I can't believe it is recommended as having an optimistic message!
Maybe it's part of the myth about happy and beautiful poor countries that offer some "magical experience" to foreigners who then go back to their rich countries, not caring because they have felt good and that's what matters... Maybe Zorba is that fictional "good savage" who doesn't matter except for making the "civilized man" feel good about himself.
Zorba is a just a sweet talker who gets his master into trouble but is also very loyal and servile.
Women also don't matter.... Two widows, both used and discarded. One of them is humilliated and killed because of one night with a man. This man doesn't stand up for her and can't show even a drop of compassion or guilt after watching everything and doing nothing. Both widows/lovers of the two guys die, two scenes of human cruelty and violent herd behavior. Do they care? Both man only care about each other and other men. They quickly resume business, including other men who killed one woman and looted the other's house while she was dying. Business between men is the only thing that counts.
Then, everything goes wrong and they dance...
Review of Zorba the Greek
