Quite better than I expected, a fine film with historical significance.

Rating: Null/10 (4 August 2002)

I saw it on DVD. The cinematography is perfect! The vistas shown on the beautiful Greek island are almost film-like on widescreen HDTV. The extras are sparse, the music video by British tenor Russell Watson is pleasant, the director's commentary is "minimalist" but still valuable and interesting. Some of my comments, below, contain information from the director's commentary. I cannot imagine watching this beautiful film on old-technology VHS tape.
SPOILERS - Set in wartime 1940 through postwar 1947, the Italians with the help of the Nazi Germans have "captured" this peaceful Greek island. Nic Cage is Capt Corelli, who marches into the village with a mandolin strapped to his back. Later we learn from him, "Everyone in our battery is a member of the opera society." None have ever fired at an enemy. While WWII rages on elsewhere, they spend their free time on the beach, with half-naked Italian prostitutes brought over for them, frolicing, drinking wine, and singing. They hope to hang out until the war is over, and go back to Italy to resume their unencumbered lives.
The wake-up call comes when the Nazis shoot and kill several of his battery mates a day before they were to symbolically surrender to the Gremans. Finding that they can't trust the Germans, they decide to claim all the weapons they can and fight a last stand, Italians and Greeks against the Germans, with results similar to General Custer's. But Corelli survives, is doctored (John Hurt), and smuggled back to Italy. Meanwhile the doctor's daughter (Penny Cruz) and he have fallen in love, she doesn't know if she will ever see him again, as she studies to become a doctor herself. After the war ends a big earthquake destroys almost everything on the island, then Corelli appears again. He says to her, "I tried to make myself believe I could live without you."
Much of the story encompasses real events, although the mandatory love story is fictional. "Titanic" did this, "Pearl Harbor" did this. I suppose it is the only way to make a historical film interesting. I guess the writer of the fabulous "Longitude" didn't realize that! :-)
An earthquake really did destroy most of the buildings on the island, but it happened in 1953. The community was not re-built, but virtually everything we see in the film were sets constructed then torn down during the re-enactment of the earthquake. The crew gathered and carted off all the debris afterward, leaving the island as they had found it. Many scenes were shot among the real ruins, as they have been since 1953.
I like this movie very much. The historical story was well-done, and the love story did not detract. The cimematography is superb. Cage as Corelli, Cristian Bale (of "Newsies') as his love competition, Hurt as the doctor were all especially good in their roles. Cage even showed a bit of his singing voice, which was recorded live and not overdubbed in the studio.