What's a "Doctor Zhivago"?

According to BoxOfficeMojo's adjusted-for-inflation list of all-time domestic best-sellers, the 8th most popular film in domestic history is Doctor Zhivago. Released in 1965, this political thriller was surrounded by strong controversy. But I refuse to believe that this film could have ever been that popular, because up until today, I had never heard of Doctor Zhivago!

According to IMDb, the plot is as follows:

Set just before and in the years following the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, the filme follows the life of Zhivago as he marries, raises a family, has his life totally disrupted by first World War One, and then by the Revolution. Shown against the Epic of a world turned on its head, his life and freedom are torn from him as the new society makes demands.

That sounds like a good movie, no? Good enough to be 8th overall in an adjusted-for-inflation all-time domestic best-sellers list? I don't know. Because I've never heard of this film.

It even stars Omar Sharif and Alec Guinness! And Julie Christie, who I've never really seen much of her in, but she's got a familiar name, so, I must of seen her in a film before.

To get myself more acquainted with this apparent masterpiece and crown jewel of American cinema, I watched a trailer for the film on, where else, YouTube:



Well, who knew? I just learned about an extremely popular film today. Me learning about Doctor Zhivago today will be like, in forty years, having someone just hear about The Dark Knight.

That'll be odd.