Omar Sharif ruins this movie
Its stupid seeing Omar trying to play a Russian. What the hell was the producers thinking?
shareI don't quite see your point. Russia is a very BIG country, that stretches all the way to the Pacific and includes populations who are Asian. I don't think the film makes entirely clear (and I read the novel 30 years ago, so I cannot recall), but Yuri might have come from a mixed marriage. He is in Mongolia, where he mother dies. Why? Evidently she is Russian, because she is great friends with the aristocratic Gromekos. Perhaps his father has some Asian background. I don't think Lean's choice was just a random and stupid decision.
shareOmar Sharif was awesome in this role. Period. End of discussion.
shareNo, he's not awesome. He's dull and extremely limited in his range of expression. Half the time he's just wearing this dull, half smile, eyes not moving, expressionless.
He looks OK for the role, but he hardly acts at all.
I remember reading an interview with Omar Sharif in which he said that David Lean directed him to have a blank or opaque look on his face throughout the film. According to some of the obituary postings today, Sharif had to have his hair straightened daily, his eyes pulled back, and his skin waxed every 3rd day or so. He nearly had a nervous breakdown making this movie.
shareSkin waxed means he was hairy and they waxed the hair right? And what does eyes pulled back mean?
Global Warming, it's a personal decision innit? - Nigel Tufnel
I think it was a random and stupid decision. David Lean only cast him because he worked with Omar before. Having an Arab running around pretending to a Russian completely takes me out of the movie. An Arab looking guy would've never succedded or been treated fairly back in those days.
shareIt was most certainly not. Sharif was the perfect choice to play Zhivago. Russians are slavs.. Many of them are olive skinned. I know cause I've met a few. How about Gorbachev ? Is he the blue eyed blonde haired dude ? And that's why he is an actor.. An actors portrays people from different backgrounds.
shareThe producers were probably thinking of the box office draw, since he was a big star after Lawrence of Arabia. But maybe you aren't aware that Russia comprises over 100 ethnicities, and there are lots of Russians who don't "look Russian".
Go to Google Images, and search for Russian movie stars. Then search for American actors who have played Russians... :)
I actually thought your post was going to be about his acting. I thought it was pretty dull and flat. But I had no trouble believing he was a Russian. I've watched dozens of Russian movies. He's credible in terms of looks. They could have found someone who looks more "classically Russian", but what do you want, Yul Brynner? Peter Ustinov?
When I first saw this, I didn't even know he was Egyptian. I bought him into the role.
Global Warming, it's a personal decision innit? - Nigel Tufnel