Remembering a classic...

The English Patient

Director Anthony Minghella Screenwriter Michael Ondaatje (novel), Anthony Minghella Cast Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Colin Firth

The English Patient, winner of nine Oscars, is the story of a man, played by Ralph Fiennes, who is found badly burnt and suffering from memory loss in the wreckage of a plane in the North African desert in World War Two. As he is cared for by an army nurse, his memory slowly returns and is shown to us in a series of flashbacks. The unveiling of his past reveals a story of a love affair.

Anthony Minghella won an Oscar for his direction of this film, and rightly so. The transitions from past to present are admirable, as each flashback is clearly linked to a taste, sound or sight. For example, the way in which the light plays on the wall of the patient’s room reminds him of a time in Cairo: the links between the scenes are very well worked.

There some truly memorable scenes in The English Patient. The shots of the desert in particular, a beautiful part where the characters are flying over a mountainous region, are epic in nature. The breathtakingly skilled camerawork is complemented by the well crafted script – the dialogue sounds authentic, and revelations are often driven by the gripping conversations between characters.

Some great performances are on show here. Fiennes is exceptional, but that goes without saying; his portrayal of a very introverted desert-lover is very believable. The nurse, played by Juliette Binoche (Chocolat), deservedly won an Oscar for her supporting actress role. Her story is very moving: her life is being torn apart by the war going on around her, and she finds solace in abandoning the war to care for her patient. Willem Dafoe is also present, playing a man with no thumbs who is bent on discovering the patient’s story. His torture scene doesn’t really bear any comparison to Black Swan in terms of its shock value; however he comes across very clearly as a man on a mission. Colin Firth is in the cast and his development into a seething, jealous husband is a great showcase for his prodigious talent. Kristin Scott Thomas plays his wife and was deservedly nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Other characters include a seemingly unemotional Sikh soldier who, in comparison to the book, doesn’t really have a chance to shine, but who is a deep and authentic character.

This is a memorable wartime love story, with some beautiful camerawork and excellent direction. The characters are all very convincing, and the plot will grip you as the tragic tale of The English Patient is unravelled.