975), The Cassandra Crossing (1976), (1977), Saturday, Sunday and Monday (1990), and Liv (1998).

Pasternak with Irina Ivinskya, the real-life Lara MAURICE JARRE (b. September 13, 1924 in Lyon, Rhône, BORIS PASTERNAK (b. February 10, 1890 in Moscow, France—d. March 29, 2009 (age 84) in Malibu, California) was a Russian Empire [now Russia]—d. May 30, 1960 (age 70) in French composer and conductor who was "among the most Peredelkino, Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR [now sought-after composers in the movie industry" and "a creator of Russia]) was a Russian poet, novelist, and literary translator. His both subtle underscoring and grand, sweeping themes” (New first poetry collection, My Sister, Life (1917), is one of the most York Times). Though he composed concerts, Jarre is best known influential collections ever published in the Russian language. for his film scores (173 credits), particularly for his His translation of plays by Goethe, Schiller, Calderón de la Barca collaborations with film director David Lean, composing his and Shakespeare are still popular with Russian audiences. His scores from Lawrence of Arabia* (1962) on. Jarre won his first Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—3

Oscar for Best Music, Score for Lawrence of Arabia, beginning a Sun (1957), Indiscreet (1958), The Inn of the Sixth Happiness string of other wins and nominations at the Academy Awards (1958), Solomon and Sheba (1959), Lord Jim (1965), Rotten to throughout the rest of his career. His other Oscar wins are for the Core (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Sinful Davey Lean films: Doctor Zhivago* (1965) and A Passage to India* (1969), Battle of Britain (1969), Luther (1974), Great (1984). He also received Best Music, Score nominations for Les Expectations (1974 TV Movie), The Executioner (1975), dimanches de Ville d'Avray (1962), The Message (1976), Witness Bloodline (1979), Rough Cut (1980), and Invitation to the (1985), Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of (1988), Wedding (1985). and Ghost (1990). He was also nominated for Best Music, Original Song for "Marmalade, Molasses & Honey," in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972). These are some of the other films he composed for: He composed scores for 173 films, including: Hôtel des Invalides (1952 Documentary short), L'univers d'Utrillo (1955 Documentary short), Sur le pont d'Avignon (1956 Short), Head Against the Wall (1959), Crack in the Mirror (1960), The President (1961), Les oliviers de la justice (1962), 1962 The Longest Day (1962), Sundays and Cybèle (1962), Présence d'Albert Camus (1962 Documentary short), To Die in Madrid (1963 Documentary), Behold a Pale Horse (1964), The Train (1964), The Collector (1965), Is Paris Burning? (1966), The Professionals (1966), The Night of the Generals (1967), Isadora (1968), Villa Rides (1968), The Damned (1969), Topaz (1969), Ryan's Daughter* (1970), The Only Game in Town (1970), Plaza Suite (1971), Red Sun (1971), OMAR SHARIF (b. April 10, 1932 in Alexandria, —d. A Season in Hell (1971), The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in- July 10, 2015 (age 83) in , Egypt), whose adopted surname the-Moon Marigolds (1972), Pope Joan (1972), The MacKintosh means "noble" or "nobleman", was born as Michel Dimitri Man (1973), Ash Wednesday (1973), The Island at the Top of the Chalhoub in Alexandria, Egypt, to a Melkite Catholic family, World (1974), Posse (1975), Mandingo (1975), The Man Who either of Syrian or Lebanese descent: he belonged to a small Would Be King (1975), The Last Tycoon (1976), Mourning ethnocultural minority known as the Levantine 'Antiochian' Becomes Electra (1978 TV Mini-Series), Ishi: The Last of His Greek Catholics of Egypt (Rum Katuleek), an offshoot of the Tribe (1978 TV Movie), The Tin Drum (1979), Winter Kills Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch. Sharif graduated from Cairo (1979), The Magician of Lublin (1979), The Black Marble University with a degree in mathematics and physics and worked (1980), Resurrection (1980), Shogun (1980 TV Mini-Series), for a while in his father's precious wood business before Lion of the Desert (1980), Firefox (1982), The Year of Living beginning his acting career in Egypt. In 1955, Sharif changed his Dangerously (1982), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), name to Omar El-Sharif and converted to Islam in order to marry Tai-Pan (1986), The Mosquito Coast (1986), No Way Out fellow Egyptian actress Faten Hamama. In 1954, Sharif began (1987), Fatal Attraction (1987), Julia and Julia (1987), Moon his acting career in Egypt with a role in The Blazing Sun. That Over Parador (1988), Dead Poets Society (1989), Enemies: A year, he was also in Shaytan Al-Sahra (Devil of the Desert) and Love Story (1989), Jacob's Ladder (1990), Only the Lonely Sira` Fi al-Wadi (Struggle in the Valley). He quickly rose to (1991), Sunshine (1999), and I Dreamed of Africa (2000). stardom, appearing in The Lebanese Mission (1956) (a French *Directed by David Lean film), Goha (1958) (a Tunisian film that marked the debut of Claudia Cardinale), For the Sake of a Woman (1959), Lady of the FREDDIE YOUNG (b. October 9, 1902 in London, England, Castle (1960), The Beginning and an End (1960), and al-Qasr, UK—d. December 1, 1998 (age 96) in London, England, UK) the adaptation Nahr el hub (The River of Love) in was a British cinematographer (130 credits), best known for his 1961 and There is a Man in our House (1961). Sharif's first work on David Lean's films Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor English-language role was that of (the fictitious) Sherif Ali in Zhivago (1965) and Ryan's Daughter (1970), all three of which David Lean's historical epic Lawrence of Arabia in 1962. Sharif won him Academy Awards for Best Cinematography. He also was after several other actors, more known to English-speaking worked on 49th Parallel (1941), a film that David Lean edited. audiences, for one reason or another could not take the part. He was also nominated for Oscars for Best Cinematography for Steven Charles Caton notes, Lean insisted on using ethnic actors (1971) and Ivanhoe (1952). These are when possible to make the film authentic. Sharif would later use some other films he did cinematography for: Victory (1928), The his ambiguous ethnicity in other films: "I spoke French, Greek, Tonic (1928 Short), White Cargo (1929), Canaries Sometimes Italian, Spanish and even ", he said. As Sharif noted, his Sing (1930), Tilly of Bloomsbury (1931), The Blue Danube accent enabled him to "play the role of a foreigner without (1932), The King's Cup (1933), Nell Gwyn (1934), The King of anyone knowing exactly where I came from", which he stated Paris (1934), Fame (1936), A Royal Divorce (1938), Goodbye, proved highly successful throughout his career. While making Mr. Chips (1939), The Young Mr. Pitt (1942), Caesar and Genghis Khan (1965), Sharif heard that Lean was making Doctor Cleopatra (1945), Escape (1948), Edward, My Son (1949), Zhivago (1965), an adaptation of Boris Pasternak's 1957 novel. Treasure Island (1950), Terror on a Train (1953), Sharif was a fan of the novel and pitched himself for one of the (1953), Bedevilled (1955), Bhowani Junction (1956), Lust for supporting roles; Lean decided to cast him in the lead, as Yuri Life (1956), The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1957), Island in the Zhivago, a poet and physician. Film historian Constantine Santas Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—4 argues that Lean intended the film to be a poetic portrayal of the (2004), , I Love You (2008), Red Riding Hood (2011), period, with large vistas of landscapes