Watch Zorba the Greek For Free

Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Uptight writer Englishman Basil (Alan Bates) is waiting out a storm in Piraeus as he is approached by flamboyant Zorba (Anthony Quinn). Zorba wants Basil to take him on his trip to Crete where Basil's father left him some lands. Zorba was previously a miner and Basil tries to reopen the mine. The village is impoverished and the mine is too dangerous. They stay with the flighty older flirt Madame Hortense (Lila Kedrova). Zobra has an idea to log the mountain while Basil falls for the ostracized Widow (Irene Papas).That music is infectious. It pumps up the joy every time it's played. That's how I feel about Quinn's Zorba. He is a force of nature and full of life. He's also a very deep character and one of the great performances of all times. The widow's story is crazy scary and her climatic scene is so compelling. In fact, it's so fearful that I don't necessarily blame Basil. Everybody wants to be Zorba but sadly, most of us are more like Basil.

This movie is not for everyone. Many people may not understand it. I am from Greece and although I am very young and I have never experienced similar incidents, I have seen old Greek movies and I have listened many stories from my grandparents and parents.Yes that was the life in our villages years ago, when people were spontaneous, simple but also reckless and furious. Things changed, I don't know in a bad or in a good way because maybe now we are more ''civilized'' (if someone can define that word) but many things are lost.Anyway when this movie ended, I had a smile in my face and an optimism... It shows life as it is with ups and downs, with happiness and sadness. Even if there was a little madness, that's life and all we can do after all... is dance...

Top-notch picture based on an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis's hugely popular novel . It deals with an uptight and poignant English writer called Basil (Alan Bates was Mihalis Kakogiannis's first choice for this part) traveling to Crete on a matter of business finds his life changed forever when he meets the zesty as well as joyful Zorba (in title role Anthony Quinn displays an awesome acting , he is a delight as Alexis) . Gregarious Zorba is an eye-opener to the visiting stranger . At a tiny village the writer meets an old spinster woman named Madame Hortense (Lila Kedrova was a win an Academy Award, though Simone Signoret was the original choice for this role and turned it down and she came to regret that decision) and a beautiful widow (a young Irene Papas) . Sensitive and thought-provoking film plenty of drama , emotion , Greek social habits and wonderful performances .Interesting and flavorful screenplay by the same filmmaker from Nikos Kazantzakis' novel who also wrote ¨The last temptation of Christ¨. Special mention to Anthony Quinn as an uncomplicated and jolly man , an earthy and humble peasant with a real lust for life , a character he has become identified with . However , in the earlier stages of filming, the filmmaker and Anthony Quinn had frequent disagreements as the director felt that his leading actor was being too over-the-top . Alan Bates as a sensible as well as intellectual writer is also very good and the young beauty Irene Papas is marvelous as a widow who originates a tragedy . Extraordinary Lila Kedrova as an aging and dying courtesan, she ended up receiving an Academy Award for her role. The original Broadway production of "Zorba" opened at the Imperial Theater in New York on November 16, 1968, ran for 305 performances and was nominated for the 1969 Tony Award for the Best Musical. Anthony Quinn and Lila Kedrova who starred together in this movie version appeared in the revival of Zorba in 1982-3 with Lila Kedrova winning the 1984 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical . Gorgeous , enjoyable cinematography in white and black by Walter Lassally that also won deservedly an Oscar. Rousing and immortal soundtrack by Mikis Theodorakis based on Greek traditional music , including breathtaking dances performed by Anthony Quinn. However , 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 . This brooding motion picture was stunningly directed by Michael Cacoyannis ,though the project was turned down by every major studio . Cacoyannis was an expert on adaptations based upon Classic Greek plays such as ¨Iphigenea¨ , ¨Elektra¨ and ¨The Trojan women¨ . ¨Zorba¨ rating : Better than average , worthwhile watching . Essential and indispensable seeing for Anthony Quinn fans .

Anthony Quinn's title character is a force of nature, and the rest of the people in the movie are tossed and buffeted helplessly by his whims. The writer played by Alan Bates is stunned into almost catatonic inaction by the strange, harsh society he encounters on Crete. Why he comes, and why he stays despite unnerving and sometimes horrific experiences, are questions that the movie raises but cannot answer. The pervasive unpleasantness of the place dims even Zorba's spirit until his only option is to embrace his powerlessness over his surroundings. Irene Papas, who had shown great chemistry with Quinn in "The Guns of Navarone" (1961) is tragically underutilized here.