Never on Sunday (1960)
"Pote tin Kyriaki" (original title)

An American scholar in Greece sets about improving a prostitute he's infatuated with.

Director:

Jules Dassin

Writer:

Jules Dassin

Stars:

Melina Mercouri, Jules Dassin, Giorgos Foundas

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Melina Mercouri	...	Ilya
Jules Dassin	...	Homer Thrace
Giorgos Foundas	...	Tonio
Titos Vandis	...	Jorgo
Mitsos Ligizos	...	The Captain (as Mitsos Lygizos)
Despo Diamantidou	...	Despo
Dimos Starenios	...	Poubelle
Dimitris Papamichael	...	A Sailor (as Dimitri Papamichael)
Alexis Solomos	...	Noface
Thanasis Vengos	...	(as Thanassis Veggos)
Faidon Georgitsis	...	Sailor
Nikos Fermas	...	Waiter
Artemis Matsas
Koula Agagiotou
Panos Karavousanos

Storyline

Illia is Piraeus's most popular person: an energetic prostitute, full of life and good humor. Every day, she swims at the pier, entertaining the dock hands. Sundays she has an open house with food, drink and song. Homer Thrace, an amateur philosopher from Middletown, Conn., arrives in town to find out why Greece has fallen from ancient greatness. He decides Illia is a symbol of that fall, so he sets out to study and to save her. Unknown to Illia, he gets the money for the books and all else he gives her from Mr. No Face, the local vice boss who wants Illia retired because her independence gives other whores ideas. Whose spirit is stronger: Homer's classical ideal or Illia's?

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Plot Keywords:

prostitute | greece | jealousy | party | henchman | 

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Taglines:

The Happy Street-Walker of Piraeus...

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

Greece USA

Language:

English Greek Russian

Release Date:

1 October 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

Never on Sunday

Filming Locations:

Piraeus, Greece

Box Office

Budget:

$151,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lopert Pictures Corporation, Melinafilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Features first song ("Never On Sunday") from a foreign-made movie to win an Oscar.

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Quotes

Homer: She killed them. Medea herself, does she not say, "I killed my children"?
Illya: And you believe her? You don't understand the women. Medea loves her husband, yes?
Homer: Yes.
Illya: Her husband is interested in another woman? Yes?
Homer: Yes.
Illya: So she said to her husband that she has killed her children to frighten him, to get him back.
Homer: No!
Illya: Yes. She gets him back, and everybody go away and everybody is happy and they go to the seashore. And that's all!
Homer: If I show you that everything that was ever written about Medea talks ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in The Muppet Show: Liberace (1978)

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Soundtracks

"Ein Schiff wird kommen"
Music Manos Hatzidakis
Lyrics by Fini Busch
Sung by Melina Mercouri

User Reviews

Greek Delight

Never on Sunday is a beautiful, down to earth, romantic comedy. It's a feel-good movie without the Hollywood over-sweetness. A well to do American is educated by a Greek courtesan who is not so sophisticated but full of life. And life proves to be more important then money or sophistication. And there even is a happy ending even though is one with a tear, if you a a sucker for such things. The music is prefect. The title-song is just great. The scenery makes you want to got to Greece for your next holiday. In an nutshell; this is one Greek Delight. Watch it on a cold Sunday and you'll get all warm inside. Watch it on a hot summers-night and you'll believe your in Greece already.