A well produced love story starring Ralph Fiennes in the critically acclaimed 'The English Patient'. (The English Patient (DVD))

Member Name: Jcapulet

Product:	The English Patient (DVD)
Date:	20/01/09 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots

Disadvantages: If you don't enjoy romantic films or are impatient for action, then it's not for you.

It's very rare that I enjoy a film more than the original book but this is one of those times. I enjoyed the book don't get me wrong, but in my opinion the author isn't very good at describing feelings, although it cannot be doubted that the descriptions of 'places' and 'things' etc are excellent. Therefore if I had simply the read the book, then I'm not sure that I would have really understood the depth of feelings between Catherine and Almasy. Perhaps it's a girl thing, but the words in the book don't really prove their love, it just tells us that it is so without giving the reader cause for ever thinking otherwise. Almasy's actions may point to his strength of feelings but I think that the film really bought the characters to life and proved to the reader that Catherine and Almasy really did share a deep bond and attraction which confirms that the actions of Almasy were not being out or proportion to what the reader presumed. Therefore, in my opinion it wasn't until watching the film that I really understood their relationship and didn't need to be told that the depth of feeling was there as I could see this for myself in many ways, ways that could have been explored in words but never were.

The film is in essence a chick-flick, much more so than the book and apologies if that was not the intention but I think that some men will just not 'get it'. It's like 'Bridges of Madison County' in that respect in that it takes to time to develop a relationship on screen and some men would find it 'slow' and find it 'hard work' keeping focused. However, that's not all men obviously but if you're a man/woman into action packed films then give it a miss !!

I'm a huge Ralph Fiennes fan and this is probably one of his best known films to date; that's not to say it's my favourite but it definitely deserved the acclaim that it received. Ralph plays the male lead of Almasy and Kristin Scott Thomas plays the female love-interest lead of Catherine and it's fair to say that the chemistry between the two is obvious. Juliette Binoche plays Almasy's nurse Hana ( since it's set during WWII ) and Colin Firth plays Geoffry, the husband of Catherine. The other main character is Caravaggio ( played byWillien Defoe ) a man on a mission to track down Almasy for his part in a betrayal. There are other characters such as Kip, a bomb disposal expert who plays Hana's love interest and Hardy his work companion, plus Madox, friend and colleague of Almasy who kills himself when information falls into the enemies hands. All in all, an impressive cast.

The film centres around the work of a group of map-makers/explorers out in the desert pre WWII and during this time. It is when Catherine and her husband arrive that things become complicated for Almasy as he realises his feelings for Catherine. They begin on a passionate affair that ends in tradegy in more ways than one that leads Almasy into handing over maps to Germans in return for an aeroplane to rescue Catherine who is dying after Geoffry's attempted suicide attempt on learning of the affair. Almasy is eventually shot down however and to some extent loses his memory, partly due to the accident and partly due to his avoidance at having to remember. Itis during the last part of his life that he remembers and is forced to explain himself to Carravaggio who also paid the price of Almasy's betrayal to the Germans.

Like I said, if you're a romantic film fan who loves a well produced and classy love story then you'll enjoy this film. If you like wall-to-wall action then I'd give it a miss !!

Summary: A film that outshines the novel !!