The English Patient (1996)
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84% of critics liked it
(61 reviews) -
81% of users liked it
(78,227 ratings)
Anthony Minghella wrote and directed this award-winning adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's novel about a doomed and tragic romance set against the backdrop of World War II. In a field hospital in Italy, Hana (Juliette Binoche), a nurse from Canada, is caring for a pilot who was horribly burned in… More Anthony Minghella wrote and directed this award-winning adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's novel about a doomed and tragic romance set against the backdrop of World War II. In a field hospital in Italy, Hana (Juliette Binoche), a nurse from Canada, is caring for a pilot who was horribly burned in a plane wreck; he has no identification and cannot remember his name, so he's known simply as "the English Patient," thanks to his accent. When the hospital is forced to evacuate, Hana determines en route that the patient shouldn't be moved far due to his fragile condition, so the two are left in a monastery to be picked up later. In time, Hana begins to piece together the patient's story from the shards of his memories; he's actually Count Laszlo Almasy (Ralph Fiennes), of Hungarian nobility and an explorer working with a group mapping uncharted territory in North Africa. An Englishman, Geoffrey Clifton (Colin Firth), soon joins Almasy's team; travelling with him is his lovely and spirited wife, Katherine (Kristin Scott Thomas). Katherine and Laszlo soon fall in love, which leads Laszlo to betray his friend, his country and all that is dear to him. Meanwhile, Hana and the Patient are joined by Kip (Naveen Andrews), a Sikh with a gift for defusing mines, and Caravaggio (Willem Dafoe), an intelligence agent who knows some of Laszlo's most shameful secrets. The English Patient won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress (Juliette Binoche). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Anthony Minghella
- Written By
- Michael Ondaatje, Anthony Minghella
- Genres
- Drama, Romance
- In Theaters
- Nov 15, 1996 Wide
- On DVD
- Mar 24, 1998
- Studio
- Miramax Films
Critic Reviews
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Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune
With its fine acting, sumptuous visuals and levels of intrigue, The English Patient boasts the elements of something greater than a love story. Too bad it devotes them to something less than a great love story.
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Anthony Lane, New Yorker
The triumph of the film lies not just in the force and range of the performances, but in Minghella's creation of an intimate epic: vast landscapes mingle with the minute details of desire, and the combination is transfixing.
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David Ansen, Newsweek
Out of each of these uprooted characters are spun stories of love, loyalty and betrayal.
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Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine
The cast is superb: Binoche, with her thin, seraphic smile; Scott Thomas, aware of the spell she casts but not flaunting it; Fiennes, especially, radiating sexy mystery, threat shrouded in hauteur. Doom and drive rarely have so much stately star quality.
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Todd McCarthy, Variety
A respectable, intelligent but less than stirring adaptation of an imposingly dense and layered novel.
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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Ralph Fiennes
as Count Laszlo Almasy
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Juliette Binoche
as Hana
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Willem Dafoe
as Caravaggio
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Kristin Scott Thomas
as Katharine Clifton
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Naveen Andrews
as Kip
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Colin Firth
as Geoffrey Clifton
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Julian Wadham
as Madox
- Lothaire Bluteau
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Nino Castelnuovo
as D'Agostino
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Raymond Coulthard
as Douglas Rupert
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Fritz Eggert
as interrogation room soldier
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Clive Merrison
as Fenelon-Barnes
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Jürgen Prochnow
as Maj. Muller german officer
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Liisa Repo-Martell
as Jan
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Amanda Walker
as Lady Hampton
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Kevin Whately
as Sgt. Hardy
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Geordie Johnson
as Oliver
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Philip Whitchurch
as Corporal Dade
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Matthew Ferguson
as young Canadian soldier
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Hichem Rostom
as Fouad
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Lee Ross
as Spalding
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Peter Ruhring
as Bermann
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Torri Higginson
as Mary
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Dominic Mafham
as officer El Taj
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Jason Done
as kiss me soldier
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Sonia Mankaï
as Arab nurse
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Rim Turki
as Aicha
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Sebastian Rudolph
as officer in square
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Sebastian Schipper
as interrogation room soldier
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Anthony Smee
as Beach Interrogating Officer
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Roger Morlidge
as sergeant desert train
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Clive Morrison
as Fenelon-Barnes
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Simon Sherlock
as private desert train
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Thoraya Sehill
as interpreter in square
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Sondess Belhassen
as woman with baby in square
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Salah Miled
as Bedouin doctor
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Abdellatif Hamrouni
as ancient arab
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Samy Azaiez
as Kamal
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Habib Chetoui
as Al Auf
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Phillipa Bay
as officer's wife
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Paul Kant
as Sir Ronnie Hampton


