The English Patient
Seen it?1996 | 162 min | Drama, Romance, War
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (86% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won 9 Oscars, it made about 9 times its budget and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics and history buffs. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Intense, warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Unhurried and epic, at 2 hr 42 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- It's long: 2 hr 42 min.
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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
86% on Rotten Tomatoes, 86 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 9 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Picture, Academy Awards: Best Director, Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress, Academy Awards: Best Art Direction and 5 more. Won 2 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Golden Globe Awards: Best Original Score – Motion Picture. Won 6 BAFTAs: British Academy Film Awards: Best Film, British Academy Film Awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role, British Academy Film Awards: Best Screenplay – Adapted, British Academy Film Awards: Best Cinematography and 2 more. Won 2 Critics' Choice Awards: Critics' Choice Awards: Best Director, Critics' Choice Awards: Best Screenplay. Won 2 DGA Awards: Art Directors Guild Awards: Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases, Directors Guild of America Awards: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures. Won 1 PGA Award: Producers Guild of America Awards: Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures. Also nominated for 3 more Oscars, 5 more Golden Globes and 7 more BAFTAs. Plus 1 other award.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$232 million worldwide on a $27 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 500K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Anthony Minghella
- Ralph FiennesAlmásy
- Juliette BinocheHana
- Willem DafoeDavid Caravaggio
- Kristin Scott ThomasKatharine Clifton
- Naveen AndrewsSikh Kip
- Colin FirthGeoffrey Clifton
- Julian WadhamMadox
- Torri HigginsonMary
- Jürgen ProchnowMajor Muller
- Kevin WhatelySgt. Hardy