Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Why it took four major production entities- Universal, Studio Canal, Miramax and Working Title- to turn that admired novel into a phlegmatic, middlebrow romantic drama so stodgy that even the goats look bored? How John Madden, the same director who brought "Shakespeare in Love,to life, could have been responsible for this comatose effort; how star Penelope Cruz manages to emerge unscathed, like some cinematic Wonder Woman, from the wreckage of film after film?" That is what Kenneth Turan, Times Film Critic had to say about "Captain Corelli's Mandolin." The movie was based on a Louis de Berniére's best-selling tale of love and war. I did not know what to expect when I went to see this movie; I had read various unfavorable reviews.

While certainly not an Oscar winning film, it was not anywhere as bad as the reviewers said. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin (film)

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Irene Papas

It is long but keeps the audience attention throughout. John Hurt turns in an excellent performance, as does Christian Bale. Nicolas Cage could have used a little more help with the Italian accent.

I believe Capt. Corelli's Mandolin has suffered the same disease as the British Tourist Industry did over Hoof & Mouth disease. The press blew it clear out of proportion. Turan, Times Film Critic, said " A film without a true note, an undemanding picture-postcard production heavy with " I don't know how to say what I fell inside," dialogue from screenwriter Shawn Slovo. Things do improve in the film's more dramatic final third, when the war gets closer and unpleasant things start to happen, but the production never loses its quality of exasperating bogusness." Poor reviews such as this have emptied the theaters around here. This is a good movie that actually...