[Curiosities]'Zorba, the Greek': who he was, where it was filmed and more curiosities about the famous Anthony Quinn film

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Anthony Quinn in his most famous role: Zorba the Greek

Anthony Quinn shot more than 200 films, including some as famous as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, The Fisherman's Sandals, Barabbas, Viva Zapata or The Fool with Red Hair. For these last two films he won the Oscar for best supporting actor and that in The madman with red hair he only appears for nine minutes. But none of the characters in those works imbued him as much as Zorba the Greek, who filmed as a world famous and box office magnet. Quite a success for someone with his past: when he was born, his father was fighting alongside Pancho Villa. At just three years old, the family immigrated to California and immediately went to work helping out at home. He dropped out of school and did everything: he was a boxer, a farmer, a butcher, a taxi driver, he did portraits of famous actors, he worked as an impersonator...

His first roles had no impact and forced him to play a villain, a gangster, a Latino... Despite marrying the adoptive daughter of Cecil B. de Mille, the famous director did not help him and he had to carve out his own path. And he did. He was playing small roles, attracting attention and making a name for himself, with jobs in the theater, television and cinema.

Where was it filmed, who was Zorba
The film was shot on the Greek island of Crete, mainly in the city of Chania, the Apokoronas region, the Akrotiri peninsula and the beach town of Stravros, where the famous sirtaki scene was shot. The theme was so successful that it po[CENSORED]rized the dance all over the world and Greece started a verse as a new tourist destination. The film is written, produced, directed and edited by Cypriot Michael Cacoyannis, tremendously based on the novel The Life and Adventures of Alexis Zorbas by Nikos Kazantzakis. He was an almost real character, since he was inspired to write the book by his friend Georgios Zorbas.

Anthony Quinn dances to the mesmerizing rhythm created by Theodorakis

cast of stars
Anthony Quinn leads the cast and alongside him are Alan Bates, Irene Papas and Lila Kedrova, who plays Madame Hortense. This role was first given to the actress Simone Signoret, who came to shoot some scenes, but the producers opted for Kedrova, who won the Oscar for this work. It was only her third film: she had debuted with the role of Pepita in Calle Mayor, by Juan Antonio Bardem.

The argument
Basil is a young writer who has inherited a mining operation in Crete, which has been abandoned for several years. He travels to the island and there he meets Zorba, a Greek older than him, wise and strong, who has great vitality. The story focuses on the contrast of their ways of being and thinking, a powerful portrayal of the human conflict that occurs when reason collides with passion. "Damn boss, I like him too much not to say. You have everything except one thing: madness! A man needs a little madness, or else..." Zorba tells Basil.4

The film was directed by Michael Cacoyannis and starred Anthony Quinn.
And the Oscar goes to...
The film was a huge box office success around the world and the Hollywood Academy awarded it with seven Oscar Award nominations, although it only took three: Best Supporting Actress for Lila Kedrova, Best Cinematography for a Black and White Film for Walter Lassally and Best Art Direction of a Black and White Film for Vassilis Photopoulos.

from cinema to theater
Four years after the premiere, a musical version was made for Broadway, Zorba, starring Herschel Bernardi. And in 1983, she was played by Anthony Quinn and Lila Kedrova, reprising their roles from the film. This new version was widely accepted by critics and audiences and Kedrova violated the Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.

 

Link: https://www.rtve.es/television/20230424/zorba-griego-curiosidades-donde-ver-rodaje-anthony-quinn/2440936.shtml