English Patient, The (1996) [Blu-ray]
Romance | Drama | War

Winner of 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Anthony Minghella) and Best Supporting Actress (Juliette Binoche), this powerful motion picture is an experience you will never forget. During World War II, a mysterious stranger (Ralph Fiennes) is cared for by British allies unaware of his dangerous past. Yet, as the mystery of his identity is revealed, an incredible tale of passion, intrigue and adventure unfolds. Also starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth and Willem Dafoe, this powerful motion picture is an experience you will never forget.

Storyline: Beginning in the 1930's, "The English Patient" tells the story of Count Almásy who is a Hungarian map maker employed by the Royal Geographical Society to chart the vast expanses of the Sahara Desert along with several other prominent explorers. As World War II unfolds, Almásy enters into a world of love, betrayal, and politics that is later revealed in a series of flashbacks while Almásy is on his death bed after being horribly burned in a plane crash. Written by Anthony Hughes

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman on January 23, 2012 -- There's a famous Seinfeld episode where Elaine, the snarky, boorish, politically incorrect character portrayed with such relish by Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, finds herself increasingly at odds with seemingly everyone around her when she professes her dislike—well, let's be honest, her outright hatred—of the film The English Patient. Elaine's seething disregard for the titular character's horrible fate in life, culminating in her angry catcall of "hurry up and die already" might strike some (as it does most in the episode) as the height of an unfeeling lack of empathy. For those who have slogged through one historical epic too many, it probably hits closer to its intended home of hilarity. Anthony Minghella both wrote and directed the film version of The English Patient, adapting the well regarded novel by Michael Ondaatje, and as I mentioned in my review of Minghella's film version of Cold Mountain, he brought a certain David Lean-esque approach to the novel's gargantuan historical sweep and intimate character study. There's one salient difference between Minghella's The English Patient and at least three of Lean's best known historical epics, namely Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Ryan's Daughter and A Passage to India.

Lean had the ability to frame huge, indeed epochal, historic events in very personal terms. In Lawrence of Arabia, it was of course a biographical piece on T.E. Lawrence, but it also was intimately wrapped up with the nascent ideas of nationalism of various Arab peoples which would go on to define major sociopolitical movements of the later twentieth century. Doctor Zhivago and Ryan's Daughter may have been "mere" love stories at their core, but they played out against (or indeed within) earth shattering events like the Bolshevik Revolution and the long simmering "troubles" between Ireland and England. Only A Passage to India might seem to be at least somewhat outside the bounds of this "history – personal story" dialectic, though it of course has the subtext of British colonialism and class structure at its core. For that very reason, it might be considered the closest cousin to Minghella's The English Patient, for while Minghella's film has several huge historical events playing out in the background, including World War II, the film is much more about its characters than any great movements they find themselves reacting to. While of course none of the main characters in the film can be completely divorced from their setting, the fact that supposedly well known (and some frankly not so well known) historical events are somewhat tangential to the film's storyline might lead curmudgeons like Seinfeld's Elaine to be repeatedly checking their collective watches, wondering when that damned patient will in fact finally hurry up and die.

Before moving on to a perhaps less whimsical analysis of The English Patient, forgive me if I beg your forbearance for my own "Elaine" reaction with regard to this film. There's no doubt that Minghella approaches his source material with all due reverence, and he weaves a very potent story out of simultaneously developing timeframes (something which may in fact confuse some first time viewers), and that may lead some into thinking, like Elaine, that The English Patient is nothing but pretentious hooey. The film is deadly serious most of the time, which brings me to one completely outré moment which stuck out to me so forcefully the first time I saw the film that it has never left my memory, nor my ability to totally separate its absurdity from the rest of the film's rather somber tone. At around 1:44:39 into the film, the main female character, Katharine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas), who is embroiled in an extramarital affair with Hungarian Count Lazló de Almásy (who later becomes known as, yes, "the English patient"), breaks off the affair and walks out on the Count. Whereupon she smacks her head rather forcefully on the support to some bleachers she's walking by. Kristin Scott Thomas' head literally whiplashes back from the impact of this moment, and the first time I saw it, I just burst out laughing. Is there some deep psychological subtext to this moment that Minghella wanted us to grasp? The scene is obviously meant to be there, because there's a quick reaction shot of Ralph Fiennes' Count character, but it is such a patently odd moment, it raises questions more than anything. (To be fair, Minghella does address this weird moment in one of the commentaries on this Blu-ray disc, explaining there was a similar moment in Ondaatje's source novel, and that he wanted a scene of Clifton banging her head in the film. At least we know it was on purpose, if not exactly why it's there.)

The English Patient has a deliberately convoluted structure which might be likened to Russian nesting dolls. The main framing device finds a horribly burned patient being attended to by a concerned nurse named Hana (Juliette Binoche) as World War II winds down. Hana and this mysterious patient, who is assumed to be British, are housed in a labyrinthine Italian monastery. Hana is curious to find out more about her charge, but he is reticent, as well as physically incapable of sharing much information, but the film then begins to indulge in a series of flashbacks which slowly uncover the patient's past as a celebrated Hungarian geographer who becomes entangled in a tempestuous affair which has disastrous results. Meanwhile another disfigured man arrives at the monastery, a Canadian intelligence officer named Caravaggio (Willem Dafoe) who is on the hunt for the man he blames for his infirmity. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Caravaggio's story is ultimately going to intersect with the Hungarian Count's.

