CAPTAIN CORELLI'S MANDOLIN

UK, 2000, 135 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, Penelope Cruz, John Hurt, Christian Bale, Irene Pappas, David Morrissey, Patrick Malahide.
Directed by John Madden.

An example of what is often called 'old-fashioned movie-making'. What this means is that Captain Corelli's Mandolin has a romantic story with a beginning, middle and end (in that order), is filmed in spectacularly beautiful surroundings, is set in the middle of a conflict, a war, and is designed to move us very emotionally with its sadness and its joys. Many film critics seem to abhor this kind of film. They say it is too conventional. However, the film-going public is probably going to enjoy it very much.

There is another difficulty with films like Captain Corelli's Mandolin: it is based on a best-seller read by millions. Can the film-makers retain the core of Louis de Bernieres' novel? What will they cut out? How will they change the plot or some of the characters? And who can embody the characters who have come alive in readers' imaginations? That is always the problem with adaptations. The screenwriter says that the screenplay is 'based on' the novel. In fact, it is a visual and dramatic interpretation of the novel, a 'version' of the novel and not the novel itself. For those who want to preserve their experience of reading a novel, it is generally better not to see the film version. It can't contain all the plot, all the characters or all the themes. It will inevitably seem lighter, not as full or as deep as the novel.

But for those who do see the film, they will be rewarded by a visit to the Ionian islands, especially Cephallonia. It has been filmed where the action took place. There is also a romantic score composed for mandolin.

The film opens in 1940. The Greeks have held back the Italian invaders at the border with Albania. However, they eventually occupy the islands for the Germans. This means for some years a rather lackadaisical war. The Italian soldiers' hearts are not really in it. And they succumb to the sunlight and peace of island life. When Mussolini is defeated, the Germans invade and we realise that the harshness of war has merely been postponed and that Cephallonia experiences the horrors and massacres that other European countries have experienced.

This is the context for the romance between Pelagia (Penelope Cruz) and Antonio Corelli (Nicolas Cage). Pelagia is engaged to Mandras (Christian Bale), a fisherman who has gone off to fight the Italians and who returns to join the partisans. Corelli is billeted at her father's house. At first she is hostile but then attracted to the cheerful, singing, kindly Corelli. Penelope Cruz is at the centre of the film and holds it together. For those who do not know the novel, the casting seems suitable, especially John Hurt as Pelagia's forceful father, the local doctor.

The film successfully takes its audience into a very different world. It portrays a Greek way of life. It plunges us into the deathly realities of war. The director is John Madden who made Mrs Brown and Shakespeare in Love. He has a flair for storytelling that may not be profound but is highly entertaining.

1. An entertaining "old-fashioned" film? For the popular audience? Location, spectacle, romance, war and suffering, happy resolution? Traditional film-making?

2. The adaptation of the novel? Characters, situations, themes?

3. The setting of the Greek Islands, the island itself, the changing landscapes, the village, the church and the square, the houses, the beaches? The sea? The musical score and its atmosphere, especially the central theme? The mandolin-playing?

4. Life on the island: peaceful, the villagers and their isolation, the doctor and his role, training his daughter? The fishermen? The mothers and fathers? The younger people? The long traditions of peace on the island?

5. The background of World War II: the Italian invasion of Albania, the Greeks and their resistance, holding the Italians? The Italians aided by the Nazis? The invasion and occupation of the island? The Italians and the peaceful coexistence, the calm during most of the war? Mussolini's downfall and the Italian surrender? The Germans and their role, the decision of the Italians to help the Greeks, the rounding up of the Italian soldiers, the massacre? The final defeat of the Nazis? The backdrop to the events and characters?

6. The title and the focus on Captain Corelli, on his mandolin and love for music? The screenplay and its focus on Pelagia? The initial disdain of Captain Corelli, his being billeted with them, the change of heart, falling in love, the impossible romance because of the war, because of Pelagia's engagement to Mandras?

7. The narration by the doctor, his reference to Antonio at the beginning? Its being repeated at the end and the waiting for Antonio after the war? The doctor and his character, love for his daughter, training her? The dead mother? The comfortable house? The opening and the removing of the pea from the villager's ear? His hearing? The doctor and his contribution to people's lives and their appreciation? The healing procession - and the possibility of various religious viewpoints, the doctor's atheism, people's scepticism, religious fervour, healing or superstition? The role of the orthodox church?

8. Mandras as a fisherman, his infatuation with Pelagia? The doctor's hesitation? Mandras's mother and her eagerness? The betrothal ceremony - and Mandras and his practical jokes with the chair? The possibility of a happy marriage or not? Pelagia's happiness? Mandras and his decision to join the Resistance? The farewell, the promise to communicate? His not being able to read or write? Pelagia's letters and his not responding? His return, his being wounded, his being helped back to health? The continuing engagement?

9. The coming of the Italians: the regiment, the salute to Pelagia? The billeting and the doctor bargaining for medicines? Captain Corelli and the house? The initial antagonism? The Italians and their music, singing, on the beach, Corelli conducting the choir? The enjoyment of music in the village? The women who came with the Italian army?

10. Pelagia changing, the attraction towards Corelli, his love for her? Mandras's mother and her wariness? The doctor and his observations? Pelagia in the hills, the lovemaking? The consequences?

11. Mandras's return, the partisans? Pelagia not recognising him? His realising the change in Pelagia? The Italians and their continuing their work on the island?

12. The Italian surrender, the dilemmas for Captain Corelli? The presence of Gunther and the good relationships with the Germans? Gunther and his Nazi attitude, Bavaria, superiority - yet the attraction of the music, his age and inexperience, attraction to the young woman (and her later being hanged for collaboration)? The Italians and the decision to help the partisans, the equipment, the guns? The attack of the Germans? The Italian surrender - the massacre of the Italian soldiers?

13. Corelli's assistant, his promising Pelagia to save the captain's life, falling on him during the massacre and saving him? Gunther and his not shooting Corelli? Corelli being nursed back to life? The aftermath of the war? The bombardment of the island, the deaths and suffering, the destruction? Corelli's decision to return, the sadness of the farewell and his going out in the boat?

14. After the war, the island returned to normal, Pelagia helping her father in the medical work, Mandras and his mother? The sending of the record of the theme music?

15. The earthquake, the destruction, Pelagia saving the young neighbour, thinking her father killed, finding him again? The devastation for the island?

16. The return of Captain Corelli, the romantic ending, the future? Audiences enjoying these popular ingredients - tastefully and artistically done, in the tradition of the old romantic epics?