To me, “Zhivago”, David Lean’s masterpiece, is the greatest film ever made. I can call forth a line from that film to parallel everything we’ve been experiencing in America these past 40 years or so.
The writer of the present article invokes a scene: the suddenness of the switch from a pseudo-European, gentrified Moscow to a hellish, ideology-driven nightmare left Zhivago nonplussed as he entered what used to be the family townhouse.
Tonya: “This is comrade Yelkin, our local delegate”
Z: “Welcome”
Tonya: “and this is comrade Kaprogina, chairman of the residence committee.”
Z: “Welcome”
Comrade K: “It is not for you to welcome us, comrade”. There was room for 13 families, IN THIS ONE HOUSE!”
Z: “Yes, comrade; this is a better situation — more just”
Anyway, it does my heart good to have a writer use the film as a metaphor like this.
One of my favorite scenes as well. It was perfect to show the smug, self-righteous nastiness of the petty communist bureaucrat given their bit of power to make people miserable (probably people they had always been jealous of).
I can imagine all the lefty Karens of 2020 through the present taking those jobs.