Captain Corelli's Mandolin (film)
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| Captain Corelli's Mandolin | |
|---|---|
 Promotional film poster |
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| Directed by | John Madden |
| Produced by | Tim Bevan, Mark Huffam, Kevin Loader |
| Written by | Louis de Bernières, Shawn Slovo |
| Starring | Nicolas Cage, Penélope Cruz, John Hurt, Christian Bale |
| Music by | Stephen Warbeck |
| Cinematography | John Toll |
| Editing by | Mick Audsley |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films (UK) Universal Pictures (outside UK) |
| Release date(s) | August 17, 2001 |
| Running time | 131 min |
| Country | United Kingdom, France, United States |
| Language | English, Greek, German, Italian |
| IMDb profile | |
Captain Corelli's Mandolin is a 2001 film directed by John Madden and based on the novel of the same name by Louis de Bernières. It stars Nicolas Cage and Penélope Cruz. The film was slated by critics on its release and disappointed fans due to the fact that it deviates somewhat from the plot of the novel, with many of the book's tragic episodes softened.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The idyllic beauty of Greece's Mediterranean coast has been invaded by Italy, bringing legions of soldiers to the once tranquil island of Cephallonia. Captain Antonio Corelli, an officer with an irrepressibly jovial personality and passion for the mandolin, initially alienates a number of the villagers, including Pelagia. The daughter of the village doctor, Pelagia is an educated and strong-willed woman, and while at first offended by the Italian soldier's behavior, she slowly warms to his certain charms as they are forced to share her father's home.
When Pelagia's fiancee, a local fisherman, heads off to war, the friendship between Antonio and Pelagia grows even stronger. Her beauty and intelligence have captured his heart, and his fondness for the village's vibrant community causes him to question his reasons for fighting. Antonio becomes a part of the lives of the villagers, but the moment is fleeting. As the war grows ever closer, Antonio and Pelagia are forced to choose between their allegiance to their countries and the love they feel for one another-a love which must overcome tremendous odds, and endure the inevitable sacrifice which accompanies eternal devotion.
[edit] Examples of deviations from the book
- In the book, Dr. Iannis is kidnapped by Greek Partisans after the war, and upon his return is mute because of the trauma he has suffered. He is subsequently killed in the earthquake of 1953. In the film there is no kidnap, and Iannis survives the earthquake.
- In the book, Mandras and Corelli never meet, however the film contrives an aggressive meeting between them over Pelagia, and eventually Mandras rescues Corelli from the scene of the firing squad, an action performed in the book by Velissarios.
- The film ends with Corelli returning to the Cephallonia shortly after the earthquake in 1953, with Cage delivering the line: 'I tried to live without you, and couldn't'. In the original story Corelli does not return until decades later, when he and Pelagia are both in old age.
- In the book, Mandras returns after the Acqui Massacre and attempts to rape Pelagia, who shoots him in the shoulder. Drosoula, who is staying with Pelagia after her father's kidnap, renounces him and throws him out of the house, and he dies that night whilst swimming with his dolphins. In the film, he is seen to simply leave and never come back.
- In the film, Lemoni's parents are taken away and killed, so Lemoni is adopted and brought up by Dr Iannis and Pelagia. In the book, this never happens. In the book, Pelagia and Drosoula adopt a baby girl found on their doorstep and raise her as their own, naming her Antonia after Corelli's mandolin. She later develops the nickname Psipsina, in memory of their former pet pine marten.
- The character Carlo, and the book's homosexual themes, are never mentioned in the film.
- In the book, the two protagonists finally meet, but both are virgins. In the film, the two characters have a sex scene together in the woods. De Bernières has remarked, in an interview with the Guardian, that this scene was "senseless".
[edit] Cast and roles
- Nicolas Cage - Captain Antonio Corelli
- Penélope Cruz - Pelagia
- John Hurt - Dr. Iannis
- Christian Bale - Mandras
- Irene Papas - Drosoula
- Gerasimos Skiadaressis - Mr. Stamatis
- Aspasia Kralli - Mrs. Stamatis
- Michael Yannatos - Kokolios
- Dimitris Kaberidis - Father Aresenios
- Pietro Sarubbi - Velisarios, The Strongman
- Viki Maragaki - Eleni, Pelagia's Friend
- Joanna-Daria Adraktas - Young Lemoni
- Ira Tavlaridis - Older Lemoni
- Katerina Didaskalu - Lemoni's Mother
- Emilios Chilakis - Dimitris
