Captain Corelli's Mandolin

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Captain Corelli's Mandolin

R

2001

2h 7m

Drama

Romance

War

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

28%

Tomatometer

118 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

An epic tale about the enduring hope of love and the devastating brutality of war, set amid the Italian occupation of Greece during World War II. An officer falls in love with the daughter of the village doctor and he begins to question his reasons for fighting. As the war grows closer the two are forced to choose between their allegiance to their countries and the love they feel for one another.

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Critics Consensus

The cinematography is gorgeous, but the movie plays it fast and loose with history and the novel it was adapted from. Mostly, the movie fails because the romance between the leads strains credulity and the story is largely uninvolving.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

03/08/2018

All these goodies are crammed into an overproduced jumble that searches vainly for a proper tone.

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Derek Elley

Variety

08/07/2008

Strikes too many false notes on the dramatic side to add up to a satisfying emotional experience.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

02/09/2006

The film's perfectly watchable, but it's never more than that.

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Daniel Barnes

Dare Daniel

10/03/2023

1.5/5

Despite the beautiful locale and an impressive cast, we’re never given a compelling reason to care about any element of this tedious and soulless awards-grubber. Even the mandolin doesn’t matter!

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

11/07/2019

Captain Corelli's Mandolin is just the latest example of why many books should not be turned into films, literacy should be promoted in our educational institutions and sub-titles should be used on films requiring foreign accents.

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Film4

09/19/2008

Nicolas Cage and Penlope Cruz are ill-matched, and the range of heavy accents is distracting.

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Kevin P

@Tirnog Jul 27

Hugely underrated and misunderstood movie. Both beautiful and gritty to watch, characters with baggage to bear and a WW2 setting largely overlooked by Hollywood. Gives an insight into the hopes and hopelessness for many forced to live during that time.

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Elena K

Jul 24

A wonderful film. I watched it for the first time 2 weeks ago. Since then, I have watched it hundreds of times. For me, this is important. The role that Nicolas Cage played suited him perfectly and he played it uniquely. This is a very beautiful love story, it is by no means sugary. And I have no words for the kiss in the forest - so beautiful, real, captivating.

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Pam S

02/22/2025

I'm confused how they made such a terrible film from a book I enjoyed, an amazing location, and some fine actors. But it's deeply appalling. The dialogue is bizarrely stilted as if a robot wrote it. The actors deliver their lines like they've never spoken in public before... and to make it worse: fake accents! Just no. Never do a fake accent Nick you sound ridiculous. As to plot, maybe they ran out of money I don't know, but there isn't one. Not visibly, anyway. Do not waste your life on this film. Go do the ironing, walk in the garden, dust the shelves, wire to your grandmother: so many better ways of using up your time and brain. Absolute shocker.

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Sergio R

01/09/2025

"Captain Corelli's Mandolin" is a captivating romantic drama that enchants viewers with its poetic dialogues, stunning scenery, and rich historical setting. The film beautifully portrays the idyllic landscapes of Cephalonia, immersing the audience in its timeless charm. While the historical reconstruction may take creative liberties, it serves the narrative well, framing a poignant love story against the backdrop of World War II. Far from aiming to be a strict historical documentary, the movie focuses on the emotional depth of its characters, offering a heartfelt tale that resonates long after the credits roll.

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Steve D

02/11/2023

Long, unoriginal and uninteresting.

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Ęxçëşș M

@ExcessMale 06/04/2021

A handsomely photographed historical picture with a mostly disinteresting love triangle. This star studded romance infused with World War 2 is serviceable enough but hot highly recommendable.

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John Madden

Director

Nicolas Cage

Captain Antonio Corelli

Penélope Cruz

Pelagia

John Hurt

Dr. Iannis

Christian Bale

Mandras

David Morrissey

Weber

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Synopsis

An epic tale about the enduring hope of love and the devastating brutality of war, set amid the Italian occupation of Greece during World War II. An officer falls in love with the daughter of the village doctor and he begins to question his reasons for fighting. As the war grows closer the two are forced to choose between their allegiance to their countries and the love they feel for one another.

Director: John Madden
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Kevin Loader, Mark Huffam
Screenwriter: Shawn Slovo, Louis de Bernières
Distributor: Miramax Films, Universal Pictures
Production Co: Le Studio Canal +, Working Title Films, Universal Pictures
Rating: R (Sexuality|Language|Some Violence)
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 17, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.5M
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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