Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Day 6: The English Patient


The English Patient:1996: Winner of the 69th Academy Awards

Starring:

Ralph Fiennes as Count László Almásy
Juliette Binoche as Hana
Willem Dafoe as David Caravaggio
Kristin Scott Thomas as Katharine Clifton
Naveen Andrews as Kip
Colin Firth as Geoffrey Clifton
Julian Wadham as Madox
Jürgen Prochnow as Major Muller
Kevin Whately as Sgt. Hardy
Clive Merrison as Fenelon-Barnes




Salinger and I had wanted to see this film since, well her since she found out that Ralph Fiennes was in it and myself, since I found it on Netflix. However it wasn’t until today and the verdict is, I loved it!!It made me cry and the love story was amazing. The story centers around a burned man found in the Desert after WW2, in this garrison a nurse named Hana tries to nurse him back to health. She has lost everyone she loved and is taking upon herself to save this man, this English Patient. They find an abandoned monastery in the Italian countryside and use it as a place for him to get better. A couple of nights later we meet Moose, David Caravaggio, who was someone that the English Patient knew in a past life, the life he cannot now remember or does not wish too. This is how the love story between Mrs. Clifton and Count de Almasy is told. Through flashback we get a glimpse of the man who was burned and heartbroken. This was a really good, albeit long, movie. I truly enjoyed it and was glad to watch. Yesterday I was complaining about overused love plots and today I find myself rekindled in that belief. Even though it was tragic and sad and I ended up with my eyes watering, I also found myself thinking that love is really all that drives human condition. Without love there is no life. It is life that brings the profound sense of belonging and acceptance that humans need. Yes, I got all that from watching this movie. Because when Hana the nurse is telling the English Patient that she wants to make him better he says that he prefers to leave this world as has his beloved. The movie was really good, I recommended that everyone watch it.
It also won awards for:
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Juliette Binoche
 Best Art Direction-Set Decoration : Stuart Craig and Stephanie McMillan
 Best Cinematography  : John Seale
 Best Costume Design : Ann Roth
 Best Director :Anthony Minghella
Best Film Editing :Walter Murch
Best Original Score :Gabriel Yared
Best Sound :Walter Murch, Mark Berger, David Parker, and Christopher Newman

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