Ultimately, the mine requires beams to reinforce the gallery, and the only timber available are from a forest owned by the mountain monastery. Zorba devises a plan (that involves intoxicating and befriending the monks, and an overhead cable to essentially zip-line the felled trees to the base of the mountain.) He asks Basil if he trusts him, and when he receives a positive, asks why. Basil replies, "because your you." When Zorba warns his schemes could ruin him, Basil replies, "I'll take that chance." Encouraged, Zorba engages in a euphoric display of dance..working himself into a frenzy and eventually passing out in the sand. He reveals that, when his son died, he was unable to express the incredible sorrow he felt and began to dance. Those around him believed he had lost his mind but, as Zorba said, it was the only way to alleviate the pain.

Growing restless with his long-standing affair with the Madame Hortense (the frenchwoman), Zorba goes into town to purchase the materials while an increasingly anxious (and broke) Basil waits back at the mine/village. While Zorba is gone, he spends much of the money on booze and women, writing home to Basil about it. When Hortense, already thrice abandoned by men, asks what the letter says, Basil is forced to improvise on the spot and create an entirely different letter (thus breaking him of his writer's block.) Furthermore, lonely and isolated, Basil finally visits the widow at her remote home. Their romantic encounter is spotted by passer-byers who relay the news to Mavradonis' son, who promptly commits suicide in shame. The following morning, Zorba returns home with all the materials (at discount prices) and gifts for everyone. Soon after, on their way to church, the widow is isolated by a vengeful mob and attacked with stones and then knives. Zorba initially fights her attackers away, but as they try to leave, (Mavradonis kills her.) Soon thereafter, Madame Hortense dies of influenza that she caught while waiting for Zorba to return. Despite his philandering, Zorba remains with her till her last breath, and after she dies, takes her parrot away as the villagers salvage all her belongings before the state can seize them.

Depressed, the two carry out their plan to bring timbers down the mountain. After gathering the entire village and monastery, they attempt to make the zip-line work. It fails twice, sending the monks delivering blessings diving into the river, while on the third time, the entire zip-line and all its support poles collapse. Watching the dust still settle and the villagers fleeing far into the distance, the two are left alone, where Zorba suddenly worries about the lamb on the spit burning. The two sit down, and after a brief chat, Zorba asks when Basil will return to England, and whether Basil is angry with him. Basil replies that he is not and after taking a long look at the ruins, turns to Zorba and asks, "Teach me to dance...will you?" Zorba is overjoyed at this request, and they begin to dance and laugh at their rather grim situation. The film ends with the two dancing alone on the beach by the ruins of the mine.

to:

Ultimately, the mine requires beams to reinforce the gallery, and the only timber available are from a forest owned by the mountain monastery. Zorba devises a plan (that involves intoxicating and befriending the monks, and an overhead cable to essentially zip-line the felled trees to the base of the mountain.) He asks Basil if he trusts him, and when he receives a positive, asks why. Basil replies, "because you're you." When Zorba warns his schemes could ruin him, Basil replies, "I'll take that chance." Encouraged, Zorba engages in a euphoric display of dance, working himself into a frenzy and eventually passing out in the sand. He reveals that, when his son died, he was unable to express the incredible sorrow he felt and began to dance. Those around him believed he had lost his mind but, as Zorba said, it was the only way to alleviate the pain.

Growing restless with his long-standing affair with the Madame Hortense (the frenchwoman), Zorba goes into town to purchase the materials while an increasingly anxious (and broke) Basil waits back at the mine/village. While Zorba is gone, he spends much of the money on booze and women, writing home to Basil about it. When Hortense, already thrice abandoned by men, asks what the letter says, Basil is forced to improvise on the spot and create an entirely different letter (thus breaking him of his writer's block.) Furthermore, lonely and isolated, Basil finally visits the widow at her remote home. Their romantic encounter is spotted by passers-bye who relay the news to Mavradonis' son, who promptly commits suicide in shame. The following morning, Zorba returns home with all the materials (at discount prices) and gifts for everyone. Soon after, on their way to church, the widow is isolated by a vengeful mob and attacked with stones and then knives. Zorba initially fights her attackers away, but as they try to leave, (Mavradonis kills her.) Soon thereafter, Madame Hortense dies of influenza that she caught while waiting for Zorba to return. Despite his philandering, Zorba remains with her till her last breath, and after she dies, takes her parrot away as the villagers salvage all her belongings before the state can seize them.

Depressed, the two carry out their plan to bring timbers down the mountain. After gathering the entire village and monastery, they attempt to make the zip-line work. It fails twice, sending the monks delivering blessings diving into the river, while on the third time, the entire zip-line and all its support poles collapse. Watching the dust still settle and the villagers fleeing far into the distance, the two are left alone, where Zorba suddenly worries about the lamb on the spit burning. The two sit down, and after a brief chat, Zorba asks when Basil will return to England, and whether Basil is angry with him. Basil replies that he is not and after taking a long look at the ruins, turns to Zorba and asks, "Teach me to dance... will you?" Zorba is overjoyed at this request, and they begin to dance and laugh at their rather grim situation. The film ends with the two dancing alone on the beach by the ruins of the mine.

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