December 22, 1965 –
David Lean’s Russian epic, Dr Zhivago, starring Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Tom Courtenay, Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness, Ralph Richardson, Siobhán McKenna, and Rita Tushingham, premiered in the US, on this date.
The movie was torn apart by critics when first released. Newsweek, in particular, made comments about “hack-job sets” and “pallid photography“. Director David Lean was so deeply affected by these criticisms (despite the popularity of the movie with the general public) that he swore he would never make another movie. Thanks in part to MGM’s extreme marketing campaign and strong word of mouth, this movie became an spectacular success at the box-office and the second highest grossing movie of 1965, behind The Sound of Music.
The Haus of Dcaligari 