Good one to bring the chick to (Captain Corelli's Mandolin (DVD))

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Product:	Captain Corelli's Mandolin (DVD)
Date:	23/10/01 (7 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Scenery is excellent, Supposedly good actors

Disadvantages: Substandard acting

As you may well be aware by this stage Captain Corellis Mandolin was a bit of a publishing sensation. Louis De Bernieres' novel about love and death on a Greek island was a lot of a crowd pleaser. It was inevitable that sooner or later it'd be filmed.

It's taken a few years but the film is here. Adapted for the screen by Shawn Slovo and directed by John Madden of Shakespeare in Love glory, the film had a fine pedigree. And with Nic Cage, John Hurt, Christian Bale and sultry Penelope Cruz on board everything was looking good.

But as always there were problems turning a 500+ page novel into a 2 hour film. Rumour had it De Bernieres was not too impressed with how things were turning out. Corelli lovers braced themselves for the worst. And here's what happened...

Penelope Cruz is Pelagia, the sultry daughter of local doctor John Hurt. Pelagia is a spirited, independent and tanned young woman who is bethrothed to the happy go lucky and also tanned Mandras, played by Christian Bale. There's a war on so Mandras has to go and fight. Enter Nic Cage as Corelli, a cheerful type, with a mandolin on his back and a song in his heart. There might be a war on, but Corelli and his Italian mates have nothing better to do than lark about and cavort with topless prostitutes.

It's obvious that Pelagia and Corelli are going to get it on. But they take their time about it. Mandras comes back but he's changed and Pelagia has no problem turning her back on him. But there's never much of a sizzle about the Latin lovers. Not only do they hide their passion from interfering locals, they manage to conceal it from the audience as well.

Cruz is one of the biggest rising female stars in Hollywood. And with this and her upcoming roles in All the Pretty Horses with Matt Damon, Blow with Johnny Depp and Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise, she could soon be the hottest around. But I'm not sure if, alluring as she is, Cruz is up
to carrying a film of this size. She was fine in Woman on Top, but the role of Pelagia asks for more. All the film revolves around her pretty little head. Sometimes it all seems too much for her.

Overall the acting is nothing to write home about. I've never been sure about Nic Cage. While he has done some sterling work, his emotional range is not the best. He has a big eyed hangdog expression which he uses to express whatever's needed. As Corelli his accent is funny and he looks a bit lost.

John Hurt and Christian Bale are a little better in the supporting roles. Hurt, wearing a dodgy but no doubt authentic bushy mousetache, looks suitably weather beaten and concerned looking. Bale's innocent frolicking soon turns sour. The token Nazi is not a bad skin, something like a cross between Oskar Schindler and Fr Dougal. Those crazy Nazis. But when his superiors show up they are suitably evil so it's ok.

There's plenty of historical context in here. The Greeks are a proud bunch. At the start they are peaceful and fun loving and keeping themselves to themselves. But soon the war starts and innocence is among the early casualties. Isn't it always the way. By the end even the Greeks themselves aren't shy of the odd crime against humanity.

The film looks really well. It was filmed on location in Cephallonia, which comes complete with hazy blue skies and crumbling rocky inclines. I've never been to Greece in the 1940's but it looked real enough to me. The explosions and battle scenes are authentically haywire and the earthquake scene is skilfully directed.

But overall the film is a disappointment. It thinks it's a skilfully understated heart rending romance set amid the horror of war. In fact it's a slightly boring, meandering, weakly acted mild mannered film. Fans of the book will probably be disappointed. Fans of Nick Cage will probably be disappointed. Fans of Shakespeare in Love will
probably be disappointed. Because it's a disappointing film. But it's alright like.

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