Film ini mengambil cerita di Russia sebelum perang dunia ke satu di tahun 1917 - 1922 waktu terjadinya perang sipil di Russia waktu itu. Film ini berdasarkan novel yang terkenal karangan Boris Pasternak, yang mana bukunya sangat terkenal di dunia barat, tetapi di Uni Soveit bukunya dilarang beredar dalam waktu puluhan tahun. Omar Sharif berperan sebagai Yuri Zhivago, seorang dokter yang kehidupannya terpaksa banyak perubahan karena revolusi di Russia waktu itu.
The supporting cast includes Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness, Tom Courtenay, Ralph Richardson, Siobhán McKenna and Rita Tushingham.
Film ini banyak memenangkan Oscar dan sangat sukses. Doctor Zhivago won five Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design; it was nominated for five others (including Best Picture and Best Director).
Released theatrically on 22 December 1965, the film went on to gross $111.7 million in the United States and Canada across all of its releases and is the eighth highest-grossing film of all time adjusted for inflation. In addition, it is also the eighth highest grossing film worldwide after adjusting for inflation.
Lagu " Somewhere My Love " theme dari film Doctor Zhivago
