Just perfect...

Absolutely Fantastic

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

POSSIBLE SPOILERSIt clearly goes without saying that this is in the shadow of the original David Lean film and understandably as it is a hard act to follow. It would be easy to condemn this as being "amateurish" but I have to say that I strongly disagree. This production dealt with the setting and period in a more subtle and understated manner and it's in the format of TV which is completely different to the big screen and less cinematic. Despite this being early on in Keira Knightley's career, she does a good job portraying Lara as being a well rounded character. Kris Marshall was another one who stood out for me as his character of Pasha Antipov as his character development was not only well portrayed but more jarring as he turns from an idealistic and optimistic revolutionary to a brutal and merciless Bolshevik General.This also portrays the Russian Revolution in more of a "Warts and all" kind of way as opposed to the romanticised depiction given originally and is executed in a very compelling way. There is an interesting use of archive footage (remeniscent of the use of archive footage in the 1978 TV series "Secret Army") that adds some extra depth to the portrayal of 1910s/1920s Russia.] I'd say that you should listen to what Anna Rust has said and give it a look.

One wonders why the BBC dared to challenge David Lean's 1965 version of the Boris Pasternak novel with a script by Robert Bolt and a brilliant cast. But the TV series has its virtues -- greater length, allowing for inclusion of more of the novel, and a cast that generally stands well up to comparison with the actors in the film who engraved themselves in our mind's eye as the definitive Zhivago, Lara, Tonya (Zhivago's wife), Komorovsky, and Pasha (afterwards the iron-willed and ruthless Bolshevik general). Although it drags a bit in the first half, the second half of the TV production is exceptionally moving. Keira Knightley (Julie Christie in the film version) exudes sexual attractiveness, of course, but she also captures Lara's initial innocence, her loyalty first to Pasha and then to Zhivago after Pasha disappears, and her emotional depths. Hans Mattheson (Omar Sharif) grows on you as his troubles mount. Alexandra Maria Lara (!) (Geraldine Chaplin in the movie) is splendid both as Zhivago's loving wife and as jilted and martyred lover. Sam Neill (Rod Stieger) is appropriately slimy as Komarovsky, Lara's corrupter and relentless pursuer. Only Kris Marshall (Tom Courtnay) falls especially short; he is unconvincing as the ruthless general. The Alec Guiness character in the movie, General Zhivago, is strangely missing from the TV series, possibly because they were unable to find anyone who could possibly fill Guiness's shoes. Also missing is Lara's theme, the haunting music which many still remember from the movie. I liked the second half of the TV series and am once again impressed by the fact that Keira Knightley is a good deal more than a pretty face. In fact, she is a worthy next-generation successor to the role of ranking female British star.

This version is a lot more faithful to Pasternak's book than David Lean's version. It is great. It doesn't have to compete with the David lean version. It stands up very well on its own. Ludovico Einaudi's score is every bit as good as Maurice Jarre's. I also think that Keira Knightley is better as Lara than Julie Christie was. I also think she's better than Andrea Corr would have been and I'm a dyed in the wool Corrs fan. It was sensible casting young actors who are the age the characters are meant to be at the outset of the story and then ageing them via makeup. One is a bit incredulous when one sees David Lean's version and Pasha says Lara is 17. Julie Christie looks the age she was when the film was made, namely mid-20s. Each actor puts a different interpretation on his or her character from the 1965 version. Bill Paterson makes Monsieur Gromyko less pompous than Ralph Richardson did. He's also quite charming where he pretends a knotted handkerchief is a rat for the children at the beginning. Sam Neill makes Monsieur Komarovsky more menacing and sinister than Rod Steiger did. He also doesn't have the paternalistic streak that Rod Steiger had. Mr Neill has also given older guys carte blanche to wax lyrical about Keira Knightley. He's done scenes with her and he's about 40 years older than her. Kris Marshall doesn't portray Pasha Antipov as Tom Courtenay's angry young man. He's shown to be quite a fun guy when he swings about ringing church bells which are standing in frames in the street to amuse Lara and her classmates. But he still becomes just as psychotic and unfeeling as Tom Courtenay's interpretation. But, as in the 1965 version, Zhivago is portrayed as a throroughly decent guy who starts off very well in life and his life ends sadly. This version also shows some grim aspects of the revolution such as mutilation, children being murdered and cannibalism, which of course was referred to by Alec Guinness in the 1965 version. This is a very good adaptation which I would recommend to fans of the 1965 version and even more so to fans of the book.

This is my favorite movie. Believe me I have read the book and I am telling you that this version of the film is better than the book because it is more dynamic and has some additional very good scenes that contribute to the whole effect the movie has when watched. The leading actors are actually perfect. I am a huge fan of Hans Matheson and Keira knightly. I have watched most of Keira's movies and I can honestly say that this is her best. It is the most dramatic story I have ever heard of because the story develops in the background of the bolshevik revolution in Russia and tells about the controversial fates of two people who in spite of the fact that have families and kids fell in love with each other.Their love is thwarted by the social hardship of the time and by their responsibilities to family and country but lives through it all and survives.