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15 of 17 found the following review helpful:
 A Quiet RomanceMay 07, 2005
By Bobby Underwood
"starlighthotel"
Those who could not see the beauty in this wonderful film were only using their eyes, and not their heart. Captain Corelli's Mandolin is a visually gorgeous and emotionally rich story of the beautiful Greek island of Cephallonia and its people during WWII. It is a slowly developing story of love and tradition amidst the awkwardness of war. We get a hint from the very beginning what this film is about as we hear the voice-over of the island's doctor, John Hurt: "Ask not why we are wounded, but if the wound can be healed."
Hurt gives a wonderful performance as the island's doctor and the wise father of Pelagia (Penelope Cruz), who he is training to be a doctor as well. Cruz's fawn-like beauty only serve to enhance a fine and subtle performance of inner emotional turmoil. Pelagia is engaged to Mandras (Christian Bale) and their betrothal scene is one of the many traditions Madden lets us see as he slowly gives us a feel for the people of Cephallonia and their storied history.
But war looms on the horizon and though the Greeks initially beat back the Italians in Albania they are overtaken when German reinforcements arrive. War finally comes to the island in the form of life-loving and peaceful Captain Antonio Corelli. Corelli and his men are Italians by birth and soldiers only by necessity. He and his troop sing opera and share a lust for life. When he comes to stay in Pelagia's home in exchange for medical supplies to her father, love begins to unfold in a very quiet and careful manner.
Her betrothal to Mandras and the unwanted occupation of the Italians are stumbling blocks to their romance, however. Small and subtle moments like Pelagia's sitting back down to listen to Corelli play the mandolin, and her picking up a picture in his room and smiling tell us what is developing. After love fully blooms, forming a triangle, Hurt has a touching moment with his daughter, trying to explain to her what love really is. At the same time, the wise doctor has come to see in Corelli something he does not in Mandras, and relates the story of his courtship with Pelagia's mother. He was forced to leave the island in order to keep from being killed by her fiance.
Things become more complicated when the Italians surrender to the allies and the Germans are on their way to the island. Corelli comes to learn that the Germans will treat he and his men just as the enemy and must make a decision that will change all their lives. A promise made to Pelagia by one of Corelli's men saves him, but in order to save Pelagia he must leave Cephallonia in a scene that is quiet and moving, like the entire film.
When things return to normal on the island after the war, Pelagia becomes a doctor. But her wise father can see her pain and writes a letter to Corelli, in hopes that it will find him. Once again those words echo in our hearts: "Ask not why we are wounded, but if the wound can be healed."
This is a quiet and beautiful film, very much with an old Hollywood type feel to it. Though visually beautiful, this is food for the heart and not just the eyes. Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz are marvelous, as are John Hurt and all the other inhabitants of this magical place in time. We are so involved in this story that by the time Cage enters the picture we hardly notice his in and out Italian accent.
This is a film to lose yourself in and one that you will never forget if you view it not only with your eyes, but your heart as well. Only then will you see its true beauty.
14 of 16 found the following review helpful:
 READ THE BOOK!Oct 31, 2003
After seeing this movie I was COMPLETELY upset at how thoroughly the directer managed to ruin a beautiful story. This movie does not come remotely close to doing justice to the book itself. This story is so "Hollywood-ized" they add sex where it is completely unnecessary, romanticize a story about life, war, and TRUE LOVE, and the screenwriters completely change the story line around! I was most offended when one of the most noble characters of the book, Carlo Guercio, was competely downplayed to the point where I had no emotion towards the movie character at all. The book, Corelli's Mandolin, is a beautifully written story that made me laugh and cry all at the same time. I felt smarter just reading it because De Bernieres uses a plethora of vocabulary words that rarely appear in everyday conversation. The story is about life itself, and it is full of lessons that a person can apply to make themself a better person. DONT SEE THIS MOVIE!!!! READ THE BOOK! I guarantee, it is completely worth the time.
9 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Dazzling....Apr 22, 2002
By Sam Ahmed
I will not write a review about this movie from an expert critique's stand point. Nor will I give you a summary of the plot as others have done.
I will simply tell you this: this movie touched me deeply on an emotional level.
Nicolas Cage plays an uncanny role as the compassionate and music loving captain of a small group of Italian soldiers on the Greek island. He falls in love with the beautiful Pelagia (superbly acted by Penelope Cruz) who is torn between her hidden desire for the Captain and her loyalty to her finance Mandras (Christian Bale)who ignores her to take partake in the Greek resistance.Well thats a very brief summary there...(sorry I've contradictd myself) But the rest of the movie is pure beauty and emotion.
The scenes on the actually island are breathtaking, the music by Stephen Warbick (Shakespeare in Love) simply fabulous and heartbreaking,and the acting by Cruz,Cage was perfect despite Cage's somewhat not so perfect accent. I also have to add great support by Christian bale and especially John Hurt who I thought should ve been nominated for an oscar for supporting role. I think this movie can be summed up by one tiny scene where the Italian and German soldiers along with the local Greeks are at terrace in the evening drinking and debating on war and justifying their point of view. The argument gets heated until one Italian soldiers gets up and says poignantly :
"its such a beautiful night.....I want to fall in love"
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Better than Some SayJan 23, 2006
By Keith Brown
First saw this movie when it was initially released & loved it. Cruz was magnificent as was John Hurt. Cage did an admirable job even though some people think his accent stinks. Frankly, I've had Italian students that had a worse Italian accent than Cage did.
The story is gripping & touching. Frankly, in my opinion it is one of the 3 best romatic flicks ever.
Other fascinating info is that the slaughter of Italian prisoners by the Nazi's did truly occur. As a guy who had Greek students from the island in the story, the cultural setting is nearly perfect.
Great flick!
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Terrific Adaptation Of A Great Novel!Aug 28, 2002
By Barron Laycock
"Labradorman"
I am always suspicious whenever a best-selling book is used as the vehicle for a big-budget movie, as too often they are poorly interpreted sand transformed from print to film. For example, although many directors have tried, no one has ever successfully transformed one of Ernest Hemingway's novels to the screen. The attempt to bring "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues" to moviegoers was an unmitigated disaster, as was "Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me". Yet, perhaps because the siren call of the successful novel is so alluring, directors keep on trying. Here again they try to bring a masterful and long novel of over 400 pages to the screen. It some respects, this is a very successful adaptation. The depiction of both the romance and the dilemma the young officer faces is well depicted, and the director manages to recreate the quaint and provincial atmosphere of an Greek village masterfully, and one finds himself transported to this magical time and place through the magic of film. Yet in accomplishing this aspect of the story so well, the director gives short shrift to the rest of the story, so that the later parts of the novel get only brief and truncated treatments, undercutting the magic of the tale and seriously flawing the movie version of the story in the process. The cinematography, however, is spectacular, and the location on the island of Kefallonia is perfect suited to the tale, as are the local extras used, who add enormously to the genuine feel to the film's atmosphere and ambiance. Nicholas Cage shows his range both as a leading man and as a heroic leader and carries out both aspects to the role quite well. Penelope Cruz is a young woman who is so beautiful she doesn't have to do much to be believable, at least to male viewers of a certain age and disposition. Enuf said? All in all, this is a very satisfying film, although I must admit to being disappointed to see the director skip so many subtle aspects of the latter parts of the story based on what appears to be time constraints. Still, this is very well done, and it is something I can highly recommend. Enjoy!
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