About Love in the Time of Cholera (HBO)

"Love in the Time of Cholera" is an American romantic drama film released in 2007, based on the acclaimed novel by Nobel Prize-winning Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. The film spans over half a century of love, death, and obsessive passion, set in the colorful background of a disease-ridden South American country.

The movie revolves around the love triangle between Fermina Daza, played by Giovanna Mezzogiorno, and her two suitors, Florentino Ariza (Javier Bardem) and Dr. Juvenal Urbino (Benjamin Bratt). The narrative follows Florentino's unending love for Fermina, who marries Dr. Urbino, and how he chooses to wait for her until death separates her from her husband.

Making / Production

The movie was directed by Mike Newell and produced by Scott Steindorff. It was filmed on location in Cartagena, Colombia, over a period of several months.

Actors

• Javier Bardem as Florentino Ariza: Bardem portrays the role of the hopeless romantic who waits more than fifty years to be with his true love. His performance captures the pain, passion, and perseverance of his character.
• Giovanna Mezzogiorno as Fermina Daza: Mezzogiorno plays Fermina, the object of Florentino's love and wife of Dr. Urbino. She brilliantly captures the character's conflict between duty and love.
• Benjamin Bratt as Dr. Juvenal Urbino: Bratt takes on the role of Fermina's husband, a doctor committed to eradicating a cholera epidemic. His performance displays the stern, committed, and sometimes unemotional demeanor of his character.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was shot in English, though its characters are mostly Spanish-speaking immigrants.
• The author of the original book, Gabriel García Márquez, sold the rights to the book on the condition that his sons would be involved in the production.

Awards

The film was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song ("Despedida"), composed by Antonio Pinto and Shakira.

Quotes

• "I have waited for this opportunity for fifty-one years, nine months, and four days. That is how long I have loved you."
• "I still smell you, I know you're with me."

Music, Soundtrack

• "Despedida" - Shakira
• "Hay Amores" - Shakira
• Part of the score was composed by Antonio Pinto, inspired by the Colombian coastal music.