Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001) User Reviews (228)

Love And War And Occupation

[sddavis63 · 7/10 · 11 August 2002]

After a somewhat slow start I thought this movie about the Italian occupation of a Greek island during World War II picked up and became a quite enjoyable watch for a couple of hours, from primarily two points of view.

The love triangle is an interesting one and strikes me as believable, because I know it happened in various places under occupation. Penelope Cruz played Pelagia, a young Greek girl engaged to be married to Mandras (Christian Bale). I had questions about the depth of their love from the start, but their future was torn apart when Italy invaded Greece, and Mandras went off to fight. After German intervention, Greece is conquered and the island Pelagia lives on comes under Italian occupation, during which Pelagia meets and begins to fall in love with Captain Corelli (Nicholas Cage.) This, of course, was a dilemma that came to many young women in occupied lands. As they got to know their occupiers, they started to see them not as the enemy but as real people, and sometimes fell in love - often to the disapproval of their neighbours. I just finished reading an interesting book about the German occupation of Britain's Channel Islands in which this was a major issue. Once Mandras returns to the island, Pelagia is torn between them.

The second background issue is the Italian occupation itself, which I thought was quite realistically portrayed. First was the contempt with which the island treated their Italian occupiers. Greece defeated Italy (quite true from a historical perspective) and was really conquered by the Germans. The refusal of the town to surrender to the Italians and instead to insist on surrendering to a German officer struck me as something that could well have happened (and was quite funny in fact. I loved the line, "we would rather surrender to this German's dog than to you Italians.") The portrayal of the Italian troops also struck me as believable. The Italian Army was never enamoured of their German ally, and never enthusiastic about fighting with them. Although Hitler and Mussolini were close friends, their soldiers tended to treat each other with contempt. Here, the Italians are more interested in singing than fighting (which the German troops on the island simply can't understand,) and are ecstatic when Italy makes peace and withdraws from the war - until they discover that this may well make them prisoners of the Germans. It was all quite well done, I thought.

It falters a bit at the end with an all too predictable finish, but still deserves praise.

7/10

Very Watchable

[officersmess · 6/10 · 27 May 2001]

Unlike many, I have not read the book and so I watched this purely as a film in its own right. I'm not especially keen on romance dramas, and I expected this to be a bit slushy and/or operatic so I was rather hesitant about going to see it in the first place...

But I'm glad I did, because it was good. Beautiful, "feel good" scenery and with a light touch of humour that made it rather more endearing than a straight drama would have been. The romance was gentle, inoffensive and sufficiently interwoven with enough "proper" story-telling to keep my interest, and the score was not too obtrusively operatic.

Overall, the film takes a satisfying circular route from start to finish, inducing a range of emotions as it progresses. It's about 2 hours long, but I didn't find myself fidgeting or looking at my watch once - and that's quite a feat for me!! Very enjoyable.

Could have been better

[mario_c · 6/10 · 11 March 2007]

When I was watching this movie one thought had come to my mind for several times: "It's not really what I expected, I thought it would be better", but now that I finished watching it I realize: why should I expect a better result from this movie? Isn't it just a "love story" made up in Hollywood show's standards? Of course, it is! If so, why expect more?

Captain Corelli's mandolin is a romance story in war time (WWII) and the plot which I was noticed about before watch the movie seemed very interesting to me. All that I didn't count was the "Hollywood standard's" touch... What I mean by this is that I expected a story a bit more realistic and with a stronger plot (which was not full of "plot holes" as this one is!) instead of this "sweet story romance, with the perfect ending", which we're used to watch in a great part of Hollywood's movies! Another Hollywood standard's gaffe which is very common is the natives' languages issue. The differences between Italian, Greek and German languages were all done just by a stupid accent, and all people seem to understand each other very well. The Italian and the German army arrive to a "forgotten" Greek island and they all understand each other very well as they all speak the same language! Of course it's just little technical details that don't even matter to the plot, but are all this little details which separate a good from a bad production!

But the movie has not just bad-sided arguments! On the good side, I can find the original idea (which comes from a book), and the thought that is possible to be Human, and have Human feelings, even inside a War. It's possible to sing and be happy, have good feelings, to love and to be loved in a War time! Was because of that main idea that I wanted to watch this movie, and at this particular point I wasn't disappointed! I just was dissatisfied about the way it was made! Another good-sided argument is History's knowledge… The movie is not very deep at that issue, but it's good enough to have a little idea how was the WWII in the Eastern-South Europe.