combined with a powerful The Company You Keep (2012), and The Bookshop (2017). score by Maurice Jarre, noting that Sharif's role is "passive", his eyes reflecting "reality" which then become "the mirror of reality GERALDINE CHAPLIN (b. July 31, 1944 in Santa Monica, we ourselves see." In a 2001 commentary on the film, Sharif California) has acted in 159 films and gained recognition for her described Lean's style of directing as similar to a general portrayal of Tonya in David Lean's Doctor Zhivago (1965). commanding an army. These are some of the other films (118 Chaplin has also acted in critically recognized Spanish and credits) he acted in: The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), French films. These are some of the other films she has acted in: Behold a Pale Horse (1964), The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964), Limelight (1952), Crime on a Summer Morning (1965), The Marco the Magnificent (1965), The Mamelukes (1965), The Doctor and the Devil (1965), A Countess from Hong Kong Poppy Is Also a Flower (1966), 1967 The Night of the Generals (1967), Casino Royale (1967), I Killed Rasputin (1967), The (1967), Mayerling (1968), Mackenna's Gold (1969), Che! Hawaiians (1970), The Garden of Delights (1970), The Three (1969), Three Men on a Horse (1969), The Last Valley (1971), Musketeers (1973), Marriage a la Mode (1973), The Four The Horsemen (1971), The Tamarind Seed (1974), The Pink Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974), Nashville (1975), Buffalo Panther Strikes Again (1976), Ashanti (1979), Oh Heavenly Dog Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976), (1980), Inchon (1981), Green Ice (1981), The Far Pavilions Welcome to L.A. (1976), Roseland (1977), A Wedding (1978), (1984 TV Mini-Series), Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna (1986 The Mirror Crack'd (1980), My Cousin Rachel (1983 TV Mini- TV Movie), Keys to Freedom (1988), War in the Land of Egypt Series), White Mischief (1987), The Moderns (1988), The Return (1991), Gulliver's Travels (1996 TV Mini-Series), Heaven of the Musketeers (1989), I Want to Go Home (1989), The Before I Die (1997), The 13th Warrior (1999), Monsieur Ibrahim Children (1990), Off Season (1992), Chaplin (1992), The Age of (2001), One Night with the King (2006), and Rock the Casbah Innocence (1993), Jane Eyre (1996), Crimetime (1996), Talk to (2013). Her (2002), The Bridge of San Luis Rey (2004), Diary of a Nymphomaniac (2008), There Be Dragons (2011), The Apostle (2012), Three-60 (2013), Another Me (2013), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), and Holy Beasts (2019).

ROD STEIGER (b. April 14, 1925 in Westhampton, New York—d. July 9, 2002 (age 77) in Los Angeles, California) was an American film actor (148 credits) closely associated with method acting, a technique where the actor aims to embody a character. He played 's mobster brother Charley in (1954), the title character Sol Nazerman in The Pawnbroker (1964), roles for which he was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Actor in a Leading Role, respectively, and as police chief Bill Gillespie opposite in In the Heat of the Night (1967), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. His penchant for playing offbeat, maladjusted characters made JULIE CHRISTIE (b. April 14, 1940 in Chabua, Assam him a natural fit, early in his career, for the role of the surly Jud Province, British India [now Assam, India]) is a British actress Fry in Oklahoma! (1955) and in later films such as the Carson who has appeared in six films that were ranked in the British McCullers novella adaptation The Ballad of Sad Café (1991) and Film Institute's 100 greatest British films of the 20th century. as himself in one of Robert Altman’s overwhelming ensembles Christie's breakthrough film role was in (1963). She in The Player (1992). These are some of the other films he acted came to international attention for her performances in Darling in: (1955), The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1965), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, (1955), Jubal (1956), The Harder They Fall (1956), Across the and Doctor Zhivago (1965). In the following years, she starred in Bridge (1957), Al Capone (1959), The Longest Day (1962), The Fahrenheit 451 (1966), Far from the Madding Crowd (1967), Loved One (1965), Doctor Zhivago (1965), No Way to Treat a Petulia (1968), The Go-Between (1971), McCabe & Mrs. Miller Lady (1968), The Sergeant (1968), The Illustrated Man (1969), (1971), for which she received her second Oscar nomination, Three Into Two Won't Go (1969), Duck, You Sucker (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), Shampoo (1975), and Heaven Can Wait Happy Birthday, Wanda June (1971), Lucky Luciano (1973), (1978). She has continued to receive significant critical F.I.S.T. (1978), The Amityville Horror (1979), Lion of the Desert recognition for her work, including Oscar nominations for the (1980), Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981), American Gothic independent films Afterglow (1997) and Away from Her (2007). (1987), Men of Respect (1990), The Specialist (1994), Mars These are some of the other films (54 credits) she has acted in: Attacks! (1996), Truth or Consequences, N.M. (1997), Legacy Crooks Anonymous (1962), (1965), Nashville (1998), Body and (2000), The Last Producer (2000), The (1975), Demon Seed (1977), Heat and Dust (1983), Separate Flying Dutchman (2001 TV Movie), and Poolhall Junkies Tables (1983 TV Movie), Power (1986), DragonHeart (1996), (2002). (1996), The Miracle Maker (2000), Troy (2004), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Finding Neverland ALEC GUINNESS (b. April 2, 1914 in Marylebone, London, England, UK—d. August 5, 2000 (age 86) in Midhurst, Sussex, Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—5

England, UK) was an English actor (64 credits). After an early SIOBHÁN MCKENNA (b. May 24, 1923 in Belfast, Northern career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ireland, UK—d. November 16, 1986 (age 63) in , Ireland) Ealing Comedies, including The Ladykillers (1955) and Kind was an Irish stage and screen actress. She was still in her teens Hearts and Coronets (1949). Perhaps his most significant when she became a member of an amateur Gaelic theatre group working relationship was with David Lean, for whom he acted in and is remembered for her English language performances at the six films: Great Expectations (1946), Oliver Twist (1948), The in Dublin, the cultural nationalist theatre founded Bridge on the River Kwai (1957, for which he won the Academy by W.B. Yeats. Although primarily a stage actress, McKenna Award for Best Actor), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor appeared in a number of made-for-television films and dramas Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984). He is also (36 credits). She also appeared in several motion pictures such as known for his portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi in 's King of Kings in 1961, as Virgin Mary. In 1964, she performed original trilogy (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope in Of Human Bondage and the following year in Doctor Zhivago. in 1977, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back in She also appeared in The Last Days of Pompeii (1984), as 1980, and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi in 1983); Fortunata, wife of Gaius (). These are some for the original film, he was nominated for Best Supporting other films and filmed plays she appeared in: Hungry Hill Actor at the Academy Awards. At the height of his Star Wars (1947), Daughter of Darkness (1948), The Lost People (1949), fame, he was awarded an Honorary Award at the 1980 Academy Saint Joan (1958 TV Movie), Playboy of the Western World Awards. He was also nominated for Oscars for performances in (1963), and The Christophers (1964 TV Series). The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) and (1987) and for Best Writing for The Horse's Mouth (1958). These are some RALPH RICHARDSON (b. December 19, 1902 in Tivoli other films he acted in: Evensong (1934), The Man in the White Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK—d. October Suit (1951), The Captain's Paradise (1953), The Detective 10, 1983 (age 80) in Marylebone, London, England, UK) was an (1954), The Prisoner (1955), The Horse's Mouth (1958), Our English actor who, with Peggy Ashcroft, , and Man in Havana (1959), Tunes of Glory (1960), The Fall of the Laurence Olivier, dominated British theater in the mid-twentieth Roman Empire (1964), Hotel Paradiso (1966), The Quiller century. He worked in films throughout most of his career (86 Memorandum (1966), The Comedians (1967), Cromwell (1970), credits). Richardson's film career began as an extra in 1931, and Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972), Hitler: The Last Ten Days he was soon cast in leading roles in British and American films (1973), Caesar and Cleopatra (1976 TV Movie), Murder by including Things to Come (1936), The Fallen Idol (1948), Long Death (1976), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979 TV Mini-Series), Day's Journey into Night (1962), for which he won Best Actor at Raise the Titanic (1980), Smiley's People (1982 TV Mini-Series), Cannes, and Doctor Zhivago (1965). Richardson was twice A Handful of Dust (1988), and Kafka (1991). nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, first for The Heiress (1949) and again (posthumously) for his final film, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984). These are some other films he acted in: The Ghoul (1933), Friday the Thirteenth (1933), The Return of Bulldog Drummond (1934), Java Head (1934), Alias Bulldog Drummond (1935), The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1936), Othello (1937 TV Movie), The Citadel (1938), Clouds Over Europe (1939), The Four Feathers (1939), The Lion Has Wings (1939), The Avengers (1942), Anna Karenina (1948), Outcast of the Islands (1951), Richard III (1955), Smiley (1956), Our Man in Havana (1959), Exodus (1960), The 300 Spartans (1962), Chimes at Midnight (1965), Khartoum (1966), Oh! What a TOM COURTENAY (b. February 25, 1937 in Kingston-Upon- Lovely War (1969), The Looking Glass War (1970), Alice's Hull, , England, UK) is an English stage Adventures in Wonderland (1972), A Doll's House (1973), O and screen actor (59 film credits) who earned recognition in the Lucky Man! (1973), Frankenstein: The True Story (1973 TV early with a succession of films, including The Loneliness Movie), Rollerball (1975), The Man in the Iron Mask (1977 TV of the Long Distance Runner (1962), Billy Liar (1963), and Movie), Watership Down (1978), Dragonslayer (1981), Time Doctor Zhivago (1965). Since the mid-1960s, he has been known Bandits (1981), and Invitation to the Wedding (1985). primarily for his work in the theatre, although he received Academy Award nominations for Doctor Zhivago and the film RITA TUSHINGHAM (b. March 14, 1942 in Garston, adaptation of (1983), which he had performed in the , England, UK) is an English film actress (75 credits) West End and on Broadway. These are some other films he has best known for her starring roles in films including A Taste of appeared in: King & Country (1964), Operation Crossbow Honey (1961), a kitchen sink realist play adaptation for which (1965), King Rat (1965), The Night of the Generals (1967), A she won Best Actress at Cannes, The Leather Boys (1964), The Dandy in Aspic (1968), Otley (1969), One Day in the Life of Ivan Knack …and How to Get It (1965), Doctor Zhivago (1965), and Denisovich (1970), Catch Me a Spy (1971), Leonard Part 6 Smashing Time (1967). Some of her other film appearances (1987), Last Orders (2001), (2002), Flood include: A Place to Go (1963), Girl with Green Eyes (1964), The (2007), The Golden Compass (2007), (2012), Gambit Trap (1966), Diamonds for Breakfast (1968), The Guru (1969), (2012), Night Train to Lisbon (2013), Barney Thomson (2015), The Bed Sitting Room (1969), Resurrected (1989), The King of Thieves (2018), and The Queen's Corgi (2019). Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway (1989), Hard Days, Hard Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—6

Nights (1989), Being Julia (2004), Seamonsters (2011), and My write, longing to create a work on a grand scale in the vein of his Name Is Lenny (2017). idol Tolstoy. He began Zhivago after World War II but did not complete it until 1956. A real-life conflict between Pasternak, his wife, and his mistress inspired the love triangle that formed the heart of the book. Pasternak viewed the completed work as primarily a romance novel, but when he tried to convince his Soviet publishers to publish it, they refused, branding it anti- Soviet because of its implicit criticism of the fallout of the Russian Revolution. Fiercely proud of his work, Pasternak took the extremely risky step of having it smuggled out of the Soviet Union to be published in Italy. “You are hereby invited to watch me face the firing squad,” he is said to have remarked as he handed over his manuscript. Despite many attempts from the Soviet authorities to prevent it, the book was published in Europe in 1957 and was an immediate hit. It was translated into English and dozens of other languages in 1958, and Pasternak was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. It was at this point that the CIA got involved. As detailed in last year’s book by Peter Finn and Petra Couvée, The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Joe McGasko: “Hisory Hasn’t Killed It: The Story Behind Forbidden Book, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency was doing ‘Dr. Zhivago’” (Biography) all in its power to undermine and discredit the Soviet regime. In In today’s era of overstuffed action movies and raunchy their view, awarding a major prize to a writer regarded as comedies, the epic Hollywood love story is mostly a thing of the disloyal could only serve to embarrass the Soviets in the eyes of past. There was a time, however, when it was a moviegoing the world. The CIA secretly pressed for Pasternak to win the staple. Starting with Gone with the Wind, which set the standard award (which, in fairness, he had been routinely considered for for the genre back in 1939, historical romances on a monumental since the late 40s), and he did. In the meantime, the CIA covertly scale were big business for decades. Even by the mid-60s, when printed Doctor Zhivago in Russian and had it smuggled into the the Hollywood studio system was beginning to crumble, an epic Soviet Union, where it became an underground sensation. love story could still command an epic audience. Despite the fact that Pasternak declined the Nobel Prize Case in point: Doctor Zhivago, released in 1965, (in private, very reluctantly), the Soviet authorities continued to remains one of the Top 10 highest-grossing films of all-time vilify him and at one point considered expelling him from the (once totals are adjusted for inflation). Audiences flocked to this country. The stress took a toll on the aging author’s health, and tale of doomed love set during the Russian Revolution, and by 1960, he was dead. although many reviewers were stingy with their praise at the time, critical opinion has since sided with the people who Commander Lean crowded the theaters. Today, most cinema buffs of all stripes