Ondaatje's source novel would seem to be one of the most unadaptable works of modern fiction, and it's to Minghella's immense credit that he has fashioned such an excellently flowing film, one which peels back a number of layers on each of the main characters. The Count, Katharine, Hana and Caravaggio are all wounded—physically in some cases, emotionally in all—and under Minghella's rather inspired writing, we get snippets of their stories which help to slowly fill in the blanks. It's perhaps ironic that one of the co-stars, Naveen Andrews, who plays a love interest of Juliette Binoche's, would experience something quite similar in a television outing with Lost. The performances here all top notch, including Oscar winner Binoche, but also including very nice turns from a huge supporting cast that also features such notables as Colin Firth (as Thomas' jilted husband).

The film is huge and sumptuously beautiful a lot of the time (though the sight of the burn makeup might disturb easily upset viewers), and is in fact what is probably most redolent of the works of David Lean. Minghella shepherds his forces seemingly effortlessly here, delivering an emotionally satisfying experience that only the most churlish—like Seinfeld's Elaine—would ever find objectionable.

The English Patient is one of the most emotionally fraught epics of all time, one which blends the huge historical sweep of the works of filmmakers like David Lean with a more psychological, "kitchen sink drama" look at a number of troubled characters. Minghella managed something of a miracle adapting Ondaatje's book, one which is really more of an assemblage of ideas, journal entries and recreations of historical fact (the Count was in fact a real person, though one who did not meet quite the ignominious end The English Patient does), and the film manages not just to hold together incredibly well, but to do so in a very untraditional narrative way. Sumptuously beautiful and impeccably shot and designed, this Blu- ray looks great and sounds stellar, and comes jam packed with excellent supplementary material. Highly recommended.

User Comment: jhclues from Salem, Oregon, 29 July 2002 • In a style reminiscent of the best of David Lean, this romantic love story sweeps across the screen with epic proportions equal to the vast desert regions against which it is set. It's a film which purports that one does not choose love, but rather that it's love that does the choosing, regardless of who, where or when; and furthermore, that it's a matter of the heart often contingent upon prevailing conditions and circumstances. And thus is the situation in `The English Patient,' directed by Anthony Minghella, the story of two people who discover passion and true love in the most inopportune of places and times, proving that when it is predestined, love will find a way.

It's WWII; flying above the African desert, Hungarian Count Laszlo de Almasy (Ralph Fiennes) is shot down, his biplane mistaken for an enemy aircraft. And though he survives the crash, he is severely burned. To his great good fortune, however, he is rescued by a tribe of nomads and winds up in a hospital. But existing conditions are governed by circumstances of war, and Almasy soon becomes one of many patients being transported via convoy to a different facility. Upon reaching Italy, he is too weak and ill to continue on, and a Canadian nurse, Hana (Juliette Binoche), volunteers to stay behind with him at an abandoned monastery.

Hana soon discovers that her charge is something of a man of mystery, as Almasy remembers nothing of his past, and not even his own name. Thought to be English, the only clues pointing to who he is are contained in a book found in his possession after the crash, but even they are as cryptic as Hana's patient. Slowly, however, under prompting from Hana, Almasy begins to remember bits and pieces of his life, and his story begins to unfold. And his memory is helped along even more by the appearance of a mysterious stranger named Caravaggio (Willem Dafoe), who suspects that Almasy is the man he's been looking for-- a man with whom he wants to settle a score. But, burned beyond recognition, Almasy may or may not be that man. Meanwhile, Almasy's memories continue to surface; memories of a woman he loved, Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas)-- as well as memories of Katherine's husband, Geoffrey (Colin Firth). And, crippled in mind and body as he is, those memories become the only thing left to which he can cling with any hope at all, even as his life seems to be slipping farther away with each passing moment.

In addition to directing, Anthony Minghella also wrote the screenplay for this film, which he adapted from the novel by Michael Ondaatje. The result is an epic saga presented in the tradition of Lean's `Doctor Zhivago' and `Lawrence of Arabia'; a magnificent film that fills the screen and the senses with unprecedented grandeur and beauty. Simply put, Minghella's film is genius realized; crafted and delivered with a poetic perfection, watching it is like watching a Monet come to life. From the opening frames, Minghella casts a hypnotic spell over his audience that is binding and transporting, with a story that has an emotional beauty that equals the engagingly stunning and vibrant images brought to life by John Seale's remarkable cinematography; images that virtually fill the screen as well as the soul of the viewer. In every sense, this is a film of rare eloquence, with a striking emotional capacity that facilitates an experience that is truly transcendental. Nominated in twelve categories, it deservedly received a total of nine Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actress (Binoche) and Cinematography.

