The Book (spoilers if you havent read it)

Not only is the movie little more than a tattered fragment of a wonderful novel, it's just a plain bad movie on its own merits. Nicolas Cage is a one-note actor who should stick to movies like "The Rock" and "Con Air". However, I can't blame the lameness of the movie on him; the script and direction are so bad that Olivier couldn't have rescued this disaster.

The novel is so rich and complex that the only way to begin to adapt it would be to make a TV miniseries out of it. Even so you can't transfer the richness of the language to the screen.

I have already seen the movie two or three times, - love it then and even now, treasure my DVD copy of it - before I read de Bernieres book. After reading the book, I watched the DVD again and found the movie even more enjoyable. I don't know, it may just be that I'm another one in the minority, given that we have different individual taste and different emotional reactions to a movie, that I appreciated the fact that the movie concentrated the story to the four main characters of the book, Pelagia, Dr. Iannis, Mandras and Captain Corelli. I've learned years ago that a movie adaptation from a book does not always make an effort to be as accurate as the one written by the author. A movie has certain limitations that it has to conform with, one being the time constraint. And that it has to be given artistic liberties to make changes as it sees fit.

I've said this before in some threads on this board and I'll say it again: This movie is a neat and compact story of a love triangle, credibly and creditably performed by the actors, overlayed by the angst of a global conflict and a civil war on the island itself. Penelope Cruz (Pelagia) with her sharp, distinctive facial features blending in nicely with the Greek pastoral setting. John Hurt as Dr. Iannis, giving an outstandingly authoritative performance. Nicholas Cage, as the fun, music-loving man incongruously finding himself in the military service, yet mature and responsible. Impressive Christian Bale as the uncouth youth, illiterate then metamorphosing into the literate fanatical communist doctrinaire. Then the supreme star of the movie, the sublimely magnificent mountains, land and seascape cinematography of the island of Cephalonia.

I can understand why there are those who strongly dislike, even hated, this movie. I agree that the book is great - brilliant over-all. Some parts of the story are wonderfully witty and satirical. Some parts are lingeringly haunting in its poignancy. It has such vividly apt description of the ambiance of the Greek island and its inhabitants. But there are parts that are just too harrowing to read; I had to put the book down from time to time to breathe in some fresh air. One example are those parts describing the seemingly endless hardships experienced by Carlo and Francesco together during the war campaigns against the enemies, made even more harder by Carlo's suppression of his homosexual feelings towards the latter, the former consoled only at the very last by the loving words of the dying buddy. Carlo's own lonely existence afterwards and finding another one to love, again in secret - in the person of Captain Corelli, then sacrificing himself to protect the beloved. There was also Mandras who found out in the end that all the communist pedantry he has learned are not the one that would give him the sense of security and recognition he craved for so earnestly and found permanent peace only in the company of his dear old friends, the dolphins - in the sea. The book has plenty of sub-plots and a number of other characters who had equally colorful lives. I even recall that tall, blond English spy who was mistaken for a god of some kind by the goat shepherd up in the mountains, who went about with Father Arsenios and evaded being noticed by foes for what he truly is during the terrible times in the island, only to be shot and dismissed so nonchalantly after the war. I don't know how all these could be accomodated in a 2-hour movie, more or less. I just don't think giving a hint about them in one or two scenes will do them honor and to the author himself. I do agree with one of the poster above that a TV series will better for the entire book.

Doing a movie of a love story between two young persons with intellectual incompatibilities, and who were drawn only towards one another by libidinous impulse of youth is complicated enough, as it is, then weaving it in time of war, international and during a civil war complicates it further. Then another love story between two persons of different nationality and cultural backgrounds gives it another twist, although this time driven more by a kinship of intellect, emotions, spirit and yes, by tempered sexuality. It is intricate enough and to add anymore subplots and lead characters will just be extraneous to the film.

I like the movie as is. I admire how the director cleverly resolved the conflicts. Not in any way stereotypical Hollywood. Captain Corelli and Pelagia meeting again - two persons who has individually gone through so much in their past and has moved forward in their lives - when there are already a few grey strands in their hair. The meeting was a quietly teary, nonetheless emotional scene, tender serenely beautiful moment; none of the hysterical running-to-meet-each-other-out-in-the-open-field and no overly dramatic outpouring of emotions.

And I admire Mandras open-ended exit after his scene with Pelagia - the lonely, rejected fiancee quietly, mysteriously, vanishing into the darkness of the night. It's not as unforgettably haunting as his dying scene in the book, but it is just as memorable ... to me, at least.



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Truth has an inscrutable,inexorable way of seeking out and revealing Itself into the Light.

To the poster that said they didn't show Carlo's love enough, If you had listened to the movie you would have noticed that he says "I know how you feel..." and then he says something like if something would happen to him your whole world would stop.

They could have showed his love a little more, but I thik the way he was so protective of Corelli and that line whould have shown that he obviously felt something for him. I mean why would he have said it?



Stars, they're like little holes in the floor of heaven