I have just returned from Kefalonia. That's the only reason for marking this movie with "3". I like the Island...
I simply have no idea what's wrong with John Madden. On the paper, the guy seems to know what he's doing. Seems to be able to differ good from bad (if we take that there is no right and wrong). But after letting myself finish this movie (since I seem to be a masochist when it comes to finishing everything I am watching) I have got the impression that this fellow had been directing this in a complete emotional chaos because I can not believe that his fellow citizen Louis de Bernières had anything close to this idea. Love story?! Goddammit no! Let's start with the casting. Nicolas Cage?! Let's see, his character is a profligate Italian occupier fighting along with the Nazis under Mussolini and seducing a wive of an honest Greek patriot who goes to war to prevent his home Island being occupied...On the scale of charm from 1 to 10, that actor must have been something like 15 to even having any chance to make his character acceptably nice so one could even finish watching the movie! There were only two movies in the entire career of Nicolas Cage when he reached above 5 on such scale and where he has been able to transfer some kind of emotion through his character: Leaving Las Vegas and Face Off. However, considering that something above 5 is way below required 15, I have a feeling like I have been raped after watching this movie to the end.
OK, I understand. The history of art deals with probably the greatest anguish of mankind - the unpredictable ways of love. But after she (Pelagia - Penelope) was able to deceive and leave her handsome, honest, simple-minded patriot Mandras played by Bale (probably the only one partially rising to the occasion along with Penelope here) for the (above described) Cage, I believe the only honest feeling one could actually gain would be to support the angry Kefalonian inhabitants by marking her with βρώμικο πουτάνα - sporca puttana (for the ones still liking the Italian lover :) No really, even John Waters' Pink Flamingos love does not seem so repulsive anymore.
OK, I could be moving on with this, but I believe I have made my point clear enough.
I simply have no idea what's wrong with John Madden. On the paper, the guy seems to know what he's doing. Seems to be able to differ good from bad (if we take that there is no right and wrong). But after letting myself finish this movie (since I seem to be a masochist when it comes to finishing everything I am watching) I have got the impression that this fellow had been directing this in a complete emotional chaos because I can not believe that his fellow citizen Louis de Bernières had anything close to this idea. Love story?! Goddammit no! Let's start with the casting. Nicolas Cage?! Let's see, his character is a profligate Italian occupier fighting along with the Nazis under Mussolini and seducing a wive of an honest Greek patriot who goes to war to prevent his home Island being occupied...On the scale of charm from 1 to 10, that actor must have been something like 15 to even having any chance to make his character acceptably nice so one could even finish watching the movie! There were only two movies in the entire career of Nicolas Cage when he reached above 5 on such scale and where he has been able to transfer some kind of emotion through his character: Leaving Las Vegas and Face Off. However, considering that something above 5 is way below required 15, I have a feeling like I have been raped after watching this movie to the end.
OK, I understand. The history of art deals with probably the greatest anguish of mankind - the unpredictable ways of love. But after she (Pelagia - Penelope) was able to deceive and leave her handsome, honest, simple-minded patriot Mandras played by Bale (probably the only one partially rising to the occasion along with Penelope here) for the (above described) Cage, I believe the only honest feeling one could actually gain would be to support the angry Kefalonian inhabitants by marking her with βρώμικο πουτάνα - sporca puttana (for the ones still liking the Italian lover :) No really, even John Waters' Pink Flamingos love does not seem so repulsive anymore.
OK, I could be moving on with this, but I believe I have made my point clear enough.