Valentines on the couch

STAFF REPORTER | Thursday February 14, 2008 00:00

Along with the hearty meal for two that you have lovingly prepared (or ordered!) you may have a chilled bottle of wine and a remote control to navigate your way through an intimate evening for two.

A timeless romantic classic set in the war-torn 1930s comes to GTV screens on 14th February 2008.

The English Patient is a poignant story about a desert explorer's intense relationship with a fellow explorer's wife. Interesting story line for Valentines Day, one may say, however the beauty of the story is not in the illicit affair between an English patient and his Oxford educated lover but rather, it lies in the illustration of how love knows no earthly boundaries and can be defined in various ways through human expression.

In this 2 hour 40 minute piece, Ralph Fiennes (Red Dragon and Maid In Manhattan, 2002) is the English Patient. He arrives at the abandoned hospital of a young, yet hauntingly mature Canadian nurse - Juliet Binoche (Chocolat, 1999), who befriends him despite his disturbing fire injuries and partial loss of memory. As he recovers, The English Patient relays the story of his true identity.

His previous life as a desert explorer was highlighted by his relationship with the wife of a British spy, which had a tragic end when the estranged husband attempts to murder both the English patient and his lover, Kristin Scott Thomas (Four Weddings and a Funeral, 1994) in an orchestrated plane crash, which left the English Patient burnt and heart broken.

As The English patient's story is revealed, Hana's haven welcomes two more men with heavy histories. Willem Dafoe (Spiderman,2002 - Spiderman 2,2004 - Spiderman 3,2007 ) is the former thief and vengeful spy who bears thumbless hands from German torture. He arrives at the hospital with another wounded soldier; Naveen Andrews (Karma Sutra: A Tale of Love, 1997), who ultimately falls in love with a willing Hana (Juliet Binoche).

The English Patient tells an intertwined tale of one woman's love for three men under her care. One of them (Willem Dafoe) is an old friend of her late father, and one whom she sees as a parent-figure. The second is her beloved English Patient whom she holds in godly regard and empathises for as one would a betrayed hero. Hana's third and most poignant love is played by Naveen Andrews, whom she ultimately begins a love affair with which ends on an unexpected note...

With nine Academy Awards, six BAFTAs (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and two Golden Globes under its belt, this masterpiece directed by Anthony Minghella (The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, 2008) and interpreted from a Booker Prize winning novel by Michael Ondaatje, is a perfect addition to any romantic evening if you're the intellectual, deep thinking type that appreciates a well told love story.

The English Patient plays tonight (February 14) on G Prime, GTV.