Captain Corelli's Mandolin

“Captain Corelli’s Mandolin“ is a movie set in Greece and is based on the novel of Louis de Bernières.

The movie is in general about the invasion of the Greek island Cephallonia by Italy but also by Germans during the Second World War. Cephallonia immediately surrenders.

Captain Antonio Corelli (played by Nicolas Cage) is an officer of one infantry division (“Acqui”) of Italy who speaks Greek and is a very kind character. His passion belongs to the mandolin.

Pelagia (played by Penélope Cruz) is the daughter of the local village doctor and is a person with a strong will but who is also very educated.

The Italian Soldier’s behaviour is disturbing and offending to Pelagia at the first place but after a while she feels comfortable besides him when they have to share the house of Pelagia’s father.
While the fiancé of Pelagia Mandras, a local fisherman, has to go to war, the relationship or friendship between Pelagia and Antonio grows.
The friendship gives Antonio the reason to question why they are currently fighting on the island. Also Antonio begins to fall in love with Pelagia.

As the war comes closer to their place they have to decide between their love for each other or the loyalty to their origins.

Lately the Italian government surrenders to the incoming Allies and the Italian soldiers prepare to leave the island and go back to Italy, but the Germans forcing the Italians to disarm in a violently way.  
The Greeks posses nothing to defend themselves and ask the Italians to have the permission to use their arms for a short resistance. Because of this the Germans shot thousands of Italian soldiers as traitors. Antonio Corelli survives the spree.
Mandras takes him to the doctor to recover but also to a boat to leave the island.

However, Antonio Corelli leaves the island and will eventually return to Pelagia in the future.

Casting

• Nicolas Cage - Captain Antonio Corelli
• Penélope Cruz - Pelagia
  
• John Hurt - Dr. Iannis
• Christian Bale - Mandras
• Irene Papas - Drosoula
• David Morrissey - Hauptmann Gunther Weber