It's a romantic war drama set in Egypt and Italy between 1938 and 1945. It opens with a two-person biplane shot down by the Germans in Africa, with the pilot suffering severe burns. Gradually, we meet two main characters and many subsidiary characters.
Through gradually unfolding flashbacks, we learn that László Almásy (Ralph Fiennes), the burned pilot, is a multilingual member of the Royal Geographical Society. He's working with his British friend, Peter Madox (Julian Wadham), and others to research cave paintings in the Sahara. A British couple, Geoffrey (Colin Firth) and Katharine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas), are assisting and supplying a plane to help with transportation. Through complex circumstances, László and Katharine develop a relationship.
Hana (Juliette Binoche) is a French Canadian nurse caring for Almásy near the war's end as he continues to fail from his burns. She has brought him to a bombed-out monastery in Italy to reduce his suffering from movement. David Caravaggio (Willem Defoe), a Canadian Intelligence officer, joins their group on a revenge search for persons responsible for his suffering earlier in the war. Lt. Kip (Naveen Andrews) is part of a sapper unit clearing mines and bombs also lives at the monastery for a time and becomes friends with Hana.
The film slowly unfolds what happened to László and Katharine, how Caravaggio is connected to the others, and Hana's fear of relationships because so many people she loves die.
You have to see "The English Patient" at least twice. The first time, the timeshifts are confusing. The second time, there are many "aah" moments when things fall into place. Everything revolves around Almásy and Hana, with flashbacks to Almásy and Katharine.
The direction and editing in the movie are exquisite. All the main characters are excellent. The film is a remarkable adaptation of a very complex novel. Some liberties are taken, but it works.
Through gradually unfolding flashbacks, we learn that László Almásy (Ralph Fiennes), the burned pilot, is a multilingual member of the Royal Geographical Society. He's working with his British friend, Peter Madox (Julian Wadham), and others to research cave paintings in the Sahara. A British couple, Geoffrey (Colin Firth) and Katharine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas), are assisting and supplying a plane to help with transportation. Through complex circumstances, László and Katharine develop a relationship.
Hana (Juliette Binoche) is a French Canadian nurse caring for Almásy near the war's end as he continues to fail from his burns. She has brought him to a bombed-out monastery in Italy to reduce his suffering from movement. David Caravaggio (Willem Defoe), a Canadian Intelligence officer, joins their group on a revenge search for persons responsible for his suffering earlier in the war. Lt. Kip (Naveen Andrews) is part of a sapper unit clearing mines and bombs also lives at the monastery for a time and becomes friends with Hana.
The film slowly unfolds what happened to László and Katharine, how Caravaggio is connected to the others, and Hana's fear of relationships because so many people she loves die.
You have to see "The English Patient" at least twice. The first time, the timeshifts are confusing. The second time, there are many "aah" moments when things fall into place. Everything revolves around Almásy and Hana, with flashbacks to Almásy and Katharine.
The direction and editing in the movie are exquisite. All the main characters are excellent. The film is a remarkable adaptation of a very complex novel. Some liberties are taken, but it works.