If one had to choose a single word to describe the `essence' of this film, it would be `excellence.' Even an extraordinary film, however, does not receive nine Oscars without performances that are extraordinary in kind; and the performances given by Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas here transcend the term `Oscar worthy.' Nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of Almasy (Geoffrey Rush was awarded the gold for `Shine'), Fiennes has never been better, achieving an emotional depth with his character that is nearly palpable. Private and introspective, Almasy is not by his very nature an individual to whom the audience will be able to form an intimate connection; Fiennes, however, finds a way to open that emotional door just enough to let you in, enough so that you taste the honest passion welling up within him. And it works. Almasy does not seek your friendship; he will, however, gain your compassion.

Kristen Scott Thomas, too, received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress (Frances McDormand received the award for `Fargo') for her portrayal of Katherine, a woman whose stoic countenance masks the emotional conflict raging within her, born of the forbidden passion that enslaves her and yet to which she gives herself willingly, casting off her shackles of repression to embrace a love so strong it threatens to consume her. The reserve Katherine must maintain evokes the empathy of the audience, as Scott Thomas successfully mines the emotional depths of her character to the greatest possible effect. It's the kind of performance that draws you in and holds you fast, taking you as it does beyond that curtain of hypocrisy that dictates what must be if only for the sake of appearances, and allows you to experience a true sense of unbridled passion. Understated and shaded with subtlety, it's terrific work by Kristin Scott Thomas.

Binoche gives a stunning, affecting performance, as well, as the kindhearted nurse, Hana; it is her humanity, in fact, which defines love in it's purest sense and offers a balanced perspective of it within the context of the film. Her relationship with Kip (Naveen Andrews) affords us a glimpse of passion of another kind, which contrasts effectively with the intensity of that between Almasy and Katherine. `The English Patient' is a film that will move you and fill you emotionally; one you will not want to see end.

Summary: A Magnificent Motion Picture.

User Comment: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK, 26 February 2002 • Tuscany WW2. Traumatised by the loss of anyone she cared for or loved, Canadian nurse Hana stays behind her unit with a dying patient, Count Laszlo de Almásy. de Almásy is burnt all over and has lost his memory. When a vengeful, mysterious thief arrives at their abandoned monastery with a past that seems to include de Almásy , and as Hana reads from his book, memories return regarding his past. He relives his story of lust and love and the destructive force that forbidden passion unleashed upon his life.

This is quite a modern epic. It has the running time of an epic, it has the gorgeous cinematography of an epic, it has the acting of an epic and it has a story of love (lust) against the backdrop of major events in history. Even though it changes or leaves out a significant amount of the original novel it still manages to be a great mix of passionate desire and mystery. The mystery of the story is represented by the thief Caravaggio who casts light on what he knows of de Almásy's past (as he sees it) while the love story is unfolded as it develops in a passionate affair between him and Katherine, a colleagues' wife. The story is compelling enough to carry the long running time, at times the pace seems a little slow and when I saw it in my local multiplex there were some moments where large portions of the audience seemed to be shifting in their seats.

The ‘love' of the story was interesting as it seems to be contrasted with Hana's relationship with Kip the bomb disposal expert. While de Almásy's relationship with Katherine starts as lust and desire before growing into what seems to be love (or could be grief at the result of their affair), Hana's is portrayed as purer and more careful as she fears those she loves will die. This difference helped me see that the film did want to show the destructive power of lust and affairs, however the fact that the central relationship was based more on lust than love took away from the emotional core of the story.

The acting is almost impeccable. Fiennes is excellent even when he is lost behind an unrecognisable mask of burnt flesh. Thomas is actually very good, I find she tends to be very wooden in some things but this type of very English character brings the best out of her. Binoche is excellent as Hana and carries the heart of the film. Dafoe is truly excellent - his element of the story is the mystery and he does it well. He is a great actor and deserves to be in things this good. The support cast include plenty of good actors including Colin Firth, Jurgen Prochnow and Naveem Andrews.

The film is beautifully shot - even though it's all a bit too picturesque to be real! However the director can handle himself well with many different scenes - a tense bomb diffusal, a passionate love scene, a dangerous sand storm etc. Overall the slow pace may frustrate some younger audiences but this is a really good film that draws it's values from classy sources.

Summary: Epic story that mixes lust with a mystery story – worthy stuff but a touch too slow.

[CSW] -3.2- Stories within stories are woven against some great cinematography. I, however, found it to be too drawn out. The slowness is supposed to draw you into great storytelling by giving the time necessary to completely flesh out the characters and add deeper understanding to their inner emotions and motivations. My problem was that I seemed to "get it" too quickly and then wanted to hurry the film to the next point. This is the reason that I and many others found the film to be what we describe as fairly boring. In reality if you need that time and detail to get emotionally comfortable with each character or plot point you will think that this is truly one of the greatest of films. But if you, like me, "get it" too quickly you will leave convinced that this almost three hour film could have been done equally well in half the time. The only way you will know which type you are is to actually watch it. It is never actually boring but the slowness of the added details will turn out to either enamor or annoy you and fortunately or unfortunately you have to watch it to know which.
[V4.0-A5.0] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box.


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