December 2018 Acorn TV Calendar

Monday, December 31st

THE REAL DOCTOR ZHIVAGO

CLIP

BBC Four Documentary, 2017. Dr Zhivago is one of the best-known love stories of the 20th century, but the setting of the book also made it famous. It's a tale of passion and fear, set against a backdrop of revolution and violence. The film is what most people remember, but the story of the writing of the book has more twists, intrigue and bravery than many a Hollywood blockbuster. In this documentary, Stephen Smith traces the revolutionary beginnings of this bestseller, to it becoming a pawn of the CIA at the height of the Cold War. Writing his book for over twenty tumultuous years, Boris Pasternak knew it could result in his death. It did result in his mistress being sent to the Gulag twice, but he had to have his say. This is the story of the writing of perhaps the bravest book ever published. It's the untold story of the real Dr Zhivago - Boris Pasternak. (1 EPS)