Globally Captain Corelli's mandolin is not a bad movie but it's not as good as I initially though either, mostly because of the "Hollywood show's standards" up-mentioned.

Please read the book instead.

[victor-65 · 1 February 2003]

Ok, it's a given that you cannot make a good movie from a good book. (Unless you make it a trilogy :-) But comparing the book Corelli's Mandolin to this movie it's clear how much has to be cut to fit a screenplay. The book is very funny in places, romantic (of course), dramatic. What's left of it in the film is inexplicable romance -- as other reviewers have remarked, it's unclear why she falls in love with the italian while her betrothed is still around, and I have no idea why this was changed from the book -- and some gratuitous gunning and bombing scenes, more than in the book which derives its power from not hammering on the obvious points. Whole characters are cut: Carlo has maybe 10 seconds screen time, while in the book he has a whole story line that runs several chapters.

Good Film, Read Book Afterwards

[florismk · 7/10 · 18 October 2001]

Here's a well-made war story, nicely shot and well-acted. The portraying of the Italian and German occupancy of Greek island Kefalonia is well-done. John Hurt as Pelagia's father and the island doctor is superb, Nicolas Cage does a good job as the Captain from the title, Penelope Cruz does a good job of being beautiful and batting her eyelashes at Cage. There's heroics and humor, there's drama and romance, and it is all set on an idyllic island.

Oddly enough, a very similar, or should I say almost identical, storyline, with the same characters going through the same series of events, is told in a novel by the same title, written by Louis de Bernieres. This wonderful historical novel tells the story of beautiful Pelagia, daughter of doctor Iannis, and their life on Kefalonia during WWII. Pelagia's fiancee, local fisherman Mandras, enlists when the Italian Army invades northern Greece from Albania under false pretenses. When the Axis finally prevails, with a lot of help from the Germans, a garrison of Italian soldiers is stationed on the island, and Captain Corelli plays a big part in keeping the occupation a peaceful time. As Mandras joins the partisans, charming Corelli and his mandolin are quartered with the doctor and his beautiful daughter. Of course, this makes it a novel about love. But it is also a war novel, a summary of Greek history, a tale of Communist uprising in post-war Greece, a portrait of the madness of Mussolini, and, most importantly, an ode to island life on Kefalonia.

Some of these elements return in the movie, but in general, it is an impossible book to film. I am glad nobody ever tried.

The movie 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin', however, is worth seeing. Just make sure you read the book *after* you see the movie.

Try some Berniéres!

[Anetka · 7/10 · 11 November 2003]

Few days ago I finished reading of Louis de Berniéres novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin. The book was really breathtaking. I was looking forward to see the movie right after reading the book. This succeeded really quickly. I was home alone and I started to watch maybe a half an hour after I have read the last page of this amazing book. It was after midnight already, but I could not wait to see how the film-makers captured the huge power of this masterpiece in the movie. But as I felt happy when I first saw images from book (Cephallonia weather and the whole atmosphere) - such I was disappointed when Berniéres' novel full of reality of life, war and everything slowly changed into silly romantic flick. Everything is too much simplified so the story goes too fast.

I am sure, that if Louis de Berniéres himself should make film (screenplay) from any of his novels, it would cost a lot of money and 150 minutes of time at least. But it won't be sweet happy-end story about cute girls, charming italian captains and brave partisans. It would be much more. Life and Berniéres' characters aren't so simple. Somebody really thought that if he will fill the movie with quotes from the book, people will think that it actually is book. This isn't bad film...I still give 7 points from 10. It's just deeply disappointing for those who read the novel. Maybe there are many perfect novels in the background of many average hollywood flicks. But sometimes there will be much better not to shoot some fine books... For those, who have read this commentary till now I have one advice - if you like superior reading and not just movie love stories - try some Berniéres!

An interesting novel totally screwed...........................................

