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The English Patient

The English Patient

Drama · Romance · War · 1996

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.

Movie details

The English Patient

“In love, there are no boundaries.”

1996 Drama · Romance · War 2h 42m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.1 / 10

Community rating

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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The English Patient?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Anthony Minghella

Written by

Anthony Minghella

Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes

Almásy

Juliette Binoche

Juliette Binoche

Hana

Willem Dafoe

Willem Dafoe

David Caravaggio

Kristin Scott Thomas

Kristin Scott Thomas

Katharine Clifton

Naveen Andrews

Naveen Andrews

Sikh Kip

Colin Firth

Colin Firth

Geoffrey Clifton

Julian Wadham

Julian Wadham

Madox

Court is in session

Put The English Patient on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.