Zorba the Greek
“Life. Lust. Love. Zorba.”
Michael CacoyannisCast
Anthony Quinn 
Alan Bates 
Irene Papas
Credits
Written by: 
Nikos Kazantzakis
Plot
A young, reserved English writer, Basil, travels to Crete to reopen an old mine and meets Alexis Zorba, a joyous, uninhibited Greek peasant who becomes his companion and guide. Zorba's love of life, music and dance contrasts with Basil's caution, and they live through love, loss and failure in a village. Michael Cacoyannis's 1964 film, with Anthony Quinn and Mikis Theodorakis's famous music, won three Academy Awards.
Sinekatalog’s take
Michael Cacoyannis's Cretan drama is a joyous celebration of life, with Anthony Quinn unforgettable as Zorba. The sirtaki dance and Theodorakis's music remain iconic, and the film balances joy with grief.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.
Ratings
IMDb: 7.6 / 10 (25,951 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.
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