[ianlouisiana · 5/10 · 22 November 2008]

"Kefalonia,Greece,1940".We know that because it's just been on the screen.In case we think it's Kefalonia,Mississippi,presumably.Then to make sure we are on message a Greek dance starts up.To allay any lingering doubts,another ten minutes into screen time and there's another Greek dance.OK,thank you,we got it the first time. Unfortunately all this desire to impose ethnicity is thwarted by the appearance of the very English Mr John Hurt as the wise doctor/philosopher Iannis and the very Spanish Miss Penelope Cruz as his daughter Pelagia. Mr Hurt has a grey walrus moustache and disconcertingly black hair. He doesn't speak so much as spout wise doctor/philosopher stuff so you just know he is really really wise and really really loves his daughter in a wise fatherly way.She becomes engaged to Mandras a simple fisherman after he throws her into the sea.Then war comes and her simple fisherman goes off to fight the Hun.Irrepressible child of nature that she is,Pelagia skips gaily along the footpaths surrounding her village.The island is invaded by the Italian army with only one thing on their minds singing extracts from Puccini and playing various stringed instruments. Well there is one other thing on their minds as exemplified by that dratted handsome Capt Corelli when we first see him looking in his dress uniform as if he would be happier piloting Thunderbird 3.On spotting Pelagia in the crowd as they march through town to accept the surrrender he orders his men to salute "Bella bambina at 2 'o clock" thus identifying himself as a dog and a sexist at once.A stereotypical Italian then. Mr Nicholas Cage plays Capt Corelli in a way that clearly pleases him. He and child of nature fall in love which Miss Cruz valiantly tries to depict,her brow furrowing with effort from time to time.Wise doctor/philosopher Iannis thinks no good will come of it.The Italians surrender as soon as is decently possible leaving the dour humourless Germans to fight alone with entirely foreseeable results. Not to be confused in any way with the well - received novel of the same title,"Captain Corelli's Mandolin" sets cliché upon cliché and devil take the hindmost.It tries for the sweep of a David Lean but lacks the absolute control of his subject that categorised his work. Should American viewers wonder why Europe is still so bedevilled a continent then they can rest assured that the Greeks still hate the Germans,the Germans hate the Italians and the English hate everybody. Peace - to Europeans - is merely a continuation of war by other means.

Homage to Cephallonia.

[Mercader79 · 6/10 · 22 May 2001]

(Spoilers throughout) Am I alone in thinking this film in many ways improves upon an excellent, if flawed, novel? Make no mistake: DeBernieres' book is a modern classic, but it has two major weaknesses – one aesthetic, another of historical accuracy. This film nobly addresses both of these.

1) Captain Corelli's Mandolin is an excellent and moving novel. The idyllic pre-war life of the natives is vividly and touchingly depicted. The subsequent horrors of war are thus all the more harrowing when they finally arrive.

For all that, DeBernieres singularly fails to create a satisfactory conclusion. The last hundred pages or so detailing the intricacies of Pelagia's post-war existence are not uninteresting in themselves but seem banal indeed compared to the stirring drama that has come before. It is essentially a Second World War novel and should have ended with Corelli's departure from the island, or at least, soon after. The concluding chapters add nothing to the novel – DeBernieres should have been more ruthless and ended the story as soon as the main action stopped. The Great Escape would not have been improved by a concluding section about the surviving character's lives in the post-war decades and nor is this.

Commendably, the film improves upon this weakness. Now Corelli returns, soon after the war's end. This is a decided improvement on the novel where an ageing Corelli does not return – inexplicably – until fifty years later! It is thus far too late for him and Pelagia to get together and provides a wholly unsatisfactory outcome to the novel.

2) The novel is also undermined by a serious historical misrepresentation of the Greek anti-Nazi resistance movement, notably the organisation ELAS who Mandras falls in with. In the book, these are portrayed as Stalinist demagogues, more interested in the propagation of a narrow interpretation of Marxist dogma and political infighting with the British Allies, than genuinely resisting the Nazis. After the war, they are portrayed as practically being akin to the Nazi terror they supplant:

‘…in Cephallonia the Communists began to deport awkward characters to concentration camps…Hitler would have been proud of such assiduous pupils.' (p442).

As DeBernieres now grudgingly admits, in this respect, he got his research badly wrong. Although I am no expert on wartime Greece, by all accounts, ELAS played an active and constructive role in combating the Nazis. The film rectifies DeBernieres' error, showing Mandras and the other guerrillas fighting the Nazis side by side with the Italians. This does involve a fairly major alteration in the novel's story line, however – Mandras's attempt at rape and subsequent death thus do not occur here, nor do any of his guerrilla experiences which are detailed throughout the middle stages of the book.

