Christian Bale expressed his honest sentiment about one of his early movies, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001). The film was shot in many locations in Kefalonia, Greece, boasting stunning and scenic views of the mountains and beaches.
While this sounds like a paradise to many, Bale had a terrible experience. It was very uncomfortable, especially during times when it was extremely hot and the air conditioning did not work. Rumors even claimed that he was not particularly happy on the set.
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Christian Bale Talked About His Horrible Experience Filming For Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
During his interview with BBC, actor Christian Bale was asked about his experience working on John Madden’s Captain Corelli’s Mandolin in the middle of the Greek heatwave:
“It was excessive. There were days out there when it was apparently 125 degrees. We were in period grab, which is not heat-friendly. Heavy wool was what the soldiers wore. That was incredibly hot and heavy. They would also wear a number of sweaters because they’d go from that intense heat to the mountains, which was below freezing.”
The actor also noted how it felt “like death” because they had no electricity or fuel to make the air conditioner function. He further added:
“It did get overwhelming on occasions. There were a few times when all the motors went out because the heat had made the generators expire so there was no air conditioning. We were just sitting there, and all you could hear were the crickets. It did feel like death.”
Because of these sentiments, as well as many claims that circulated the internet at the time, fans speculated that Bale did not have a great time working on the movie. He refuted these rumors and said:
“Oh, that was Internet chatter. Of course, it would be nice to swim with dolphins, but I knew that scene wasn’t in the screenplay when I first met John. You make one tiny comment that you’d like to swim with dolphins, and they made it into some big thing that I was hugely disappointed with the movie – which was complete nonsense.”
Despite the inconveniences brought by the heatwave, Bale assured fans that he had a swell time enjoying the incredible views in Kefalonia while making friends with sea creatures.
Christian Bale Discussed His Character In Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
In the same interview with BBC, Christian Bale talked about his character in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. He played Mandras, a local fisherman and the fiancé of Penelope Cruz’s Pelagia.
“He’s somebody whose best way of communicating is not through language; he’s far more visual. He lives an idyllic lifestyle, at one with nature. The idea of Mandras is very appealing to Pelagia. The reality of him is fun and enjoyable – there’s a nice passage in the book where Mandras talks about the fact that he has a lot of thoughts going on.”
Bale noted his character’s personality being a happy-go-lucky person. Somehow Pelagia finds this very attractive.
“He has opinions about things, but he just gets a strange sensation whenever he’s around her, and he finds himself hanging from trees and pretending to be a monkey. He can’t help himself. He always wants to play. He sees the war as his first introduction to the world.”
Finally, Mandras heads off to war on the mainland hoping that when he comes back, people will hail him as some sort of a hero.
“Inevitably, it’s completely confusing, but he doesn’t realize that. He very sincerely wants to fight for his people and his land. He has this romantic notion where he will come back, and everyone will see him as vital. What he doesn’t account for is that fact that the town will be completely changed when he returns from the war.”
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin gave an underwhelming performance at the box office, with many reviews pointing out how the film’s plot deviated from the novel. It was praised for its beautiful locations, but unfortunately, it was not enough to save the movie.
