Zorba the Greek (1964)

An uptight English writer travelling to Crete, on a matter of business, finds his life changed forever when he meets the gregarious Alexis Zorba.

Director:

Michael Cacoyannis

Writers:

Nikos Kazantzakis (from the novel "The Life and Times of Alexis Zorba"), Michael Cacoyannis (screenplay)

Stars:

Anthony Quinn, Alan Bates, Irene Papas

Won 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Anthony Quinn	...	Alexis Zorba
Alan Bates	...	Basil
Irene Papas	...	Widow
Lila Kedrova	...	Madame Hortense
Giorgos Foundas	...	Mavrandoni (as George Foundas)
Sotiris Moustakas	...	Mimithos
Anna Kyriakou	...	Soul
Eleni Anousaki	...	Lola
Yorgo Voyagis	...	Pavlo (as George Voyadjis)
Takis Emmanuel	...	Manolakas

Storyline

An aimless English writer finds he has a small inheritance on a Greek island. His joyless existence is disturbed when he meets Zorba, a middle aged Greek with a real lust for life. As he discovers the earthy pleasures of Greece, the Englishman finds his view on life changing.

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Plot Keywords:

crete | writer | greek | greece | sirtaki | 

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Taglines:

Life. Lust. Love. Zorba.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Greece USA

Language:

English Greek

Release Date:

14 December 1964 (Greece)

Also Known As:

Zorba the Greek

Filming Locations:

Chania, Crete, Greece

Box Office

Budget:

$783,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$9,000,000, 31 December 1964

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$23,500,000, 31 December 1964

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

142 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The cast includes two Oscar winners: Anthony Quinn and Lila Kedrova; and one Oscar nominee: Sir Alan Bates.

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Goofs

At the beginning Basil picks up three books and puts them under his right arm. He walks around a small group of people, and in the next shot they are under his left arm.

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Quotes

Basil: I... couldn't help.

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Connections

Referenced in The Chipmunk Adventure (1987)

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Soundtracks

Zorbas (aka Zorba's Dance)
Written by Mikis Theodorakis

User Reviews

We all need some life in our lives.

I can't decide which was Anthony Quinn's best performance ever: "La strada" or "Zorba the Greek". In the latter, he plays Alexis Zorba, a fun-loving Cretan* who befriends bored Englishman Basil (Alan Bates), who has come to Crete to inherit a mine. As the movie progresses, we see Zorba's penchant for living life to its fullest. By the end, you'll probably wish that you could be in the movie dancing with him.

"Zorba the Greek" is quite literally a flawless movie. Virtually anything that you've ever wished that you could do but never had the chance, you can bet money that Zorba does. As he reminds Basil in one scene, "You will live a thousand years." *Yes, a person from Crete is called a Cretan.