Don Quixote (2000)

Director:

Peter Yates

Writers:

Miguel de Cervantes y Saavedra (novel), John Mortimer (teleplay)

Stars:

John Lithgow, Bob Hoskins, Isabella Rossellini

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Lithgow	...	Don Quixote de La Mancha / Alonso Quixano
Bob Hoskins	...	Sancho Panza
Isabella Rossellini	...	The Duchess
Vanessa Williams	...	Dulcinea / Aldonza
Lambert Wilson	...	Duke
Amelia Warner	...	Antonia
Tony Haygarth	...	Barber
Peter Eyre	...	Priest
Lilo Baur	...	Teresa Panza (Sancho's wife)
James Purefoy	...	Sansón Carrasco
Trevor Peacock	...	Innkeeper
Linda Bassett	...	Housekeeper
Barry Stanton	...	Chaplain - at the Duke's Feast
Alun Raglan	...	Rodriguez
Michael Feast	...	Doctor

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

don quixote | foreign language adaptation | gentleman | satire | wine spatter | 

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Taglines:

The classic tale of a man's dream, his epic journey, and one true love.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

TNT

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 April 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Don Quijote

Filming Locations:

Andalucía, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hallmark Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min 131 min (3 parts)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As of 2007, this has been made available on DVD in Europe (subtitled and/or dubbed into a foreign language), but never in the United States.

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Goofs

[possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers, who reportedly wanted to make the locale and costumes more colorful] The actual La Mancha is a more arid, monotonous region than the countryside shown in the film. Although it was shot in Spain, Andalusia stood in for La Mancha.

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Quotes

Don Quixote: [to Sancho] There is a world outside La Mancha. There is a great elsewhere, my neighbor. And there we may both find fame and fortune.

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Connections

Referenced in Miguel and William (2007)

User Reviews

Entertaining yet somewhat superficial

John Lithgow was brilliant most of the time although occasionally reverting to the typecast zany character he has so often played. The Don Quixote he portrays is, however, mostly spot on and that is refreshing if not unusual for a well established and well known novel character entering the screen. Bob Hoskins and Isabella Rossellini, on the other hand, disappointed. Bob Hoskins for humoring his master rather than simplemindedly conforming to the new world order, something which he did almost instantaneously by the end. Isabella Rossellini simply performed poorly thus disappointing simply for not living up to what could be expected.

The effects were generally poor. Not that they need to be extravagant and cutting edge but because they were either poorly made or simply failed to convey any real meaning. In fact, corny.

All in all an enjoyable Don Quixote in believable settings which, of course, Spain would have to be. Fairly true to the book. A lot is missing but that which is there is pretty precise and kudos for that. What astonished me the most was John Lithgow's likeness to the Wilhelm Marstrand (1810-1873: http://www.cwquijote.com/Mundo_Quijote/Pintura/Paginas%202/Pintura_Marstrand.html) highly praised illustrations of my copy of the book. Illustrations I have always found quite amusing.

• Thomas Nielsen