Penelope baby! (Captain Corelli's Mandolin (DVD))

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Product:	Captain Corelli's Mandolin (DVD)
Date:	13/04/02 (151 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Peneolpe, Penelope, Penelope

Disadvantages: Terrible take on the book, Stupid ascents

If Captain Correllis Mandolin is a metaphor for a certain something, then it has to be the big knob of a performance by Nicholas Cage.His silly ascent under par turn is yet another example of why Hollywood should not try and make European film.
They completely made a pigs ear with Chocolate and have yet again ruined another great book. Theres none of the heart, passion and warmth you seem to fine on the continent celluloid and putting American actors in beautiful likewise scenery is just not enough for me.

The over exposed Penelope Cruz, (I wish!) is back on our VHS players as is an understated performance by John Hurt as her doctor daddy. The two live a tranquil life on the beautiful Greek Island of Cephallonia just as the war is about to sweep the Southern Mediterranean.
The people are rustic and slaves to their Catholicism, quite content to dodge the earthquakes and except good news as miracles and bad as Gods way.
Cruz is happy enough to marry the local dim fisherman and live an honest life. But war and her fathers indifference to her man force them apart. Mandras, (Christopher Bale, American Phsyco, s**t movie) longs to fight the Germans in Albania over being with the exquisite beauty of Penelope. Like I said,hes not very bright like most grunts.

She sends love letters to the battlefield but gets no returns so assumes the worse. Then Captain Correlli and his regiment sweep into town after the Italians prefer the idyllic scenery and girls to a ruck in the Balkans. But the Germans two who have formed an uncomfortable alliance also have their towel on the beach on the stunning heavenly panorama.
The equally beautiful view in Cruz has her eyes on the dashing Italian Captain in Cage who is quite happy to sing, booze and fiddle with his mandolin,(well I couldn?t resist it!) ,than dodge bullets.Very much a glorious retreat for the Italian army you could say.

Then her man returns from the glories of war and resumes his place a
s head of the table. He never kept in touch because he couldn?t read or write, so the sophistication and charm of Cage is helping to fade their dying love with her attentions creeping to the captain who has done a deal with the doc to share their house. The inevitable kiss is along time coming as her loyalties are tested.
Then Mussolini surrenders to the Brits and Americans, which means the Germans are now in charge on the Greek Island. A deal is done for the Italians to hand over their weapons and allowed safe passage from their vacation. But history documents what happened next as the slimy Hun double cross Correlis regiment. Typical nazi trick as Captain Mainwearing would say!.

The movie is supposed to explore the love between the two and the comfortable interactions on the island of the Germans, Italians and locals. But in the end its so glossy it looks and feels like one of those Fiat commercials with every camera angle exploited, coated in all the Italian cliches you can think of.
Dr Irranis does the authentic monologue from the book at the right times to try and gel together a very bland movie.
You just don?t feel sorry for the characters as they disappear or get sucked into the drama. It doesnt wash over you like those Mediterranean mistral winds but a cool annoying gust.
Its only redeeming feature is the sexy Cruz for me and in sure Cage smoldering eyes for the ladies. If you like Chocolate then you will like this. The film Mediteraneo did this story so much better and if you havent seen that one, see it over this two dimensional postcard.






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