What didn’t die was Doctor Zhivago. As one of the would agree that Zhivago is one of the classics of its genre. most popular novels of the late 50s, it was only natural that How did this extravagant movie about the Russian Hollywood should seek to transfer its oversized drama and Revolution shot during the Cold War and featuring two lesser- passionate characters to celluloid. There was one man in known stars come to break box-office records and merit frequent particular who seemed ideally suited to the task of adapting such and enthusiastic reappraisal? On the occasion of its 50th an expansive work: British director David Lean. anniversary, today Bio looks at the story behind Doctor Zhivago. Lean was well known for creating the types of movies commonly referred to as “epics” – wide-ranging stories, often Zhivago: The Book placed in exotic settings, designed to convey the magnitude of a Before it became a film, of course, Doctor Zhivago had historical moment or particular person. His signature epics were been a novel—one with quite an interesting and controversial Lawrence of Arabia (1962), about Arab partisan T.E. Lawrence, history. and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), about prisoners of war Its author, Boris Pasternak, was born into a literary forced to build a bridge by the Japanese during World War II. environment in Moscow in 1890. His father was an illustrator Both of these popular and critical successes won Oscars for Best who created illustrations for the work of family friend Leo Picture of the Year. Tolstoy. Pasternak became a poet, and for a time, after his first Lean had read Doctor Zhivago in 1959 after finishing book of poems was published in 1917, he was one of the most Lawrence of Arabia, and when producer Carlo Ponti suggested it famous poets in the Soviet Union. His writing rarely kowtowed as his next project, he was enthusiastic. Ponti originally to the state’s view of things, however, and by the 1930s, conceived of the film as a vehicle for his wife , but Pasternak’s poetry was not only publicly disparaged by the Lean couldn’t picture Loren in the key role of Lara, Zhivago’s Soviets but often banned outright. love interest. Instead, once the project began to get off the The reaction of the authorities to Pasternak’s prose was ground in 1963, he went in a completely different direction. equally dour. Undeterred by censorship, Pasternak continued to (Although Lean had sidelined Ponti’s wife, Metro-Goldwyn- Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—7

Mayer was now involved in the financing of the film and gave in December of 1964 and would continue through 1965. Lean full control of casting. Ponti held no grudge.) Although some unusual measures had to be taken to create a Many actors and actresses had been considered for the snowy landscape during a hot Spanish summer (white marble main roles of Zhivago and Lara, among them Peter O’Toole and from a local quarry was powdered and spread on white plastic (for Zhivago) and and Yvette across the fields), the main location in northern Spain proved to Mimieux (for Lara). Lean, however, was impressed with young be effective and relatively inexpensive. British actress Julie Christie, who had made a splash in her first Much more expensive was the set that Lean’s team built major role in the kitchen outside of Madrid: sink drama Billy Liar two full-scale (with Tom Courtenay, Moscow streets circa who would also land a 1922 that took 18 part in Zhivago). months to build. Christie’s commanding Unlike most such beauty, combined with sets, the Moscow her obvious intelligence, recreation was not a made her Lean’s ideal long façade propped choice for the role. For by wood. Lean’s Zhivago, Lean made the team essentially somewhat more created homes with surprising choice of fully furnished casting Omar Sharif, who interiors that could be had made such a strong used for filming. impression in a Lean insisted on a supporting role in high level of Lawrence of Arabia. historical accuracy in Despite his many gifts as the recreation, which an actor, few on the was typical of his project considered him approach in general. the ideal choice for a He fussed over Russian doctor and poet. details that would not Sharif had hoped to get a smaller role on the picture and was even show on screen, including insisting that his costume surprised (but pleased) when Lean proposed that he play the lead. designer recreate the correct period underwear for all of his Aside from Sharif, Lean gathered together many other actors. members of the team that had worked on Lawrence of Arabia, Lean’s perfectionism rarely endeared him to his including scriptwriter Robert Bolt and set designer John Box. technicians or his performers. A true auteur, Lean fully Nicholas Roeg, who would in a short time become a celebrated controlled every aspect of the movie and refused to give up on a director himself (Walkabout, Don’t Look Now), began the film as take until he had achieved exactly what he wanted down to the director of photography, but he did not see eye-to-eye with Lean last miniscule movement. He famously regarded his actors as about how the film should look (Lean’s aesthetic approach to the objects to be manipulated to suit his scheme, and he made special film was to make the war scenes look sunny and beautiful and effort to be distant with them off-set so that they would not the love scenes grey and grim; Roeg’s instincts were exactly the influence his vision on-set. Lean regretted accepting Rod Steiger opposite). Another Lawrence alumnus, Freddie Young, was in the cast as Lara’s aristocratic lover Komarovsky since Steiger invited back for the year-long shoot that would become Zhivago. chafed at over-direction and insisted on inserting his own ideas Lean was notorious for taking his time to get things right, and his into his performance in true “method actor” tradition. Most of the previous two movies had also been extended shoots. 1965 would actors who worked with Lean on Zhivago did not recall the be the year of Zhivago for all concerned. experience fondly, although many later admitted that the results were worth the effort. At the time, however, despite his The Spanish Dictator outwardly unassuming style of communication, most regarded For a director like David Lean, who liked to shoot on- Lean more as dictator than director. location as often as possible, the first and foremost obstacle Zhivago moved forward, however slowly, all of the presented by Doctor Zhivago was the fact that its true setting was actors and technicians aware that they were employed in a major off-limits. By 1964, none of the Soviet regime’s rancor towards enterprise in spite of their reservations about David Lean’s stern Pasternak and Zhivago had abated, so the possibility of filming in approach. After filming wrapped in Spain, there was additional the Soviet Union was highly unlikely (Lean was invited to filming in Finland and Canada for winter scenes that required Moscow to discuss it, but he suspected the meeting was intended authentic snow. (The Finland location was only 10 miles from solely to discourage him from making the movie at all and did the Russian border, as close as the production would come to its not go). After searching around the world for a location that spiritual home.) Filming was finally completed by October of offered the expanses of land, crowds of people, and access to 1965, and Lean and his team took to the editing room. The movie horses and old steam locomotives that the production required, premiere was scheduled for the end of the year, so there were John Box proposed Spain as the best choice. Filming began there only eight weeks to edit the