There were other changes in the film that I was less keen on, however. The role of the Italian soldier Carlo, who plays a fairly major part in the novel, is here almost wholly omitted, presumably because of fears that his homosexuality would offend the crucial American market. His gesture in saving Corelli from the firing squad is thus largely inexplicable, except as – rather lamely – a benevolent sacrifice towards Pelagia.

On the other hand, CCM is such a long and complex novel that one can forgive the film makers for not transcribing every aspect of the book to the screen. Film is a different medium to literature. The unfairly hostile critical reception this film has received suggests far too many expected a carbon copy of the novel to be revealed on film. (And as Madden also directed the generally awful but highly overrated Shakespeare in Love perhaps this evens the score somewhat).

That said, the film is not perfect. I am not convinced Cage was the ideal Captain Corelli. The depiction of village life does come across fairly whimsically and compares poorly to the portrayal of European rural life in the 1940s in Jean De Florette. Although I've said changes from the book are not bad per se, some of the changes – the date of the earthquake from 1953 to 1947 seemed rather pointless. But generally ignore the pedants. The film would not be improved either by a) forcing the cast to learn and speak their character's native languages and subtitling throughout or b) correcting such 'inaccuracies' as the Italians occupying the island for two years (er - they did) or b) depicting Abyssinian style atrocities committed by the Italian forces on the island (none recorded). While not quite in the class of other Second World War classics like Empire of the Sun, Schindler's List or The Bridge on the River Kwai, this is generally a good film.

Both The Accent & The Movie Stink

[ccthemovieman-1 · 2/10 · 2 March 2007]

I actually was looking forward to this movie. After reading a number of reviews before the release, it sounded like a genuinely nice film, one that was beautifully filmed and one with an interesting cast (Nicholas Cage, Penelope Cruz and John Hurt.)

Well, it might have been all of those things BUT it is so boring that I defy almost anyone to sit through this in its entirety and keep attention. Also, Cage's attempt at speaking with an Italian accent is embarrassingly bad. He's such a good actor that I cringed every time he spoke in this film.

'Disappointing" seems to be the most-often word used by reviewers here to describe this film, and I totally agree.

I guess it didn't take long for word to get out about how bad this movie was because, like Cage's accent, it did not do well.

Solid: good story, graceful execution

[John-462 · 6/10 · 17 October 2001]

Range of performance from actors was on the whole good; Nicolas Cage and John Hurt doing really quite well - although Cage's part had more scope.

Cage's accent was quite believable as English with an Italian lilt. Hurt's, as Greek, was less so; lapsing into pure English occasionally. The English/German accents were pretty terrible, no points for Patrick Malahide or David Morrissey. Ranges of the Greek island natives was small, but then, having been occupied by the Italians, they didn't have very much to smile about.

All the acting was very good, down to passable. Points to Cage and Hurt for some great performances as the suave love-struck Italian and rugged, long-suffering Greek father respectively.

The story - okay, a group of opera-singing Italian artillerymen is perhaps not the most natural subject, but the boys could definitely sing; Cage's mandolin playing was haunting and thoroughly believable (I can't believe it wasn't him playing it, in fact). The story is classic love-triangle material, but a war and a twist keep it interesting.

The cinematography was excellent, John Toll showing us the lush Greek Cephallonian landscape. However, with scenery as striking as this, Toll could hardly go wrong by just pointing the camera anywhere. The scenery, already really a character of its own, becomes somewhat more dominant toward the end.

Pacing was rather slow for my taste. Some shots lingered a little too long when I was expecting a cut. General pacing was slow; with the start of the third act being a jarring acceleration into high-gear. After that the pacing slows down again with a slight bump toward the end.

Overall: for someone interested in a solid film, and willing not to bitch about the pacing, this is definitely one to see. Good story, direction, and cinematography. If the editor could tighten it up a little, this would be 8/10; otherwise 6.

Painful

[Karl Self · 3/10 · 19 August 2009]

I haven't read the book so I'm not anal about the movie digressing from the original plot. But it's still a horrible movie. If you want to make a schlocky love movie with Nicholas Cage affecting a risible Italian accent like out of some Little Cesar's Pizza commercial, be my guest. But please show some respect and don't base it on a real tragedy, the bloody German-Italian occupation of Greece in the Second World War and the 1943 massacre of 9000 Italian troops by the Germans.

