Synopsis
The story is about a doomed and tragic romance set against the backdrop of World War II. In a field hospital in Italy, Hana, a nurse from Canada, is caring for a pilot who was horribly burned in a plane wreck; he has no identification and cannot remember his name, so he's known simply as "the English Patient," thanks to his accent. When the hospital is forced to evacuate, Hana determines en route that the patient shouldn't be moved far due to his fragile condition, so the two are left in a monastery to be picked up later. In time, Hana begins to piece together the patient's story from the shards of his memories; he's actually Count Laszlo Almasy, of Hungarian nobility and an explorer working with a group mapping uncharted territory in North Africa. An Englishman, Geoffrey Clifton, soon joins Almasy's team; travelling with him is his lovely and spirited wife, Katherine. Katherine and Laszlo soon fall in love, which leads Laszlo to betray his friend, his country and all that is dear to him. Meanwhile, Hana and the Patient are joined by Kip, a Sikh with a gift for defusing mines, and Caravaggio, an intelligence agent who knows some of Laszlo's most shameful secrets.
Metrics
Movie Details
Production Budget: | $35,000,000 |
South Korea Releases: | March 15th, 1997 (Wide) July 21st, 2022 (Limited) |
Video Release: | September 23rd, 1997 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment |
MPAA Rating: | R for sexuality, some violence and language. |
Running Time: | 161 minutes |
Keywords: | World War II, Oscars Best Picture Winner, Romantic Drama, 1997 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
Genre: | Drama |
Production Method: | Live Action |
Creative Type: | Historical Fiction |
Production/Financing Companies: | Tiger Moth Productions |
Production Countries: | Italy, Tunisia |
Languages: | English |