At its heart, Doctor Zhivago is a sprawling epic that covers roughly half a century of Russian history. The protagonist is Yuri Zhivago, a doctor and poet. Orphaned early in life, Yuri embodies the archetype of the Russian intellectual—he is sensitive, observant, and deeply moral, but somewhat passive in the face of destiny.

But Jarre almost didn't get the job. David Lean originally wanted a score by Aram Khachaturian, a real Soviet composer. When that fell through, Jarre stepped in. He famously composed the main theme in 48 hours. He used a balalaika (a Russian folk instrument) not for authenticity, but for its brittle, lonely sound.