Doctor Zhivago

First published in Italy in 1957, Boris Pasternak's largely autobiographical novel was literally smuggled out of the country by the publisher Giacomo Feltrinelli, and was not officially available in the Soviet Union until 1988; the film version had to wait even longer. Although Italian producer Carlo Ponti had initially thought of the film as a vehicle for his wife, Sophia Loren, when MGM brought in David Lean, the director chose Julie Christie instead.

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