De Berni�res: Book has sold two million copies

The crowd welcomed rising-star Cruz but the main attraction was Nicolas Cage who was the last to arrive amid deafening screams from the crowd.

Other stars in attendance were supermodel Jodie Kidd, Irish chat-show host and comic Graham Norton and French footballer David Ginola.

Also at the screening was British actor John Hurt, who plays Cruz's father in the film.

Nervous

Surveying the multinational cast - Cage is an American but plays the Italian Corelli, Cruz is a Spaniard playing a Greek - Madden said that this reflected the core of the film.

"This is a film about the collision of cultures, that's the nature of the beast," he said.

"It's a pretty big movie, but I think its got a wonderful intimacy despite its size."

The novel that inspired the film has been a publishing sensation, translated into 22 languages.

Many readers who loved the book are already worried about the changes to the story line, which Madden said were inevitable in translating a 500 page novel to the screen.

But the stars said they were less aware of just what an icon Captain Corelli has become, and so were not nervous of this.

Cage - star of Raising Arizona, Leaving Las Vegas and Face/Off - said he wanted to do the film because it has broadened his horizons.

"I see myself as a modern actor mainly and I generally shied away from period pieces," he said.

"This is a very romantic love story and I wanted to experience a character of another time."

Exclusion

Cage learnt to play the mandolin, conduct and speak with an Italian accent as well as learn military skills for his role.

Those to whom the character and the book is dear, may be disturbed by just how romantic the film has become, particularly the ending and the presence of a sex scene.

Cage plays a member of the occupying Italian forces on the Greek island of Cephallonia during World War II.

The opera singing, mandolin toting captain falls in love with initially hostile local girl Pelagia.

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There was anger when the book was published at the portrayal of Greek communist partisans.

This issue is sidestepped in the movie by the near exclusion of that plotline.

But veteran Greek actress Irene Pappas who appears in the film said she is not bothered by the way Greece or Greeks are portrayed.

"A film is not a documentary," she said

Cruz - who appeared in Pedro Alm�dovar's All About My Mother - said she identified with Pelagia "as a woman."

She described reading the script on a flight from Los Angeles to Madrid and "hoping to be called to an audition."

Madden gallantly told her that some parts "belong" to some people and Pelagia "belonged" to her.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin will be released in Britain on 4 May, with an American release scheduled for August.