entire film. Once edited, the final Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—8 film ran almost three and a half hours. Grand themes played on a modern viewers. Pasha, the character played by Tom Courtenay, grand scale required a long running time. makes a famous observation in Doctor Zhivago that “the personal life is dead in Russia. History has killed it.” One might A Worthy Gamble say the same about the romantic epic in America. Zhivago cost a fortune to film; in 1965, it was one of the Doctor Zhivago, however, continues to live on. In 1988, most expensive movies ever made, various estimates putting its the book was published in Russia for the first time, and in 1994, cost between $11 and $15 million. The many settings, large the movie was finally shown there. The rise of the DVD market crowd and battle scenes, and unusual requirements (including an created such a demand for the film that it was issued several interior of a dacha “frozen” in beeswax) guaranteed that it would times, most recently in a 45th anniversary edition. This year there be a pricey proposition. Confident in Lean and in the potential of was even an attempt to bring Doctor Zhivago to Broadway as a the story, however, the film’s producers banked that it would find musical; unfortunately, the show closed in May after less than 50 an eager audience. They were completely right. performances (the critics savaged this Zhivago as well). The film, Released on December 22nd, 1965, Doctor Zhivago however, still possesses some kind of cinematic magic that soon became one of the biggest hits of 1966. Omar Sharif and brings audiences back to it. Whether it’s the spectacle of a Julie Christie became the screen’s newest stars, “Zhivago”-style recreated Russia from the distant past, the youthful and attractive clothing featured in fashion magazines and department stores, cast still in their first flower of fame (Omar Sharif sadly just and the love theme from the movie (“Lara’s Theme”) by Maurice passed away in July), or the tragic love story that seems so Jarre became ubiquitous (it became a hit single for several artists passionate amidst such misery, audiences still find much to love when lyrics were written for it and it was retitled “Somewhere, in Doctor Zhivago. As the era of the historical romance recedes My Love”). Eventually, the film would gross an incredible $112 further with every passing year, this love affair seems likely to go million domestically and over $200 million worldwide. on and on. Critics were less enthralled with the film than the general public. Some opined that Sharif and Christie lacked chemistry; others that the romance was nice enough, but that it was basically a soap opera performed on a ludicrously elaborate scale. Most critics agreed that the film was visually stunning, but few admitted to being enchanted by its handling of character or historical incident. Unmoved by the stellar box office receipts, David Lean reportedly took the negative criticism to heart and proclaimed that he would never direct another picture; he came close to living up to his word, only directing two more features in the following 20 years.

A Lasting Love Affair “Russian Revolution” (Wikipedia) Doctor Zhivago had been released just in time to qualify The Russian Revolution was a pair of revolutions in for the 1966 Academy Awards. Although Lean’s epics were Russia in 1917 which dismantled the Tsarist autocracy and led to usually huge Oscar gatherers, Doctor Zhivago’s awards would the rise of the Soviet Union. The Russian Empire collapsed with mostly be for technical achievement (Best Art Direction and Best the abdication of Emperor Nicholas II and the old regime was Costume Design, among others), although Robert Bolt did win replaced by a provisional government during the first revolution an award for his adapted screenplay. The more populist Golden of February 1917 (March in the Gregorian calendar; the older Globe Awards, however, nearly gave Zhivago a sweep: Best Julian calendar was in use in Russia at the time). Alongside it Film, Best Actor (Sharif), Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best arose grassroots community assemblies (called 'Soviets') which Music. Only Julie Christie failed to pick up an award in the Best contended for authority. In the second revolution that October, Actress category. Perhaps with the exception of the embittered the Provisional Government was toppled and all power was David Lean, almost everyone involved with Zhivago continued given to the Soviets. to have busy and successful careers afterward, particularly The February Revolution (March 1917) was a Christie and Sharif. revolution focused around Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg), the Although it had always been popular with audiences, capital of Russia at that time. In the chaos, members of the through the 80s and 90s Doctor Zhivago’s critical reputation Imperial parliament (the Duma) assumed control of the country, began to improve. One of the reasons may be that few films like forming the Russian Provisional Government which was heavily it would follow. In a sense, Zhivago was the final flowering of dominated by the interests of large capitalists and the noble the romantic epic. Although there would be later attempts at aristocracy. The army leadership felt they did not have the means films in this vein, such as ’s Reds or Anthony to suppress the revolution, resulting in Tsar Nicholas's Minghella’s The English Patient, the decline in popular interest abdication. The Soviets, which were dominated by soldiers and in this kind of film might best be indicated by Michael Cimino’s the urban industrial working class, initially permitted the Heaven’s Gate, a notorious disaster that cost millions to make Provisional Government to rule, but insisted on a prerogative to but failed miserably at the box office in 1980. [Critics now influence the government and control various militias. The regard Heaven’s Gate as a masterpiece. B.J.] The era of the February Revolution took place in the context of heavy military sweeping historical romance is over for the cinema; modest television dramas like Downton Abbey seem to suffice for Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—9 setbacks during the First World War (1914–18), which left much Alain Silver, “Lean, of the Russian Army in a state of David” (Senses of mutiny. Cinema, Feb. 2004) A period of dual power ensued, during which the Film is a Provisional Government held dramatised reality and it state power while the national is the director’s job to network of Soviets, led by make it appear real…an socialists, had the allegiance of audience should not be the lower classes and, conscious of technique. increasingly, the left-leaning My distinguishing urban middle class. During this talent is the ability to put chaotic period there were frequent people under the mutinies, protests and many microscope, perhaps to strikes. Many socialist political go one or two layers organizations were engaged in farther down than some daily struggle and vied for other directors. influence within the Duma and I’ve just begun to the Soviets, central among which were the Bolsheviks ("Ones of dare to think I perhaps am a bit of an artist. the Majority") led by Vladimir Lenin who campaigned for an immediate end to the war, land to the peasants, and bread to the David Lean directed motion pictures with an workers. When the Provisional Government chose to continue acknowledged consciousness of his actions and a stated set of fighting the war with Germany, the Bolsheviks and other intentions and expectations about the end product of his labour. socialist factions were able to exploit virtually universal disdain As a worker in an industry where that end product faces towards the war effort as justification to advance the revolution evaluation based on economic results on the one hand and further. The Bolsheviks turned workers' militias under their aesthetic satisfaction on the other, Lean achieved a stature which control into the Red Guards (later the Red Army) over which few other directors in the brief history of motion pictures have they exerted substantial control.