To be fair to the movie, Penelope Cruz does her usual excellent job of playing an attractive girl who painfully holds out against her romantic feelings before eventually giving in to love. The only problem is that I've seen her in this role before. Other than that, the movie is 1950ies-type of inane. The Greeks are proud archetypes (but hey, daddy's still all for emancipation and that), the Italians are jolly opera boffins, and the Germans uptight, evil maniacs. Beautiful, proud Pelagia is betrothed to a resistance fighter but has the hots for a jaunty Italian soldier. You connect the dots. That's really all there is to it.

The sad thing is that the entire plot's long been done before, a million times better, and with infinitely more charme, in the 1991 Italian movie Mediterraneo. If you like the general idea of a romantic comedy about Italians occupying a Greek island, and going native in the process, you've struck gold. Captain Corelli's Mondolin, on the other hand, is trite sh*te.

Expecting the worst...

[dmnkeen · 8/10 · 8 May 2001]

I have to admit that I approached this movie with a sense of expectation and dread. Louis de Berniere's bestselling novel is one of my favourites and anyone who has read it will realise that there is no way in hell that any screen adaptation can be 100% faithful.

All the way through I found myself convincing myself that the movie was unsuccessful, and had stripped the book's plot back so far as to render it redundant. The ending, however, is much better than that in the novel, and I could not stop thinking about the movie afterwards. Still, the plusses (John Toll's magnificent cinematography, Stephen Warbeck's great score, etc) I felt did not outweigh my initial negatives (Cage's miscasting, a heavily diluted script).

But, two days later, I was queuing again to see Corelli, and although not perfect, I have to admit now that the movie is the best anyone could have expected. Cage is actually brilliant in a role that even de Berniere was concerned was not a fully rounded character: his carefree spirit which gives way to shattered remorse is spot on, and complements the superb double act of Penelope Cruz and John Hurt perfectly. David Morrissey is quietly effective as Weber, the Nazi officer trying to reconcile his feelings for his newfound Italian friends and his inbred superiority complex to those around him. And the fine Greco-Italian supporting cast bring de Berniere's sundrenched world of Cepholonia dazzlingly alive.

On leaving the cinema second time around, I finally let go my passion for the novel which prevented me from fully appreciating the story of WW2 Cepholonia in cinematic terms. My hat goes off to John Madden who, despite the almost expected critical drubbing he is receiving from the British critics (any director who has had a major success like Shakespeare in Love behind them is always a target for these moaning ninnies!),has managed to transfer a terrifically difficult book to the big screen with such heart, verve and humanity (the core virtues of the novel, in fact) that he has created another classic love story that will probably only be fully appreciated when the dust has settled a few years from now.

If you are a fan of the book, like me, it's hard, but try not to make the same mistake on your initial viewing. Try to erase the book from your mind for two hours, bathe yourself in the glorious Mediterranean atmosphere, and discover Corelli, Pelagia, Mandras, Dr Iannis, as if for the first time (pretend you're watching something made from an original screenplay), and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

In fact, you'll be eagerly waiting to own your own copy of this delightful movie on video or DVD.

8/10

Underrated film

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 24 March 2013]

While it's not an Oscar-level movie, I think this film is underrated. I agree with those who felt that Nicholas Cage's accent left something to be desired. And I agree that Penelope Cruz's performance was hardly stellar. But there are lots worse films out there.

And this film does have some very good qualities. It's a war movie that's less about war than it is about the every day tragedies that befall the locals who are caught up in war. The cinematography and scenery is excellent, and on location. And it reminds us that even in war, soldiers are still people, and not necessarily very different than ourselves. Although the film has a happy ending, there is a great deal of tragedy in between, so there is a sense of realism here.

Nicholas Cage's performance here is actually quite good, even if the accent isn't...and I say that as no fan of Cage. John Hurt is good as the doctor, Christian Bale very good as the young fiancé, and Gunther Weber is fine as the Nazi soldier with the most contact with the people. It's also good to see Irene Papas as an authentic Greek.

I think this is a pretty decent film. A balance between the horror of war and the joy that can be found in many adverse situations. Recommended, though it may not end up on your DVD shelf.

a shame !

