Captain Corelli's Mandolin (Widescreen)

 

 

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Break the mandolin now! Nicolas Cage can't play an instrument, no! I was expecting to see a stuntman's hands while playing the mandolin, but Cage does it himself. Unfortunately for the audience, he tries to woo Penelope Cruz's heart with atrocious tunes and dire melodies. Christian Bale the same man who played the "American Psycho" has an Italian accent? I can't tell, everybody's misplaced in this bread crumb of a movie. Not enough war scenes, I was distraught. Oblivious muddle.

This film belongs next to "Casablanca", "Gone with the Wind", "The English Patient" and a few other films which depict war and the struggle for human survival along with some tension between a man and woman that eventually leads to a passionate love affair. In most great films which include romance, the question arises if it can stand the test of time and become the one which will be forever remembered as the greatest love affair in their lives. When looking back from the future, will it be viewed as the greatest one despite the difficulties? Nicholas Cage plays the leading man, Captain Corelli and Penelope Cruz is portrayed as Pellagia, his love interest. Each is superbly cast. Each brings a realistic style and emotional depth to their respective roles. Each interprets the developing relationship and events with honesty and total openness ...

What makes this film particularly unique is the setting of Cephalonia. It is a picture perfect, beautiful lush green island, home to a hearty group of Greeks who had faced many enemies over the centuries and survived, defending their mountain homes ... Another outstanding feature to this film is how it includes both the Italians and Germans who place a foothold on the island, as they prepare to fight the Allies. The Italian troop arrives first, a robust, hearty handsome group of young men, who are classically trained singers and musicians. They often engage in music during their off-time. Some of the officers are housed with the locals which is how Captain Corelli first met Pellagia, the daughter of the local doctor ... By living in the doctor's house, the relationship is mutually beneficial since the doctor can get much needed medical supplies. Capt. Corelli first saw Pellagia in the crowd during their arrival to the island, she watched from the roadside crowd. Pellagia stood out and caught his attention with her independence and beauty ...

Prior to the Italians arriving, Pellagia had just become engaged to Mandros, her Greek boyfriend, who was semi-illiterate and a farmer. He volunteered to fight the Germans in northern Greece, he wanted to face the enemy and defend his homeland. Pellagia had no replies to her nearly one hundred letters written to him in which she poured out her love and devotion. He survived but was a changed man, he now had a purpose, to create an underground organization which worked with the Allies. Mandros suspected Captain Corelli had feelings for his fiance; also, Mandros noticed Pellagia was uncertain how to express her conflicting feelings, she was wrestling with deeply hidden thoughts ...

The Germans arrived on Cephalonia and a new type of order and discipline was instituted. However, occasionally social gatherings with the locals was allowed where the populace mixed with their occupiers. At such a festivity, Pellagia danced an astonishing tango with an Italian friend of Corelli's, creating a sensation on the dance floor. It captured everyone's attention except it seems the one whose affections she was trying to reach: Capt. Corelli. Captain Corelli had been assigned to live in their home and when he noticed how uncomfortable it made Pellagia, he volunteered to leave. They had several heated exchanges ... Her father recognized a budding love affair, and encouraged Capt. Corelli to pursue his daughter ... When Captain Corelli played his mandolin and expressed his heartfelt emotions through his instrument, he won Pellagia's heart.

Unfortunately, the tides of war had turned, the Italians had surrendered to the Allies and the German occupiers had a major problem on their hands. They received orders to massacre the Italians, although they let them pack and led them to believe they were returning to their homes ... Through an unusual set of circumstances, Capt. Corelli was allowed to live, although he is nearly at death's door. He is nursed back to health by the Greek doctor, while the island rebuilds itself and attempts to return to normalcy after the war is declared over. Capt. Corelli is provided safe passage back to Italy ... Pellagia pursues her studies and becomes a local doctor on the island. Until ... she receives a mysterious package from Italy, which contains a recording of mandolin music, the melody of one which she knows and recognizes. To the satisfaction of most viewers, several years after the war, Capt. Corelli does indeed return to Cephalonia and meets again with Pellagia ... Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

I can't stand either Nicolas Cage or Penelope Cruz so I was prepared to hate it. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated but it wasn't great either. Nicolas Cage is a terrible actor and his fake Italian accent was getting on my nerves in a major way. All the Italians in the movie joke around and sing-that all they do. I also couldn't see how they(N and P) fell in love. One day they just were. Yeah, right. I have to add one more thing and its about Penelope's looks. I think with right clothes and makeup she can look decent but in this movie she looks downright horrid. Her hair is done in the most unflattering hairdo on the planet and her clothes look as if she robbed the scarecrow. Whether the look was intentional or accidental is a mystery. The ending was incredibly stupid. He leaves Penelope until the war is over and then doesn't come back until two years later because he feels guilty about coming between her and her fiancé. Give me a break

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3.0 out of 5 stars Pizza and Chianti for this slow-mo tearjerker
A confession: I did not read the book. From what I can gather from reviewers, those who did read "Corelli" were sadly disappointed by Hollywood's hatchet job... Read more

Published on Jun 11 2004 by M. Veiluva

4.0 out of 5 stars Good movie ... if you have not read the book
If this movie had been an original screenplay, I would think it brilliant, lovely, and wonderful. However, I read the book first (which I absolutely adored) so the story was set... Read more

Published on Mar 19 2004 by E. L. Weinhold

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't Plan to watch this on your computer...
Unless you download their anti-theft software. This software also gets info from your computer (spy bots) and sends it to heaven knows where. Read more

Published on Feb 24 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth seeing
This movie has everything - romance, action, well-developed characters, human interest and some wonderful locations. Read more

Published on Jan 2 2004 by Ultimate Reviewer

1.0 out of 5 stars READ THE BOOK!
After seeing this movie I was COMPLETELY upset at how thoroughly the directer managed to ruin a beautiful story. Read more

Published on Oct 31 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie. Great Scenaries.
This is a very heart warming movie. Nicolas Cage's accent sounds funny though. Penela Cruz is fantastic in this movie. Read more

Published on Sep 9 2003 by Blue Monkey

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst movie I have ever seen
This was by far one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Nicholas Cage usually does a great job, but his attempt at an Italian accent in this movie is just horrific. Read more

Published on July 14 2003

2.0 out of 5 stars Like Watching Paint Dry
Although I'm generally unimpressed by Nicolas Cage in any movie he's featured in, I always take the time to give any movie that's based in Europe a shot, in the hope that I might... Read more

Published on May 22 2003 by Greekfreak

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a guy-friendly chick flick
Topless girls on a European Beach, Fighting war scenes, hey I was actually able to tell my date what happened.

Published on May 17 2003 by John D. Hernandez Jr.

3.0 out of 5 stars A war movie without war
After Nicolas Cage made 'Gone In 60 Seconds' and 'The Family Man', you'd expect his next movie to be not quite as good. Read more

Published on Feb 20 2003 by wellwellwell

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