Cannot be better

Rating: Null/10 (26 December 1998)

I love this movie mostly because of the sophistication of the portrayal of the characters and the expression of the love between Katharine and Almasy. This is of course attributed to Michael Ondaatje. But, Anthony Minghella did do a great job in translating all these into the movie while having reconstructed the whole story. The movie does provide a more coherent version though the time zones jump as frequently as that of the original do. In comparison, the shift of the focus and the alteration made to the relationship between Hana and Kip do no harm to the movie at all. On the contrary, it helps to balance the tragic hard feeling of the main story by leaving the delightful free love relationship an open end, and a hope of sort. This bring a little perkiness to the movie. And, it makes a contrast by showing another kind of sadness and helplessness of living separaion. It is interesting and enjoyable to look for the hidden meanings too. For example, the book of the English patient is seen by me as a symbol of love of Almasy to Katharine. There are a lot else to talk about. Also, the cinematograhpy is amazing. Particulary, I can hardly forget how I was stunned by the shot right at the beginning, which changes the swimming men being drawn on the paper into the ridges of a desert. And, Ralph is never handsome by my standard but he just attracts me by exactly showing the unique disposition of a man of rationality with a fire deep in his heart. Last but not the least, the music itself is beautiful and it works just as well when being played as the soundtrack. By the way, I think the value of art of the movie should not be undermined or determined by the moral decisions made by the characters. It is fairer to treat the ethical issues brought up from the movies separately. It is a pity to be not able to appreciate the movie.