The English Patient (1996) - 2nd time

Nominated for 12 Academy Awards:

Best Picture (WON)

Best Director: Anthony Minghella (WON)

Best Actor: Ralph Fiennes

Best Actress: Kristin Scott Thomas

Best Supporting Actress: Juliette Binoche (WON)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Best Cinematography (WON)

Best Editing (WON)

Best Music, Original Dramatic Score (WON)

Best Art Direction (WON)

Best Costume Design (WON)

Best Sound (WON)

The recipe for one of the best films of all time surely includes an amazing first scene, a fantastic ending and one of the best original music scores in the history of cinema. Of course, The English Patient has much more than that to offer. The two women, Kristin and Juliette, deliver memorable performances and Ralph does a good job as the lead, even though the screenplay seems less involved in his emotional journey outside of the love story.

I’ve tried to figure out why I love this film so much beyond its perfect score, and I would probably name the fact that it’s so damn elegant, consistently elegant, and beautifully balanced. And I would also credit the director, Anthony Minghella, for delivering such a fine movie, such a difficult movie to make. I understand the original cut was over 4 hours, and while it does feel like we’re missing something in the editing (that Dafoe character ends up looking random), we’re spoiled with such gorgeous scenes, and it ends on such a high note, that you tend to focus on what’s excellent: the mood, the ensemble, the music, the cinematography.

It has the distinction of being one of the most awarded films by the Academy, but also one of the most underrated 😊 (only 7.4 on imdb, which is ridiculous).

I give it: 9.5/10

IMDB LINK