The English Patient (1996)

Overview
User Rating:
7.2/10 46,330 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 11% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Anthony Minghella
Writers (WGA):
Michael Ondaatje (novel)
Anthony Minghella (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The English Patient on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 November 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Romance | Drama | War more
Tagline:
In love, there are no boundaries. more
Plot:
At the close of WWII, a young nurse tends to a badly-burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Nurse | Crash | WWII | Flashback | Love
more
Awards:
Won 9 Oscars. Another 41 wins & 37 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(69 articles)
Can Amy Adams really pull off an upset at the Oscars?
(From Gold Derby. 10 February 2009, 3:02 PM, PST)
Fiennes to helm Shakespeare's 'Coriolanus'
(From digitalspy. 9 February 2009, 12:10 PM, PST)
User Comments:
A reader's movie. more
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)

Ralph Fiennes ... Count Laszlo de Almásy

Juliette Binoche ... Hana

Willem Dafoe ... David Caravaggio

Kristin Scott Thomas ... Katharine Clifton

Naveen Andrews ... Kip

Colin Firth ... Geoffrey Clifton
Julian Wadham ... Madox

Jürgen Prochnow ... Major Muller
Kevin Whately ... Hardy
Clive Merrison ... Fenelon-Barnes
Nino Castelnuovo ... D'Agostino
Hichem Rostom ... Fouad
Peter Rühring ... Bermann
Geordie Johnson ... Oliver

Torri Higginson ... Mary
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The English Patient
BookRags.com * Literature Summary and Essays 36 Pages of Related Content
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for sexuality, some violence and language.
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
162 min
Country:
USA | UK
Language:
English | German | Italian | Arabic
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Certification:
USA:R (certificate #34884) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Denmark:15 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:PG-13 | Brazil:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15
Filming Locations:
Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy more
Company:
Miramax Films more
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
From first draft of the screenplay to final cut took four years. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: The registration plates on the cars in Egypt are of a layout that was not used till the 1980s. Also in 1930s a Cairo car plate would not carry more than 4 digits, not 6 as seen in the movie. more
Quotes:
Almásy: This... this, the hollow at the base of a woman's throat, does it have an official name?
Madox: Good God, man, pull yourself together.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Fleadh Report (1997) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Yes! We Have No Bananas more
FAQ
Was The English Patient based on a novel?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
more
User Comments
(Comment on this title)
59 out of 83 people found the following comment useful:-
A reader's movie., 7 September 2003
Author: bduguay from canada

I can understand why some people think this movie is boring. I think it appeals much more to people who are used to the pacing of classic books.

I'm sure many of those who hated it are much like a co-worker of mine who said "Books? I haven't a book since I had to in high school." I checked some of the names of the people who reviled this movie and sure enough it seems many of them think Armaggedon was an "awesome" movie and Chris Farley was a "Comic genius". And that's O.K. Taste is an individual thing.

My sensibilities tell me that the english patient is a very good movie that takes effort to appreciate. Much in this movie is very subtle. It is not a vacation for the brain.(Hey, sometimes the brain NEEDS a vacation, and stupid movies provide that!) Also, it is not a cynic's movie. It's about idealism, tragedy and regret. About how people can want the best but have it all fall apart because of bad choices, and have to go on with the regret of never being able to remedy the situation. Not so much a love story as a tragic one. So many people destroyed because of the selfishness of two people couldn't(wouldn't?) control themselves.

I would ask those who thought the movie boring to watch it again when you feel able to pay full attention to what's going on in the film and how different bits of dialogue dovetail into subtle suggestions of how the characters are feeling and thinking. This movie takes an investment of time, thought and emotion. If this investment is made, I think most people who watch it will feel rewarded.