The English Patient (1996)

I read "The English Patient" by Michael Ondaatje on the recommendation of a friend, a year or two before the movie was released.  It's a remarkable novel, set during a period of history that I find myself drawn to.

Movie poster for "The English Patient" (1996)

From the haunting vocals of the Hungarian folk song "Szerelem, Szerelem", to the gorgeous cinematography in Italy and Tunisia, to the plot with multiple flashbacks, the film is a rare example of a book adaptation done right.

I was a little disappointed that Hana's hometown was changed from Toronto to Montreal (the Danforth is even mentioned in Ondaatje's book), although suspect it was due to the casting of actress Juliette Binoche.

The movie was produced by Saul Zaentz, whom I'd previously associated mainly with Ralph Bakshi's "The Lord of the Rings" (1978), and was his third film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

I remember how disappointed Ralph Fiennes looked when he didn't win the Academy Award for Best Actor, although really he was my least favorite part of the film (even if it's rumored that he once visited my mother's village in Greece).

"The English Patient" is another movie that I haven't seen again, since seeing it in theatre, although I would like to.  However, I think it deserves to be seen on the big screen, and so will keep a lookout for the opportunity.