John Philip Madden (born 8 April 1949) is an English director of theatre, film, television, and radio.
Madden was educated at Clifton College. He was in the same house as friend and fellow director Roger Michell.He began his career in British independent films, and graduated from the University of Cambridge (Sidney Sussex) in 1970 with a B.A. in English literature. He started work in television including directing Prime Suspect 4 and episodes of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (ITV, 1984-1994) and Inspector Morse.
Perhaps his most notable achievement to date was directing Shakespeare in Love, which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1998, and for which he was also nominated as Best Director; he lost to Steven Spielberg for Saving Private Ryan. The film also won the Silver Bear at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.
Madden is also a Jury Member for the digital studio Filmaka, a platform for undiscovered filmmakers to show their work to industry professionals… read more
Nicolas Cage uses what could very well be THE worst "accent" in cinema history, and Penelope Cruz actually manages to sound like she's faking one too, even though hers is apparently real. Ditto Bale's accent. This film is bad enough that all prints of it should be rounded up, melted down, and Cage encased inside of them like Merlin in ice. What an overacting, overrated bag of pretentious wind Cage is.
Going to Cephallonia this spring my girlfriend picked out this movie, solely for the purpose of having a glimpse of what the island looked like. We both knew the movie was pretty mediocre, but we were stunned how bad it was in every way. Cage takes the stage as a mandolin-playing, charismatic Italian officer with the taste for local women, with a script too boot.
A tolerable rent at best. Nicholas Cage can't act his way out of a paper bag, with his tired, Droopy Dog face.