Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)

When a fisherman leaves to fight with the Greek army during World War II, his fiancée falls in love with the local Italian commander.

Director:

John Madden

Writers:

Shawn Slovo (screenplay), Louis de Bernières (novel)

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Penélope Cruz, John Hurt

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Penélope Cruz	...	Pelagia
John Hurt	...	Dr. Iannis
Christian Bale	...	Mandras
Irene Papas	...	Drosoula
Gerasimos Skiadaressis	...	Mr. Stamatis
Aspasia Kralli	...	Mrs. Stamatis
Mihalis Giannatos	...	Kokolios
Dimitris Kaberidis	...	Father Aresenios (as Dimitris Kamperidis)
Pietro Sarubbi	...	Velisarios, The Strongman (as Pedro Sarubbi)
Viki Maragaki	...	Eleni, Pelagia's Friend
Joanna-Daria Adraktas	...	Young Lemoni
Ira Tavlaridis	...	Older Lemoni
Katerina Didaskalou	...	Lemoni's Mother
Emilios Chilakis	...	Dimitris
Nikos Karathanos	...	Spiros

Storyline

In 1941, Italy allies with Germany and ruthlessly conquers the much weaker country of Greece. On a remote Greek island, an Italian artillery garrison is established to maintain order. One Italian officer, Captain Corelli, adopts an attitude of mutual co-existence with the Greeks and engages in such activities as music festivals and courting the daughter of a local doctor. In 1943, however, after Italy surrenders to the Allies and changes sides in the war, Captain Corelli must defend the Greek island against a German invasion.

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Plot Keywords:

greek | italian | captain | island | love | 

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence, sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Bac Films [France] (French) Buena Vista Int. (UK) (Flash only)

Country:

UK France USA

Language:

English Greek German Italian

Release Date:

17 August 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

La mandolina del capitán Corelli

Filming Locations:

Chorgota Beach, Komitata Village, Kefallonia Island, Greece

Box Office

Budget:

$57,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,722,799 (United Kingdom), 6 May 2001, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,209,345, 19 August 2001, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$25,543,895

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$62,112,895

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Miramax

Technical Specs

Runtime:

131 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was originally to be directed by Roger Michell, but he had to drop the assignment after suffering a heart attack.

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Goofs

The movie implies that the earthquake that devastated Cephallonia after World War II occurred in 1947. It was actually in 1953. At the end of the credits, the movie is dedicated to the memory of those who died in the post-war earthquake of 1953. The DVD commentary also mentions the correct date.

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Quotes

Corelli: I have always found something in life worth singing about and for that I cannot apologize.

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Connections

Referenced in Spaghetti Requiem (2001)

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Soundtracks

Anvil Chorus
(uncredited)
from "Il Trovatore"
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi

User Reviews

Ambitious project falls slightly short

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.