[charlierabbit-13008 · 2/10 · 29 June 2006]

it is a lesson in butchering a book !

in turning a rich book into a soap opera film by removing all the substance of the story ! important characters have been cut , even the marten is not here !worse : the very personality of the main characters has been changed !

the casting is ridiculous ! with maybe the exception of john hurt and morrissey ( although his role is badly written) Nicholas Cage is totally ridiculous , too old for the part , too " American" and penelope cruz just cant act ! the directing is poor , even the costumes are wrong !

all the people who participated in this " thing" should be ashamed of themselves ! I have never been so furious in my life ! no need to say how much I have loved the book which i discovered last year only - it was not a big hit in France . So as a previous message puts it : read the book !!!

Sketchy, Melodramatic and Clichéd

[Chrysanthepop · 29 January 2009]

The main problem with 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' is that it focuses primarily on the romance between Corelli and Pelagia and that too is half-baked. What is it that draws Pelagia towards him is too unclear. Is it just his musical talent or his zest? The film is set against the backdrop of a war between the Germans and Italians in a Greek island but the war is given less significance and what we see appears very sketchy. The entire film appears too sketchy, melodramatic and clichéd. Much of it is also historically inaccurate.

On the technical front it is well executed. The cinematography of the beautiful exotic locations is breathtaking. The score is terrific. Where acting is concerned, Penelope Cruz can't seem to lose her Spanish accent (she's playing a Greek character) but her performance is otherwise wonderful. John Hurt and Christian Bale are equally marvelous. Nicolas Cage is a miscast. His Italian accent, energetic personality, overdone non-verbal gestures all yield to a caricature rather than a character.

Perhaps director John Madden was pressured to fit the entire novel into a two hour period and he chose to focus on the romance more to draw a larger crowd. I can't shake the feeling that perhaps someone like Anthony Mingella would have made a better and more complete film of it.

Not as good as the novel but it has some very good parts of the novel and a bit more

[sundance14 · 7/10 · 20 August 2001]

Since I read the novel and had a complete mental picture of the story already, it was hard to be fully unbiased at someone else's version of the "picture". Director John Madden gave it a good go but don't expect this to be the book.

There should be a Best Supporting for John Hurt as Dr. Iannis. Of all the characters he stands alone in performance. Nicolas Cage is better than he usually is as the title role, even though his accent is a bit trite. Ms. Cruz is perfectly cast as Pelagia and she could have been ....well she is not the same as in the book...enough said ok?

Now the scoop is the loyal side kick of Cage. I don't even know his name but he looks like a young Marlon Brando. My wife pointed the fact out to me and...well he needed more lines and ...naw not possible...got a male star and....everyone knows the drill. In a summer of crummy nothings this movie, while flawed to be sure, is very nice. Go see it.

Worth a watch

[bidi-27189 · 6/10 · 13 October 2021]

After reading the book thought I would give the film a watch. As with any book adaptation the story is slightly changed and big chunks are missing, are they key parts yes. The film doesn't flow as well and you find yourself not very interested in some of the key players in the book. But I never wanted to stop the film which I think is key, it has something about it which keeps you glued. Perhaps the back drop.

This was horrendous spoilers

[truth382 · 1/10 · 2 June 2003]

How in the world does this get 6 outta 10? My goodness. Cage's italian accent is miserable, the love story is contrived, the war is ridiculously glossed over. This was one of those movies that was so bad, that I kept watching out of shock (just to see how low it could go). Then I found out..... Cage survives more than 40 MACHINE GUN ROUNDS from an German MG-38?????!???. I don't care if someone shielded him, bullets go through people, especially machine gun bullets. I mean, we can only be expected to believe so much! Just plain bad... certainly one of the worst war movies I've ever seen.

Great Movie! Romance, War, Passion, and Wonderful Scenery

[francescoscinico · 7/10 · 4 October 2001]

I enjoyed this movie so much that I saw it twice. It's kind of slow in the beginning, but I never thought for a second this was a defect; on the contrary, its slowness contributes to recreate the tranquil atmosphere of the stupendous Greek island of Cephallonia as it was in the forties. The photography of the island was so beautiful that I was almost able to smell the olive oil and the leaves on the trees.

The main characters were noble, heroic, and honest. The second time I saw the movie, I appreciated even more the figure of the Greek Mandras. His very last scene with Pelagia is a perfect image of how a man can accept a hurting future with incredible dignity and honor. I really admired the guy. I liked Corelli and the soldiers of the Opera House because their jovial character reminded me of many of my friends in Italy, gathered in huge parties driving around at night and singing while waiting for the bakery to open at four in the morning in order to get a croissant. I liked the beautiful, strong, and intelligent Pelagia and her wise and loving father Iannis. I loved the entire atmosphere of the island, which reminded me of my father's small village in Southern Italy. These Mediterranean places have one exceptional thing in common: time seems to run slower over there, letting you fully appreciate the beauty and the serenity of the community and the scenery.

