Storyline

Beautiful and corrupt, sociable and sensitive, Ilya, an independent, happy-go-lucky streetwalker in the bustling Port of Piraeus, is the talk of the town. Intrigued by her character, the love-smitten American intellectual and amateur philosopher, Homer Thrace, sets his sights on becoming Ilya's Pygmalion, and in the process, attempt to explain the decline of the great Ancient Greek civilisation. Of course--as Ilya belongs to no one, and the handsome Greek-Italian dockhand, Tonio, is bent on winning her heart--this is a challenging task, especially when proud Ilya swears that she leads a full and exciting life. Now, the romantic philhellene has two short weeks to accomplish his task. Will he learn a thing or two about life, and maybe, just maybe, find the secret of happiness?—Nick Riganas

Plot Keywords

cigarette smoking, deception, fight, henchman, jail, jealousy, party, transformation, tourist, drinking, education, prostitution, affection, comedy of manners, culture clash, love, opposites attract, pimp, greek, friend

Short Review

The intellectual coherence of Dassin's script is never matched by a convincingly tight dramatic structure.

Trailer

Streaming Service

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