As the annual film industry award season rolls around again, we’re reminded of classic movies we love. From Hollywood’s most iconic films like To Catch a Thief to more recent movie adventures, there are great movies filmed in the Mediterranean to please any armchair traveller. These films should help tide you over until you charter a yacht from one of our Mediterranean locations and set of on adventures of your own.
To Catch a Thief (1955)
This classic film by Alfred Hitchcock features the glamour of Grace Kelly and the handsome and always suave Cary Grant. Set in Côte d’Azur, Hitchcock puts Technicolor to full use, making the most of the sheer coastlines and clear, turquoise waters that grace that part of the Mediterranean. The storylinere on Grant as John Robie, a retired cat burglar, and Kelly as Francie, a Riviera socialite. A series of robberies along the coast leads Robie to try to clear his name.
In typical Hitchcock style, the movie features plenty of suspense, witty dialogue, and phenomenal cinematography. In this film, the Côte d’Azur coastline is clearly a star to rival two of Hollywood’s greats. Dramatic architecture, a scenic picnic setting, and breathtaking drives along the winding Grande Corniche between Nice and Monte Carlo are sure to get you in the mood for a Mediterranean yacht charter.
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Mamma Mia! (2008)
This movie version of the Broadway musical is the most successful movies filmed in the Mediterranean. Mamma Mia! is based on songs by the pop music group ABBA. Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård, the story follows a single mum, her daughter (Amanda Seyfried), and the three men who might be the daughter’s father!
Filmed on the Greek Islands of Skopelos and Skiathos, the movie generated excellent coverage for Greece, with the location receiving better reviews that the rest of the film. In spite of mixed reviews, the movie earned $609.8 million USD, easily recouping the $52 million it cost to produce it. The movie has also been profitable for Greece’s tourist industry and it continues to inspire countless fans to visit and see the wonders of the Greece coastline from themselves – perfectly visible on a yacht charter in Greece.
Related article: Island hop around the Mediterranean on a yacht charter in Greece
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Directed by Anthony Minghella, this take on Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel The Talented Mr Ripley stars Matt Damon and Jude Law and is one of our favourite movies filmed in the Mediterranean. Set in the 1950s, the movie recreates the magic of the lovely Italian coastline from that period. Thanks to the classic architecture, other than the cars and period clothing, visitors today can see much the same sights as are captured in the film.
The movie centres on Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) a smooth-talking chameleon who travels to Italy to convince rich American playboy Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) to end his free-wheeling ways and return home. Ripley quickly becomes enamoured with Greenleaf’s lifestyle and beautiful girlfriend (Gwyneth Paltrow). Visit some of the filming locations while on a yacht charter in Naples, including Postiano and Salerno.
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The Bourne Identity (2002)
The first of the film series based on Robert Ludlum’s novel of the same name, The Bourne Identity is one of our favourite movies filmed in the Mediterranean and stars Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. Bourne is rescued from the Mediterranean Sea by Italian fisherman. This leads to thrilling adventures and chase scenes. Parts of this movie were set in Greece, on the island of Mykonos. While the movie is an exciting example of the manner in which most of us do not want to travel, it also features action-packed scenes filmed in Paris, Prague, Imperia, Rome, and Zürich
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The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
This movie starred Roger Moore in the tenth spy film of the James Bond series. In this instalment of the series we find Bond, James Bond, battling against a reclusive megalomaniac who wants to destroy the world. Filmed along the Costa Smeralda and Egypt, visit some of the film’s iconic scenes while on a yacht charter in Sardinia. In addition to filming in the Med, the magnificent underwater scenes were filmed in Nassau, Bahamas, home to our base when embarking on a yacht charter to The Exumas.
Related article: A complete guide to sailing the Exuma Cays
Mamma Mia 2 – Here we go again! (2018)
Set five years after the events of Mamma Mia!, Mamma Mia! Here we go again, sees Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried, overcoming the death of her mum, Donna (Meryl Streep) while preparing for the reopening of her late mother’s hotel. As if that wasn’t enough, Sophie is also pregnant and in true Mamma Mia style, the film tells the story of the ups and downs Sophie experiences while celebrating the music of Abba.
While the film is set in Greece, it was in fact filmed along the Dalmatian coastline of Croatia on the island of Vis. Beautiful scenery, stunning historical buildings and mesmerising cobalt seas all mesh together to create a true Hollywood masterpiece which can be easily experienced on a yacht charter to Croatia. #]=
Related article: Discover Croatia on a yacht charter
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Cast off on your own Mediterranean adventure through one of our yacht charters. If you are interested in experiencing the Mediterranean on a yacht charter from our bases in Croatia, Greece, Côte d’Azur, Balearic Islands, Corsica, Costa Brava, Sardinia, Sicily or Turkey, contact our sales team today on 02380 455527 or email [email protected].
