A sweeping saga, a highly respected novel, two attractive stars, and an Academy Award nominated director are the ingredients that make up Universal’s epic romance, “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin”.
Sounds like a lock for audiences and the critics, or is it?
The epic romance begins in a small village in Greece. The village fills a small island and seems to be unaffected as the Second World War explodes on the mainland. A doctor (John Hurt) and his daughter, Pelagia (Penelope Cruz), watch as their local townspeople start to send their young men to fight in the war. Among those men is Mandras (Christian Bale) who happens to be engaged Pelagia.
Mandras disappears from Pelagia’s life, as he never writes during his time abroad. Soon the island is over-run by Italian soldiers who swear they have are not there to hurt the townsfolk. Instead they are there to protect the island. The town never falls for the Italian propaganda but instead shows much resistance. Pelagia and her father are forced to accommodate Captain Antonio Corelli (Nicolas Cage).
There is a lot of friction between the Captain and Pelagia as the war continues. The more Pelagia gets to know Corelli she starts to see a different man than she has ever known before. Where does Pelagia’s allegiance and loyalty lie? What is the real reason for Italian presence on the island?
“Mandolin” comes off as a tender love story and does a lot to overcome a lot of problems surrounding the production. The obvious flaw is the miscasting of Nicolas Cage as Corelli. Cage’s accent comes off as bad as Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood (oh yeah, he didn’t have an accent in there did he?). Corelli’s smoldering good looks and musical charm could have been better accommodated with an actor like an Antonio Banderas, or a Benjamin Bratt. Cage’s accent grows on you but really is never at home with his mannerisms. He looks very awkward playing the small mandolin as his huge arms cradle the little instrument. It’s like a hulk of a mechanic trying to strike a harp.
Penelope Cruz is slowly adjusting to American filmmaking, as her performance is a lot more natural and relaxed compared to the way she was in “All the Pretty Horses”. Cruz has a unique and almost innocent beauty, which really brings a lot to the secluded Pelagia. The scenes where she says little really are interesting to watch. She says a lot with just a look.
One of the more interesting performances is that of Christian Bale, who really grasps his Greek character with confidence and out acts Cage on many occasions. I really liked Bale and its glad to see “American Psycho” has brought him to Hollywood’s attention after so many years. Well since “Newsies” any ways.
My favorite scene is between the doctor and his daughter where he has a brilliant and tender soliloquy about love and what it means to our lives. He talks about how you will know when you have found the one. This beautiful scene gives us a glimpse at what the novel must have reflected to its readers and what the film is trying to do. It’s a shame the scene will be lost in this romantic mess.
The best part of the film is the second half as the true nature of the story really unfolds. It’s to bad the front half will probably put you to sleep. The only puzzling element about the second half is the “earthquake”? Why was it necessary? I am not really spoiling anything by talking about it because it has absolutely no purpose to the story or the characters. It’s just there. Maybe it is more relevant in the novel.
Aside from the tenderness of Penelope’s quiet scenes, Mandras and the beautiful locale, Corelli has nothing else to offer. I can’t say that I recommend Corelli but it may be worth a look on DVD. As long as there isn’t a 4-hour version of this film on the “Corelli” deluxe edition DVD.
(3 out of 5) So Says the Soothsayer.
“Quills” is a Geoffrey Rush movie from beginning to end. Rush’s presence captivates us as we plummet deep into the world of the Marquis. What I loved about his performance was the passion and depth.
I would also like to mention the other performances in the film. Joaquin Phoenix is as brilliant here as he was as the tortured Roman prince in last summer’s “Gladiator”. Phoenix should get nominated this year for one of these brilliant performances.
If you really think about it, the Marquis isn’t really that insane if you compare him to that time’s society. I mean the people back then were cut-off from sexuality and any mention of it was a sin. If the Marquis was let loose in the 1960s I don’t really think he would have been described so much as a deviant. In the doctor’s case, he is a deviant even today. Isn’t it amazing how society changes and how society dictates who and what we are?
“What would happen if you were visited by a mysterious stranger and that stranger held a gift? And he wanted to share that gift with you.”
Bobby and Ted’s relationship will be tested as mysterious circumstances begin to surround Ted and his world. But no matter what, they wouldn’t have ever missed these incredible times.
The performance of Hopkins and Davis really make their characters come to life. Davis steers head long into a tormented woman who must have been a challenge to play. Davis does deserve an Oscar look for her portrayal of Elisabeth Garfield. Her portrayal is so strong of the mother that her dominance almost over-shadows Hopkins. However I do wonder if Hopkins wanted to flesh Ted out more as he played him. Did Hopkins want to unravel Ted like how the character was handled in the novel?
Anton Yelchin (Bobby) delivers a performance that reminded me a lot of Henry Thomas from “E.T: The Extra Terrestrial” or a younger Elijah Wood. Yelchin shows a range at such a young age and it isn’t often we see it in someone so young. I really liked this kid and it will be interesting to see if he becomes an Elijah or fade away like a Henry.
The chronicles of a dysfunctional family over three generations.
Woody Allen has always been obsessed with the theory that tragedy and comedy were always closely connected. He believes that you can take any given scene and it will work both tragically and comically.
I will give Allen credit being able to lose yourself in the film and not being able to follow the film does prove how seamlessly tragedy and comedy can come together. But it comes off as more of a gimmick than clarification.
As the servants start to settle in they begin to realize that the house may harbor a hidden secret. What is that secret? What has gone on in this house before? Are there intruders lurking about the house?
You also have to hand it to the casting members of the film who found these children. The film really works on so many levels because of them. Wow, are they quite the find. Maybe the casting agents for the Harry Potter films will see these children and give them mainstream exposure.
In some ways you might even want to believe his version more than that of reality. It would have been interesting if Burton tried to or left a hint that maybe the fantasy world could have been reality. This twist could have taken this film to even a deeper level.
After the abysmal failure that was HOW DO YOU KNOW and the shockingly unappealing WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is the former top actress in Hollywood over?
Didn’t Tony Gayton, this film’s screenwriter see the end of “Scream”? Now that is the kind of angle this film should have had. Why not let the revelation and shock be just that the kids were bored instead of just showing it and filling our heads with teen angst. It could have actually been interesting if their victim had a shadowy past the murderers didn’t know of. You need more suspects and crazy angles to really make the story interesting.
Doesn’t Michael Pitt remind you of Leonardo DeCaprio? The sub-plot involving the girl Lisa (Agnes Bruckner) really confused me as that plot wrapped up. Did she or didn’t she cheat on Justin?
