Memorable Cruz, Forgettable Cage in Guilty Romantic Pleasure

Rating: 8/10 (3 December 2018)

Based on a popular novel by Louis de Bernieres, John Madden's 2001 adaptation of "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" is a pleasing, if flawed, film that may enrage fans of the book. Filmed on the Greek island of Cephalonia and set during World War II, the story revolves around the romance between Pelagia, daughter of a local doctor, and Captain Corelli, an Italian soldier stationed on the island with his company. Romantic entanglements ensue when Corelli is billeted in the doctor's home; Pelagia is already engaged to Mandras, a hunky local fisherman, and danger escalates when German troops arrive to assume command after Mussolini surrenders to the Allies.
Enhanced by John Toll's gorgeous cinematography of the Adriatic island and Stephen Warbeck's beautiful score that includes the haunting "Pelagia's Song" or "Ricordo Ancor," which is sung over the closing credits by Russell Watson, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" could have been a classic romance of love amidst war. The casting began well with Penelope Cruz, who is perfection as Pelagia. However, after Cruz, the casting falters, before ultimately flopping. While John Hurt is a stretch as a Greek doctor, his skill as an actor makes him credible in the role. Christian Bale as the young Greek fisherman is a bigger stretch, but he too tries valiantly, although his accent comes up short. The biggest problem is Nicholas Cage as Corelli; while Cage is of Italian descent, he reeks American and is completely wrong for the part. Cage's performance seems as forced as Cruz's is effortless; her attraction to the big lumbering oaf with a bent for opera is unconvincing and leaves the film with a gaping whole at its center. The script by Shawn Slovo abbreviates the novel and also sidesteps a critical point; Slovo cuts the pivotal character of Carlo to little more than a cameo and thus obscures the motivation for a crucial moment in the story.
While the film was a major disappointment when the novel was fresh in mind, time has been kind, and, with expectations lessened, the pleasures of "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" emerge. Penelope Cruz is Pelagia, and her lovely performance is the film's major asset. Add the location cinematography, a small role by the incomparable Irene Papas, and the unforgettable song "Ricordo Ancor," and many fans of romantic movies may enjoy a film that throws light on a barbaric near-forgotten episode during World War II. Some viewers may also be inspired to seek out the novel, which expands and deepens the events depicted in the film. Otherwise, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" can be classified as a guilty pleasure for a rainy afternoon.