This wartime drama - about the romance that develops between a show-off Italian captain (Nicolas Cage, pictured)and a strong-willed Greek woman (Penélope Cruz, pictured) during the Italian occupation of Cephalonia - is based on the best-selling novel by Louis de Bernieres. The tranquillity of the Mediterranean island is shattered when the horror of war arrives, and the couple's love is put to the test as they are forced to choose between their countries and their feelings for one another.
With such strong material to draw on it should have been a superb film, but sadly it's quite a letdown. Director John Madden creates a sugary-safe, picture-postcard treatment of the tale, which is bad enough, but things are made considerably worse by some very dodgy accents all round, especially from Cage.
Captain Corelli's Mandolin is a Film programme that first aired in 2001 and has been classified a 15 certificate.
