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| Released in 1996 and directed by the late Anthony Minghella who also wrote the screenplay and based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje. Den Stylist Extraordinaire Trudye and I have resolved to finally read the novel to our favorite movie this winter. |
Some of you may be aware that The English Patient, along with Doctor Zhivago and Casablanca, is my favorite movie. I also know there are many people whose opinions I value that thought it plodding and too long; I get that and know it's a movie you must be in the right mood for. In reflecting back, I now realize that a perfect set of circumstances was necessary for that first viewing to be far and away the best movie experience of my life. More often than not, I attend movies and cultural events alone as I hate being distracted when trying to focus on something I have planned a day or week around.
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| While in Iraq during 2007-2008, every paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division knew that Juliette Binoche was GSL's aka 'Pappy' great love |
During a performance or movie, my senses are on high alert so muffled yawns, excessive fidgeting, and persistent watch checks can ruin the experience making GSL quite cranky and has on occasion exposed my rougher edges. I also recognize that attending a movie or performance with agreeable company can greatly enhance the experience.
The night I saw the just released English Patient was with that most agreeable company...two young ladies (actually 3-4 years my senior) I met under amusing circumstances just a couple months prior. Adding a little frisson to the evening was that I found both ladies quite attractive, charming, interesting, and wasn't at all averse to the possibility something of a romantic nature could develop with one of them...only I wasn't sure which one and later found out that similar possibilities were being entertained by them regarding me and one of my friends. Even better was that all parties were quite comfortable with those potentialities sorting themselves out in due course.
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| 'Pappy' was more discreet regarding his KST crush... all pics from Pinterest |
My friends knew of my big crush on Juliette Binoche going into the movie and they had a very favorable impression of Ralph Fiennes and 162 minutes later they were madly in love with Count Almasy (RF) and I was only beginning to recover from Hana's (JB) betrayal of me looking at frescoes with Kip but also had a new crush in Katharine Clifton (KST) who I'd love to be marooned in a sandstorm with.
My friends and I still stay in touch (they each now happily married with kids living far away) and we see each other once a year or so and when we do get together we always talk about that night we saw The English Patient.
Which movie experience has been most special to you?
