ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

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Zorba, the Greek is a 1964 British-Greek drama comedy film, written, produced, directed and mounted by Cypriot Michael Cacoyannis, and based on the novel Life and Adventures of Alexis Zorbas by Nikos Kazantzakis.

Starring Anthony Quinn, Alan Bates, Irene Popas and Lila Kedrova, history recounts the conflict between the two main characters, Zorba and Basil, who represent the human conflict between passion and reason, seeking to represent the cognitive dualism of humanity.

The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, obtaining three awards: Best cast actress for Kedrova, Best picture of a black and white film for Walter Lassally and Best art address for a black and white film for Vassilis Photopoulos. The protagonist's dance has become a popular Greek icon after the film's premiere.

Trama
Basil (Alan Bates) is a British-Greek writer raised in the UK who presents the characteristics of a tense and middle-class English. He is waiting in the port of El Piraeus of Athens in mainland Greece to take a boat to Crete when he meets a rustic, but enthusiastic peasant and musician named Zorba (Anthony Quinn). Basil explains to Zorba that he is going to a rural village in Crete, where his father owns land, with the intention of reopening a lignite mine and perhaps curing his blockade as a writer. Zorba reports her experience with mining and convinces Basil to go together.

When they arrive in Crete, they go in a car to the village where they are enthusiastically received by the impoverished peasant community of the city. They stay with an old war widow and French courtesan named Madame Hortense (Lila Kedrova) in her self-called "Hotel Ritz." The bold Zorba tries to persuade Basil to relate intimately to the much greater Madame Hortense, but as is shown completely reluctant, so Zorba takes advantage of the opportunity and begins a relationship with the owner.

In the next few days, Basil and Zorba are trying to work in the old lignite mine, but they find it unsafe and close it. Zorba then has an idea of using the forest in the nearby mountains for logging (although its specific plan is ambiguous), although the land is owned by a powerful monastery, so Zorba visits it and becomes friends with the monks, getting them drunk. Then go home and start dancing in a way that captures Basil.

Meanwhile, Basil and Zorba know "the widow" (Irene Popas), a young and attractive widow woman, who is incessantly ridiculed by the villagers because she has not remarried, especially a young local boy who is madly in love with her, but who she has rejected on several occasions. A rainy afternoon, Basil offers her an umbrella, which she accepts with a grudge. Zorba suggests that she is attracted to him, but Basil, s