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Zorba the Greek Overview:

Zorba the Greek (1964) was a Adventure - Drama Film directed by Mihalis Kakogiannis and produced by Anthony Quinn and Mihalis Kakogiannis.

The film was based on the novel Life and Adventures of Alexis Zorbas (Zorba the Greek) written by Nikos Kazantzakis published in 1946 (1952 Eng).

Academy Awards 1964 --- Ceremony Number 37 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorAnthony QuinnNominated
Best Supporting ActressLila KedrovaWon
Best Art DirectionVassilis FotopoulosWon
Best CinematographyWalter LassallyWon
Best DirectorMichael CacoyannisNominated
Best PictureMichael Cacoyannis, ProducerNominated
Best WritingMichael CacoyannisNominated

Zorba the Greek BlogHub Articles:

Zorba the Greek (1964)

Zorba the Greek (Alexis Zorba) Directed by Michael Cacoyannis Written by Michael Cacoyannis from a novel by Nikos Kazantzakis 1964/Greece/USA Twentieth Century Fox Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant Anthony Quinn is such an infectious life force that it is easy to forget how sad much of this movie is. Ba... Read full article


Zorba the Greek

While waiting for a ship to Crete, uptight Englishman, Basil, meets a strange man, Zorba, and before they know more than each other’s names, Zorba wants to go with Basil to work for him.  Like most people, Basil is hesitant to make a stranger his new business partner.  He tells Zorba that he’s... Read full article


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Zorba the Greek Quotes:

Alexis Zorba: How can I not love them? Poor weak creatures... and they take so little, a man's hand on their breast, and they give you all they got.

Alexis Zorba: Silly old bitch. She's not alone, she's with Suleiman Pasha having a hell of a time.

Alexis Zorba: The lamb, it will burn!

Alexis Zorba: Those damn cats!

Alexis Zorba: Am I not a man? And is a man not stupid? I'm a man, so I married. Wife, children, house, everything. The full catastrophe.
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Zorba the Greek Facts
Such was the interest in an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis's hugely popular novel, the film was already in the black before it opened.

The original cut was over 3 hours long.

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. Director Mihalis Kakogiannis asked Anthony Quinn what the dance was, and Anthony Quinn made up a name and claimed it was traditional.

Pia Lindström filmed scenes for the movie as a "Peasant Girl," but her scenes were cut before release.

Herschel Bernardi was nominated for the 1969 Tony Award (New York City) for Actor in a Musical for "Zorba" in the musical adaptation of this movie.

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