Alexis Zorbas (1964)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Mihalis Kakogiannis

Writers:

Nikos Kazantzakis (novel)
Mihalis Kakogiannis (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 December 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

Life. Lust. Love. Zorba.

Plot:

An uptight English writer traveling to Crete on a matter of business finds his life changed forever when he meets the gregarious Alexis Zorba.

Plot Keywords:

Greek | Greece | Sun | Mining | Friendship

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Anthony Quinn	...	Alexis Zorba
Alan Bates	...	Basil
Irene Papas	...	Widow
Lila Kedrova	...	Madame Hortense
Sotiris Moustakas	...	Mimithos
Anna Kyriakou	...	Soul
Eleni Anousaki	...	Lola
Yorgo Voyagis	...	Pavlo (as George Voyadjis)
Takis Emmanuel	...	Manolakas
Giorgos Foundas	...	Mavrandoni (as George Foundas)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Pia Lindström	...	Peasant Girl (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

Zorba the Greek (Philippines: English title) (USA)
Alexis Zorbas (Greece)
Zorbas o Ellinas (Greece) (video title)

Runtime:

142 min

Country:

USA | UK | Greece

Language:

English | Greek

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (alternate rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Crete, Greece

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Anthony Quinn had a broken foot during filming, and thus couldn't perform the dance on the beach as scripted, which called for much leaping around. Instead, he did a slow shuffle. Director Mihalis Kakogiannisasked Anthony Quinn what the dance was, and Anthony Quinn made up a name and claimed it was traditional.

Quotes:

Madame Hortense: I too fought breasts to breasts.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Michael Blanco (2004)

A fine piece of art, emotion, style, and those are its weaknesses.

This film is very dear to me because when I first saw it showed me why we are here on this earth: to live, to love, to sing, to dance and most of all to live to love, sing, and dance. In essence this film is a masterpiece with the message that life must be lived. Anthony Quinn, in most likely his finest and most loved performance, shines throughout this film. Bates, Pappas, and everyone else are perfect in this film and Cacoyannis is flawless behind the camera. After seeing this movie a week ago I was moved all over again and find myself wanting to have a free and cavalier approach to my life the Zorba has to his life. Only "Life is Beautiful" comes close to capturing this essence. (*note to R. MacPherson*) Quinn was nominated for an academy award for this film but, did not win the award. Rex Harrison won the award that year (for possibly the weakest performance of the five nominees. Nominated that year with Quinn and Harisson were Peter Sellers up for "Dr. Strangelove" playing three different roles ,all three excellent,Richard Burton playing the torn Becket in "Becket",and Peter O'Toole's brilliant and complex portrait of King Henry II in "Becket").After his acceptence Harrison went to Quinn's table and gave the Oscar to Quinn and told Quinn the award should be his and Quinn replied that he already had two at home and didn't know what he would do with it. Harrison left the statuette on Quinn's table any way.