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 5 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:

writer | greece | sirtaki | riding a donkey | song and dance | 

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Taglines:

Life. Lust. Love. Zorba.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original Broadway production of "Zorba" opened at the Imperial Theater in New York City on November 16, 1968, starring Herschel Bernardi and Maria Karnilova. It ran for three hundred five performances and was nominated for the 1969 Tony Award for the Best Musical. Anthony Quinn and Lila Kedrova, who starred together in this movie, appeared in the revival of Zorba in 1982 and 1983. Lila Kedrova won the 1984 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

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Goofs

Near the end of the movie, when the log is coming down the hill it is seen as fairly round and the bark is rough and peeling, like a natural log. But when the log gets to the end of the cable, it appears to be a fake log with no bark and a visible framework that makes it look multi-sided rather than round.

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Quotes

Basil: [after Zorba has departed on horseback for a business trip] Don't be sad. He's coming back.
Madame Hortense: They all say that.

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Connections

Referenced in The Muppet Show: Liberace (1978)

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Soundtracks

Riri Ririka
from the operetta "Our Ririka" (1929) (uncredited)
Written by Stathis Mastoras
Performed by Madame Hortense (Lila Kedrova)

User Reviews

Wonderful

When I first saw Zorba the Greek 4 years ago, I inwardly thanked my philosophy teacher for having us watch this masterpiece. Today, I am still greatful to him. This movie is definetely one of my all time favorite. The whole cast is great, the story is really close from the book (except for some details that an author can write in a book, but a director can't put easily in a film), images are wonderful, Crete is.perfect. If you have never seen this movie, I recommend it to you.

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)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

142 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1