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IMDbPro

It Happened in Athens

  • 19621962
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
265
YOUR RATING
Jayne Mansfield in It Happened in Athens (1962)
  • Biography
  • Comedy
In 1896 it is announced that the Olympic Games will be revived in Athens. A young shepherd, Spiridon Loues, decides to enter the 26-mile marathon. Once in Athens, he meets Christina Gratsos,... Read allIn 1896 it is announced that the Olympic Games will be revived in Athens. A young shepherd, Spiridon Loues, decides to enter the 26-mile marathon. Once in Athens, he meets Christina Gratsos, a young woman from his hometown who is now the personal maid of Eleni Costa, Greece's mos... Read allIn 1896 it is announced that the Olympic Games will be revived in Athens. A young shepherd, Spiridon Loues, decides to enter the 26-mile marathon. Once in Athens, he meets Christina Gratsos, a young woman from his hometown who is now the personal maid of Eleni Costa, Greece's most glamorous actress. Though he has arrived after the qualification date, Spiridon's athlet... Read all
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
265
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Andrew Marton
  • Writer
    • László Vadnay
  • Stars
    • Jayne Mansfield
    • Trax Colton
    • Nico Minardos
Top credits
  • Director
    • Andrew Marton
  • Writer
    • László Vadnay
  • Stars
    • Jayne Mansfield
    • Trax Colton
    • Nico Minardos
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos17

    Xenia Kalogeropoulou and Jayne Mansfield in It Happened in Athens (1962)
    Trax Colton and Jayne Mansfield in It Happened in Athens (1962)
    Trax Colton and Xenia Kalogeropoulou in It Happened in Athens (1962)
    Jayne Mansfield in It Happened in Athens (1962)
    It Happened in Athens (1962)
    Trax Colton and Xenia Kalogeropoulou in It Happened in Athens (1962)
    It Happened in Athens (1962)
    Ivan Triesault in It Happened in Athens (1962)
    Trax Colton in It Happened in Athens (1962)
    Trax Colton in It Happened in Athens (1962)
    Trax Colton in It Happened in Athens (1962)
    Trax Colton in It Happened in Athens (1962)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jayne Mansfield
    Jayne Mansfield
    • Eleni Costa
    Trax Colton
    • Spiridon Loues
    Nico Minardos
    Nico Minardos
    • Lt. Alexi Vinardos
    Bob Mathias
    Bob Mathias
    • Coach Graham
    Xenia Kalogeropoulou
    • Christina Gratsos
    • (as Maria Xénia)
    Ivan Triesault
    Ivan Triesault
    • Grandpa Loues…
    Lili Valenty
    • Mama Loues
    Titos Vandis
    Titos Vandis
    • Father Loues
    Charles Fawcett
    • Ambassador Cyrus T. Gaylord
    Jean Murat
    Jean Murat
    • De Coubertin
    Roger Browne
    Roger Browne
    • Drake
    • (as Bill Browne)
    Marion Siva
    • Maria Loues
    • (as Marion Silva)
    Paul Muller
    Paul Muller
    • Priest
    Gustavo De Nardo
    Gustavo De Nardo
    • George
    Roger Fradet
    • Dubois
    Denton De Gray
    • O'Toole
    George Graham
    • Stadium Announcer
    Ben Bennett
    • Connolley
    • Director
      • Andrew Marton
    • Writer
      • László Vadnay
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Mickey Hargitay Jr.: "Miklos", Jayne Mansfield's 23-month-old son, at the beginning of the film as the little boy who throws food across the table.
    • Goofs
      Though the film is set at the time of the first modern Olympic Games at the dawn of the 20th Century, from far away it is noticeable that the people in the crowd are from the 1960s as they're wearing 1960s fashions.
    • Quotes

      Spiridon Loues: Father, I want to go to Athens tonight and I need a little money. I ran into old Cristos, and he tells me that Greece are having the Olympic Games again. They begin tomorrow and if I start tonight I can be in Athens in time.

      Father Loues: What for?

      Spiridon Loues: I want to take part. I want to run.

      Father Loues: You? You want to run? In the Olympic Games?

      Spiridon Loues: What do you look at me like that for? You know I can outrun anybody in the village.

      Father Loues: So you can outrun anyone in our village, you are the fastest in Marousi. So what?

      Spiridon Loues: Look, I'll need very little money, Father, and I'll pay you back every cent.

      Father Loues: What makes you think, they'll let you run? And if they do, then what? What chance have you against those great athletes?

      Father Loues: [to his wife] You know the trouble with him? He's a dreamer.

      Spiridon Loues: What's wrong with that? A man must have dreams. Out in the meadows, I think what is the difference between me and my sheep? Not much, Father. We stand in the hot sun from daybreak until dusk. Then we come home and sleep. Day after day. The difference between a man and his animal is that a man has dreams. And I want my dreams to come true. Please, Father, can I have the money?

      Father Loues: No! Now let me eat my soup in peace.

    • Crazy credits
      This photoplay is not a biography of Spiridon Loues. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental. All events except the Marathon victory are fictional.
    • Connections
      Featured in Manos Hadjidakis: Reflection in the Mirror (2008)

    User reviews9

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    It Happens To Be Awesome!
    I love this movie! Jayne has a supporting role but gets top billing and is playing against type. Jayne plays a self absorbed stage actress and is a little villainous. I think it was meant to be a vehicle for introducing Trax Colton to the movies and they needed a big star to carry the movie, so they put Jayne in. Jayne looks mesmerizing in this film. I wish Fox would put it on an official DVD, though they do show it on the Fox Movie Channel sometimes. Trax plays a Greek shepherd boy trying to enter the first Olympics. Jayne plays a glamorous stage actress who promises to marry one of the winners of one of the games. Jayne's acting is inspired and even though she has a supporting role, she is the one you will be watching the film for. This movie has a reputation of being one of Jayne's 'loan out' film roles for Fox, but in fact this was a major motion picture big budget movie filmed in 1960 and was made in Cinemascope.
    helpful•14
    2
    • hilljayne
    • Apr 27, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 1962 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Es geschah in Athen
    • Filming locations
      • Greece
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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