Captain Corelli's Mandolin (Widescreen)

I loved this movie even though it is a few years old. Great pictures and a nice romance with a bit of reality

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