[1] equalled. His autocratic technique was legendary; and yet Lean’s In the October Revolution (November in the Gregorian early career relied entirely on collaboration, first as editor on a calendar), the Bolsheviks led an armed insurrection by workers score of pictures for other directors, then in a close association and soldiers in Petrograd that successfully overthrew the with the formidable Noel Coward on his first four pictures. For Provisional Government, transferring all its authority to the most of his career, Lean fiercely guarded the details of his Soviets with the capital being relocated to Moscow shortly personal life, which began with an upbringing and education in a thereafter. The Bolsheviks had secured a strong base of support Quaker tradition so strict that Lean was not allowed to see within the Soviets and, as the now supreme governing party, movies or attend the theatre until adulthood. Born in those first established a federal government dedicated to reorganizing the furtive moments in a silent movie theatre, Lean’s sense of former empire into the world's first socialist republic, practicing artistry, which he seldom consented to discuss, was ultimately Soviet democracy on a national and international scale. The given free rein, as economic success permitted him a freedom of promise to end Russia's participation in the First World War was aesthetic choices very few directors have ever had. honored promptly with the Bolshevik leaders signing the Treaty It is difficult to imagine even a superficial analysis of of Brest-Litovsk with Germany in March 1918. To further secure Lean’s films that does not reveal an intensely personal the new state, the Cheka was established which functioned as a filmmaker. The images and archetypes through which Lean’s revolutionary security service that sought to weed out and punish motion pictures transfuse the narrative and communicate those considered to be "enemies of the people" in campaigns sensation or point-of-view are hardly unique. Contrary to the consciously modeled on similar events during the French consensus of most film critics, Lean’s body of work, his oeuvre, Revolution. presents as consistent a style and world-view as any auteur. It Soon after, civil war erupted among the "Reds" would be possible to compare Lean to other filmmakers, to (Bolsheviks), the "Whites" (counter-revolutionaries), the weigh his early black-and-white pictorialism against that of Rex independence movements and the non-Bolshevik socialists. It Ingram (whom he greatly admired), to contrast his “romantic” continued for several years, during which the Bolsheviks landscapes with Hitchcock, his construction of epics with defeated both the Whites and all rival socialists and thereafter Anthony Mann, his economy of expression with Renoir, and his reconstituted themselves as the Communist Party. In this way, fight to make pictures according to his vision with maverick the Revolution paved the way for the creation of the Union of filmmakers everywhere. Still, it is no easy task to place Lean in Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1922. While many notable any directorial hierarchy, nor is it necessarily advisable to do so. historical events occurred in Moscow and Petrograd, there was Claude Chabrol remarked that he and Lean were the only also a visible movement in cities throughout the state, among directors working who would wait “forever” for a perfect sunset national minorities throughout the empire and in the rural areas, but that he measured “forever” in terms of days and Lean did so where peasants took over and redistributed land. (See the in months. In its overstatement, the comment revealed the respect Wikipedia entry for a great deal more on this.) which Lean’s peers had for his prodigious abilities. And yet Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—10 when Lean spoke about himself, he was usually self-effacing. (1952), Ridgefield (Ralph Richardson) is forced to defend Often he would mention that fear of indecision while shooting himself: “Can a vision be evil, Sue? It’s a terrible thing to make a that compelled him to take so much time and belabour such fine man doubt everything he’s ever lived for.” Eighteen years later points in his preparations. Lean wrote about disguising technique the local priest cautions Rosy Ryan (Sarah Miles) not to dream in 1947; but it took more than fifty years of work for him to for what you cannot have. “You can’t help having them,” Father consider that he might be “a bit of an artist.” Collins () warns. “Child what are you expecting? Ultimately, neither Lean’s fame as a filmmaker nor any Wings, is it.” Like Madeleine Smith, Maggie Hobson, and Jane quirks of personality can displace or distort his real legacy: the Hudson before her, Rosy Ryan does want to fly from the sixteen motion pictures which bear the credit “Directed by David mundane world, wants to transform her surroundings to match Lean.” In the first ten years of his directing career, from 1942 to her yearnings. In that sense, her visions a no less compelling than 1952, Lean completed nine features. In the almost forty years those of such larger-than-life Lean figures as Ridgefield or T.E. that followed, he would make only seven more. Part of the Lawrence or Zhivago. reason for this is the change within the film industry. As budgets The tragic flaw in Lean’s characters is a self- and shooting schedules grew, it become very difficult for any centeredness which can lead to misimpression, which can director to complete more than one feature per year. But even prevent them from seeing what is so clear to everyone else. while other directors in the 1940s and ’50s were making several However inculcated he may be on the concepts of discipline and films every twelve months, harmony, neither his Lean never made more than compatriots nor his one. As the time he spent enemies can really preparing projects grew from understand the months to years, the time he motives of Colonel spent shooting grew from Nicholson (Alec weeks to months. Very few Guinness) as he directors have experienced a builds the titled fourteen-year gap between object in The Bridge pictures as Lean did with on the River Kwai. In Ryan’s Daughter (1970) and A another era on the Passage to India (1984). Lean other side of the spent six years preparing what world, Rosy Ryan’s was to be his final film, an romantic yearnings adaptation of Conrad’s are more simply Nostromo, only to succumb to summarised by her cancer a few weeks before future husband. shooting was scheduled to “You’ve mistaken a begin. Lean’s “legendary” status had already been forged in a penny mirror for the sun,” Charles Shaughnessy (Robert span of just eight years from The Bridge on the River Kwai Mitchum) admonishes, “I only taught you about Byron, (1957) to Lawrence of Arabia (1962) to Doctor Zhivago (1965), Beethoven and Captain Blood. I’m not one of those fellows three pictures which generated very substantial box office myself.” Rosy romanticises her schoolteacher. Nicholson like receipts worldwide, won a combined 21 Academy Awards but Ridgefield romanticises the task at hand. Lawrence romanticises could not secure Lean a critical reputation as a great