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The English Patient
1996 162 min United Kingdom, United States of America R 18+
★8.3
Drama, Romance, War
Director: Anthony Minghella
🎭 Based on
«The English Patient»
byMichael Ondaatje
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
In the 1930s, Count Almásy 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.
Budget:
$27M
US Gross:
$78.68M
Worldwide:
$231.98M
Starring
Ralph Fiennes
Actor
Juliette Binoche
Actor
Willem Dafoe
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Film Editing
BAFTA 1997
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Golden Globe 1997
— Best Original Score
BAFTA 1997
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Golden Globe 1997
— Best Actor (Drama)
BAFTA 1997
— Best Actress
BAFTA 1997
— Best Production Design
Golden Globe 1997
— Best Original Score
BAFTA 1997
— Best Sound
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Cinematography
Golden Globe 1997
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Production Design
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Actor
BAFTA 1997
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Score for a Drama
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Costume Design
Golden Globe 1997
— Best Director
Golden Globe 1997
— Best Screenplay
Berlin International Film Festival 1997
— Golden Bear
BAFTA 1997
— Best Actor
BAFTA 1997
— Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
European Film Awards 1997
— Best Actress
Screen Actors Guild Awards 1997
— Best Actor
Screen Actors Guild Awards 1997
— Best Actress
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Actress
Golden Globe 1997
— Best Picture (Drama)
Berlin International Film Festival 1997
— Silver Bear – Best Actress
BAFTA 1997
— Best Supporting Actress
BAFTA 1997
— Best Film Editing
BAFTA 1997
— David Lean Award for Direction
Golden Globe 1997
— Best Actress (Drama)
European Film Awards 1997
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Director
BAFTA 1997
— Best Cinematography
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1997
— Best Sound
César Awards 1998
— Best International Feature Film
BAFTA 1997
— Best Costume Design
BAFTA 1997
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Screen Actors Guild Awards 1997
— Best Supporting Actress
European Film Awards 1997
— Best Cinematography
Key opinion
The English Patient is widely recognized for its high production values, stunning cinematography, and powerful central performances. While many viewers find it a deeply moving and visually masterful romantic epic, some critics argue that its polished, Oscar-friendly style feels artificial or overly sentimental.
| Acting | Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Juliette Binoche deliver uniformly excellent and emotionally resonant performances. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography is visually exquisite, effectively capturing the vast, hypnotic beauty of the Sahara desert and Italian landscapes. | |
| Theme | The film’s narrative is a complex, profound exploration of how geopolitical forces and war intersect with personal identity and private passion. | |
| Pacing | The long runtime and contemplative pace are viewed by many as immersive and necessary for the story's gravity, while others find the film tedious and lacking in narrative cohesion. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are divided: supporters laud its poetic, obsessive romantic depth, while detractors find the dialogue theatrical, melodramatic, and lacking in genuine human authenticity. |