There is something weird about all the accents that somehow declasses the movie a little, and makes it look less sumptuous than it is. I understand that some people may feel a little puzzled by this cornucopia of Italian, Greek, German, and Spanish (Penelope Cruz) accents, even though this aspect did not bother me at all.

Anyways, the main reasons that made me like the movie were the growing appreciation of the Greeks and the Italians for each other's cultures, the ability of the characters to elevate human dignity and pure sentiments over the brutality of war, and last but not least the contrast between the Latin culture of the Greeks and the Italians on one hand and the Teutonic culture of the Germans on the other. Finally, this movie made me think a lot about the very meaning of war and about the fact that you can call somebody enemy only until you actually get to know that person. That is the moment when he or she stops being an impersonal shadow and becomes part of your world, and sometimes - like in this movie – he or she can even become `your world.'

Inspiring.

this just sucked!

[iwishiwereabondgirl · 1/10 · 7 February 2004]

I love Nicholas Cage. I mean it. I love him. But that even couldn't make this movie right for me. I read the book maybe that was the problem. But it was a major waste of time. Completely prosaic. American made and obvious. And I am actually an american (just happen to live in australia). I wish Penelope would just go away. She was a good actress in Blow. But was she acting. I gave this movie a one.

I enjoyed this movie, it was worth the money that I payed to get in.

[lkb125 · 6/10 · 28 August 2001]

The critics salmmed it but I don't think they were on target it was a sweet movie and I enjoyed it. I haven't read the book which everyone said was great so I wasen't dissapointed by the movie. Pretty scenery, pretty people nice story.

Great Island - Terrible Movie

[andrejazecevic · 3/10 · 13 August 2012]

I have just returned from Kefalonia. That's the only reason for marking this movie with "3". I like the Island...

I simply have no idea what's wrong with John Madden. On the paper, the guy seems to know what he's doing. Seems to be able to differ good from bad (if we take that there is no right and wrong). But after letting myself finish this movie (since I seem to be a masochist when it comes to finishing everything I am watching) I have got the impression that this fellow had been directing this in a complete emotional chaos because I can not believe that his fellow citizen Louis de Bernières had anything close to this idea. Love story?! Goddammit no! Let's start with the casting. Nicolas Cage?! Let's see, his character is a profligate Italian occupier fighting along with the Nazis under Mussolini and seducing a wive of an honest Greek patriot who goes to war to prevent his home Island being occupied...On the scale of charm from 1 to 10, that actor must have been something like 15 to even having any chance to make his character acceptably nice so one could even finish watching the movie! There were only two movies in the entire career of Nicolas Cage when he reached above 5 on such scale and where he has been able to transfer some kind of emotion through his character: Leaving Las Vegas and Face Off. However, considering that something above 5 is way below required 15, I have a feeling like I have been raped after watching this movie to the end.

OK, I understand. The history of art deals with probably the greatest anguish of mankind - the unpredictable ways of love. But after she (Pelagia - Penelope) was able to deceive and leave her handsome, honest, simple-minded patriot Mandras played by Bale (probably the only one partially rising to the occasion along with Penelope here) for the (above described) Cage, I believe the only honest feeling one could actually gain would be to support the angry Kefalonian inhabitants by marking her with βρώμικο πουτάνα - sporca puttana (for the ones still liking the Italian lover :) No really, even John Waters' Pink Flamingos love does not seem so repulsive anymore.

OK, I could be moving on with this, but I believe I have made my point clear enough.

Ambitious project falls slightly short

[FlickJunkie-2 · 8/10 · 10 March 2002]

As is often the case when you attempt to take a 400 plus page book and cram it into a two hour film, a lot is lost. Here director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) takes on an extremely ambitious project and almost pulls it off. What we get is a charming and emotionally compelling film that seems somehow incomplete.

