Doctor Zhivago Matinee 2025

David Lean’s Epic Doctor Zhivago in Stunning 4K Restoration at The Park Theatre

Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Russian Revolution, this sweeping romantic epic, based on Boris Pasternak’s Nobel Prize-winning novel, follows Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif), a physician and poet torn between his love for his wife, Tonya (Geraldine Chaplin), and the passionate Lara Antipova (Julie Christie). 

Directed by Lean, renowned for Lawrence of Arabia, the film features a stellar cast including Alec Guinness, Rod Steiger, and Tom Courtenay, with Freddie Young’s Oscar-winning cinematography and Maurice Jarre’s iconic “Lara’s Theme.” A monumental achievement, Doctor Zhivago won five Academy Awards and, with 248.2 million tickets sold worldwide, ranks as the ninth highest-grossing film of all time (adjusted for inflation), cementing its status as a cornerstone of cinematic history for its emotional depth and visual grandeur. 

Critics have long hailed Doctor Zhivago as a cinematic triumph. The New York Times praised it as “a triumph of film art,” lauding Lean’s ability to weave a “richly textured” narrative that balances romance and historical upheaval. Life magazine’s Richard Schickel called it “generous yet austere, huge but never out of human scale… a work of serious genuine art.” A Park Ridge Classic Film review described it as “stunningly beautiful, rich in detail,” noting its unique stature among films, with over 400 patrons leaving a screening in awe. The Hollywood Reporter endorsed its 2015 4K re-release, calling it “one of the essential cinematic events of the year,” while Variety celebrated its “intensely human and passionate relationship” amidst monumental politics. This restored presentation at The Park Theatre promises to captivate audiences with its timeless romance and epic scope.

Tickets are $10/$9, available at theparktheatre.org, by calling (603) 532-8888, or at the box office 30 minutes before showtime.