director. the desert. The emotional peril for all these characters is exactly Hence Lean’s renown since 1957 has been as a somewhat the same. Not even the most pragmatic of Lean’s protagonists, impersonal maker of films on a monumental scale. such as the indomitable Maggie Hobson or the career woman The almost all-male casts of Bridge on the River Kwai Jane Hudson, are immune. The themes which Lean does address and Lawrence of Arabia, the very title of the latter as well as repeatedly, from “ordinary” adulterous love to epic, obsessive Doctor Zhivago, may also have typed Lean for having heroes madness, are not unique to him. Lean has said, without any sense rather than heroines. In actuality, the principal characters of of contradiction, “I’m first and foremost interested in the story, Lean’s last two films were women; and, in all, no less than seven the characters,” but “I think people remember pictures not of his sixteen films – (1945), The Passionate dialogue. That’s why I like pictures”. What is unique to Lean is Friends (1949), Madeleine (1950), Hobson’s Choice (1954), his visual style, one that elucidates story and characters through Summer Madness (1955), Ryan’s Daughter and A Passage to pictures. India – centered on female protagonists. Lean’s thematic In his general theory, André Bazin divided filmic reality preoccupations or “world-view” are delineated through his into three conceivable forms: “[1] A purely logical and characters both male and female. The resemblance of those descriptive analysis. A psychological analysis, from within the figures in different pictures, whether separated by four or forty film, namely one that fits the point of view of one of the years, is often remarkable. Even the names may be subtly similar protagonists in a given situation. [3] A psychological analysis as in Laura Jessen, Mary Justin, Maggie Hobson, Jane Hudson. from the point of view of the spectator”. To simplify these types, Men and women, Lean’s signature characters are ordinary one might call them objective, subjective, or ironic respectively. dreamers and epic visionaries, people who want to transform the As a director Lean dealt with all these “realities,” often within a world according to their expectations. When others die for his given film, moved freely in a way few others have between these dream and his daughter turns against him in The Sound Barrier conventional modes and defined his vision through them. Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—11

Oliver Twist (1948) is a prime illustration. In the shots view” from Oliver Twist are strikingly recorded when the camera of the workhouse, Lean delineates a basic “reality.” His direction “becomes” Oliver fleeing a crowd of pursuers: travelling forward here is objective, although there are ironies in the very design of rapidly, it slips, at his eye level, through the arms of one man the set and the superimposed title, and aimed at establishing the then runs into the clenched fist of another, whereupon it “loses narrative core of the film. The carvings proclaiming “God is consciousness” by means of a cut to black. Later, in the Love” which loom over the heads of the downtrodden courtroom, it will sway dizzily, an effect accentuated by using a scrubwomen visually render wide-angle rather than a normal the indictment of Victorian lens, then blur in and out of focus, hypocrisy in Dickens’ novel. and finally fall over in a faint. Here In setting distance or angle, an objective view of the world is however, Lean may add to physically displaced. Going back the material reality of image, for a moment, consider again the something of the emotional shot of Oliver alone after drawing or character reality, not the short straw. Was it truly “physically” present. As in objective, or did the staging take it the high angle medium shot beyond a simple witnessing of a of the boys drawing straws: narrative event? Were the lighting when they leave, amidst and angle not, in fact, hushed cries, Oliver is alone externalisations of the emotions of – his sensation is visualised fear and isolation which Lean’s by the isolation of his white- character felt? gowned figure within the The clearest example of grey confines of the frame Lean’s multiform visual usage may and the two-dimensional be found in the opening sequence of reduction in height, the the film. On a country road in the “flattening” imposed by placing the camera above him. midst of a sudden storm, Oliver’s mother begins to give birth to Alternatively, by focusing on an image within the general him. In one travelling movement in, Lean simultaneously records expository necessity of the scene, Lean may underscore its the labour objectively – a medium shot to medium close shot, her dramatic, i.e. serious or comic, quality. body arched, head tilted back, grimacing – and externalises both The only necessary images in the sequence of Nancy’s the intangible emotion of her plight and the physical sensation as murder, for example, are those which make it clear that Sikes has well. Knifing pain is equated with a white sheet of lightning. A killed her. Beyond that Lean may single out, still within the contorting spasm is captured by an angular tilt from horizontal context of observable detail, a specific image such as the close which levels off as the contraction of labour subsides. Her shot of the infuriated Sikes or of his dog scratching furiously at complete disorientation and the distortion of her real perceptions the door. Lean’s selection of detail and emphasis was striking for are characterised by making her walk on a treadmill before a 1948 in that it repeatedly tested the limits of the basic suspension process screen. This device makes her move unnaturally at the of disbelief. Murder and the fixtures of a room are potentially edge of consciousness and introduces a secondary “reality” of equal as observable realities, if different on a dramatic level, just reduced dimension behind the already existing one of the film as they are beyond the confines of the movie house. In the itself. Finally inserts of jagged tree limbs and twisted, thorny example above, the obvious point, that the episode is terrifying branches provide a visual metaphor for the acute discomfort because the dog wants desperately to get out, is made by a which the character experiences. selective rather than substantive manipulation within the fixed Beyond this intricate subjectification, Lean reality of the scene. The make-up, facial expressions, and wider may compound the frame’s reality with dramatic irony. This is angle lens associated with Robert Newton’s portrayal of Sikes exemplified in the sequence where Nancy is followed by the committing the murder emphasise the bestial aspect of the Artful Dodger. Through several shots, the audience has been character. The cutaway to the dog creates a simile for a human permitted to observe the Dodger lurking outside the house and sense of terror and extends the metaphor of animalistic trailing behind Nancy down the rainy streets, a fact of vital behaviour. concern of which she is unaware. An example of a subtler ironic In spying through a glass port on Monks and Fagin in mode on a figurative level is the first conversation between the back of a tavern, Nancy takes in everything she can but her Monks and Fagin in the garret. Here, while Fagin’s eyes stay on view of the complete “picture” is restricted. Analogously, the his body moving in and out of the shot, from the audience’s “objective plane,” or that which provides the basic information in vantage Monks momentarily becomes a thin, black shadow on a film, is not aligned to any predetermined standards, neither the right side of the frame. This