RJK-8

This production benefits from great use of natural settings and a cast that knows how to make "the bard" sing for those of us not steeped in medieval English. The music is an added bonus. The director included the wrestling match instead of just hearing about it, no doubt to provide a little bit of action to what is otherwise mostly talk. The pacing is a little slow at times, but since we're not really worried about the plot it doesn't matter. Helen Mirren sets the tone for all the actors in terms of really getting into the role. The emphasis is not so much the cynicism but the "looking at oneself from the outside." We are encouraged to look at ourselves thusly.

I found the movie to be very well put together -- excellent use of on location settings, believable battle scenes, well-developed characters, and a thorough look at the joyful, sorrowful, evil and tragic aspects of wartime life in an occupied country. It also introduced me to details of a part of history that I hadn't really known before.

I really enjoyed the quirky plot aspects of the entire Italian unit coming from one area, and all being members of the musical organization. I had no problems with the accents or other aspects of actors of various nationalities playing characters of various nationalities -- is there some expert at "accents" anyway?

I thought the emotions and complexities of emotions were well portrayed all around. John Hurt was excellent, but so were all of the actors playing the "lesser" parts. Except for the earthquakes, the movie made me want to go there on my next vacation... About the only aspect of the story that, when you stop to think about it, was unlikely, is that Correlli survived. But then who wants a "down" romantic drama?

The movie celebrates trying to make the most of a bad situation, and it certainly didn't pull any punches as to thinking that "thinking happy thoughts" and singing together can solve all the world's problems. The recent hostilities between the Greeks and the Turks at a soccer match show that some things never change.

This movie takes me back to the warm, family films that I remember of my own childhood -- dealing with the pains and sorrows of life, but reminding you also of the joys and why it's all worthwhile. The story is beautifully acted, filmed, directed and edited. It provides a solid grounding in the details of the lives of an architect/builder, his zoologist wife, and the family and friends of a neighborhood Irish-Italian restaurant -- with real locations in Chicago. The plot involves a heart transplant and the kind of coincidences that don't only happen in the movies. It's got real heart, and you enjoy every little detail of the plot and characters that make the story so rich. You could watch it several times, as each scene is a gem in its own right, and beyond that the sum is definitely greater than the parts.