There is much about this film that is wonderful and fantastic. The cinematography by John Toll (Cinematographer for Braveheart and Legends of the Fall, winning Oscars for both) is splendid. Working with Madden, the choices for locations on the Greek island of Kefallonia are superb and the visual images that come from photographing these majestic locations in varying light are lush and beautiful. Madden also uses numerous Greek actors as the townspeople, giving the town an authentic feel. The soundtrack is also terrific and the mandolin passages and vocals by the Italian soldiers are marvelous.

Madden does an excellent job of bringing us the Italian occupation and the romance, which take up the greater part of the film. There are numerous sweet and funny moments throughout this segment. However, by the time the serious battle drama is ready to unfold, there isn't much film left in the reel and this component is extremely rushed and abbreviated. While the battle scenes are well done, subsequent to the battle it is obvious that increasingly greater compromises are being made to keep the film from running too long. By the time we reach the post war scenes, the treatment is merely skeletal. Another negative is that the DVD is particularly sparse on features.

Nicholas Cage is charming in the romantic lead as the sentimental Captain who seems to have joined the army to sing rather than fight. When fight he must, Cage switches gears seamlessly into a man of fierce principle and resolve and somehow remains believable in both personas.

Penelope Cruz, whom the camera loves, gives an uninspired performance as Pelagia. In part this is because Cage so dominates the screen, but Cruz just seems too placid in a part that should be emotionally torrential and dynamic. She allows the character to be objectified as Corelli's love interest rather than establishing her as a powerful character in her own right.

John Hurt gives a fantastic performance as the wise old doctor, who knows as much about human nature as medicine. However, Christian Bale seems a bit overwrought and stiff as Pelagia's fiancé.

I rated this film an 8/10. Despite some drawbacks, this is a touching film that is well worth seeing. The photography alone is worth the price of admission.

Comments of Victor-65 generally right, but too critical of film

[amhealy · 7/10 · 22 September 2006]

Generally, I agree with the comments by Victor-65. But it's always hard to compress a pretty long book into a 2-hour movie. I think the producers have dealt with the essentials reasonably well. The acting of the principals, especially the reliable John Hurt as the village doctor, is excellent. And the atmosphere of a small Greek village of that era is re-created well. The Penelope Cruz character falls for the Italian while her Greek fiancé is away fighting with the partisans, not while he's still around. I stayed in Sami, on Kefallonia, where much of the film was shot, less than a year later, and it's a community still to some degree traumatized by what went on there during the war. They had many stills from the film on a big board on the waterfront, a sign of their approval and recognition of its general accuracy.

Busted strings

[Critical Eye UK · 1/10 · 19 July 2003]

SPOILERS AHEAD: Others here have wondered how this rates an IMDb 6/10. They're not alone, though my math runs slightly different: 8/10 for the first 30 minutes, zilch for the rest. Because it's as if there are two movies here: a lyrical small-budget essay about the impact of reluctant victors on reluctant losers. And a war movie so addled of execution you not only wonder where the hell the mandolin went, but where the plot disappeared to as well. It's as if director John Madden suddenly grows tired of the picturesque and picaresque and goes home, leaving everyone to stumble around in a morass of exploding cliches. Exposition? There ain't any. Bad enough that Cruz's capitulation to Cage is so unreal; worse, though, that the Italians sign up without demur or debate to the partisan side and battle it out with their former German allies for. . . What? No idea: if the island's some kind of strategic outpost, the script certainly seems unaware of it. Lazy film making doesn't get any lazier than this. What's especially sad about all this is that the original novel was based on fact, and wrought with such a delicate hand that it deservedly met with world-wide praise. Here, however, history is tarnished rather than garnished, and truth made to look like just another celluloid improbability. The nadir comes with the post-war 'earthquake', when you think 'aw for God's sake, do we REALLY need this rubbish on top of everything else?' Only later do you realise that the earthquake did happen, and that it's the movie's narrative incompetence that makes fact look like fiction. Of the cast, only Cruz and Hurt are worth mentioning: Cruz, because she is a consistent, consummate actress, and Hurt because he gives the impression that there's still some dramatic meat left on the plate even when the script ultimately deprives him of anything to gnaw on. As a result, Hurt's concluding monologue -- which wraps up the entire movie -- at least sounds slightly less trite than as written, so that you're not completely flattened by the stupefying banality it all. Even so, the performances of Cruz and Hurt still fail to mask the central problem that, at the end of the day, 'Captain Correlli's Mandolin' isn't actually about Corelli, or his mandolin, or indeed. . . anything at all. Hopeless. 2/10.