stylised rendering of Monks’ induced from the general objectivity of the whole of cinema nor form implies his malevolent character as well as the manner in reasoned out a priori, but derived from the specific “vantage” set which his presence looms ominously over the entire picture, a up by the director. And the definition of that objective plane, for “fact” which Fagin (as the shadow is not in his line of sight) want of a better term, the mise en scène, may be taken as the first cannot know. component of directional style. That style is further refined in a On a narrative level, Oliver Twist is a typical, third substantive manner, by what Bazin calls “fit[ting on] the point of person film, that is the revelation of narrative “facts” is not view of one of the protagonists.” Instances of direct “point of identified with or restricted to the perceptions of a single Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—12 character. Lean’s extensive tendency to subjectify a story-line is objects of the room in front of her seem farther away than they clear in the earlier Brief Encounter. This is not merely because actually are, visually rendering her state of mind as she draws most of the film is told in flashback, complete with extensive back from them into herself. Lean extends this further by voiceover narration by the female protagonist, Laura Jesson bringing down the key light and dissolving back to the tea room. (Celia Johnson), but because as in Oliver Twist, Lean repeatedly By using an unreal, even theatrical, effect, Lean creates a hyper- uses visuals that underscore the subjectivity. Before Laura’s real perspective, for as Laura’s silhouette remains in the narration is even established, Lean sets it up with an exaggerated foreground, she “watches” Alex Harvey enter the room, the tea point-of-view shot: an extreme close up of a woman’s mouth room and her room also, and in her imagination substitutes him after which Laura is heard thinking to herself, “I wish you’d stop for her husband whom she literally “fades out” without even talking.” By having the leaving her chair. first thought spoken on All this should the soundtrack one with suggest something of the which the audience is awareness of the medium likely to empathise, the which Lean brought to his intrusiveness of the material. Lean’s working narration is buffered and methods are well-documented the transition smoothed. elsewhere and seemed to vary When she arrives home, little throughout his career. Of there is a more subtle the script stage, one of his early effect: her husband’s hat writing collaborators, Ronald is framed in the Neame, observed: “Every line foreground as she climbs of dialogue, not just dialogue, the stairs and he calls to but every line of description is her, simultaneously studied and worked out before establishing visual and it’s put down in that script” (7). aural emblems of his His last collaborator was presence before he is Robert Bolt: “We rewrite it even seen. When he is seen, various aspects of his appearance, about four times until we are satisfied. And, of course, it is David from his moustache to the pinstripes in his suit, immediately who must be satisfied with it”. contrast with the look of the man she was with in the tea room. Despite the numerous awards and the frequent praise of All these details reinforce or anticipate parts of what Laura’s reviewers for most of his projects, Lean has never been a critical flashback will reveal before it even begins. favourite. Despite the fact that the descriptions of how Lean Since most of Lean’s narratives are organised in a way worked out the shooting script could easily be mistaken for which is neither “first” nor “third” person, shots or sequences remarks about the widely admired , this like those already cited may suddenly shift the film into either disfavour is particularly marked among auteurists. Andrew Sarris mode without disrupting or overwhelming the basic structure. not only relegated him to “Less Than Meets The Eye” in the Subjectivity may be accomplished in several ways. The narrative seminal American Cinema, but concluded his assessment with a itself may be literally bracketed by being presented as a pun about “too little literary fat and too much visual lean”. When flashback from either the central character (Brief Encounter, Ian Cameron commissioned the first book on Lean more than Passionate Friends), a subordinate one (Doctor Zhivago), or a thirty years ago for the pointedly auteurist Movie Paperback combination (In Which We Serve and, implicitly, Lawrence of series, he did so because “on confronting many of the filmmakers Arabia). In any narrative context, shots may be intercut to I most admire, I invariably find that the film-makers they most suggest the thoughts or sensations of a character, as in Oliver admire are Messers. Lean and Fellini whose work I cannot Twist and Brief Encounter, or characters, as in the sparking abide”. While Fellini’s monomaniacal imposition of a world streetcar terminal when Zhivago and his still-unknown, future view on his pictures has never been in doubt, Lean’s still has lover, Lara, brush against each other early in that film. Shots may seldom been perceived. In Sight and Sound magazine’s once-per- become literally what the character sees; or shots of the character decade poll of the greatest films and directors in the history of may be manipulated to focus on an interior state. Simple cinema in 2002, David Lean and his films were entirely absent instances would be the hanging in Great Expectations (1946) or from the critics’ list. In fact, while Fellini and 8½ were included, the Cossack charge in Doctor Zhivago, when there is no point-of- Lean and his pictures were not even close to making the cut. The view shot of the terrible event but merely a slow move in to directors poll, of course, was another matter. There Lawrence of reveal the horror in the actors’ faces. A more intricate example is Arabia was in the top five and Lean tied for ninth (with Renoir found at the beginning of Brief Encounter. When Laura returns and Scorsese). The conundrum of Lean’s career continues, home after the final parting with her lover, she sits in the parlour admired by his peers and by filmgoers but more likely to be and realises that she cannot tell her husband of her affair, accorded approbation than a mantle of greatness by critics. (See however platonic. A medium close shot of her slumped in the the original article for notes and filmography: chair is cut with an over-the-shoulder view of her husband http://sensesofcinema.com/2004/great-directors/lean/) working a crossword. Lean shifts to a wide angle lens for this, . suddenly extending perspective and making the man and the

Lean: DR. ZHIVAGO—13

COMING UP IN THE SPRING 2019 BUFFALO FILM SEMINARS (SERIES 38)

Mar 26 Arturo Ripstein Time to Die 1966 Apr 2 Michelangelo Antonioni Blow-Up 1966 Apr 9 Michael Cimino The Deer Hunter 1978 Apr 16 Terry Jones Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life 1983 Apr 23 Eyes Wide Shut 1999 Apr 30 Frederick Wiseman Monrovia, Indiana 2018 May 7 Alfonso Cuarón Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2004

CONTACTS:...email Diane Christian: [email protected]…email Bruce Jackson [email protected] the series schedule, annotations, links and updates: http://buffalofilmseminars.com...to subscribe to the weekly email informational notes, send an email to addto [email protected] cast and crew info on any film: http://imdb.com/ The Buffalo Film Seminars are presented by the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Dipson Amherst Theatre, with support from the Robert and Patricia Colby Foundation and the Buffalo News.