Complete credited cast: | |||
Romy Schneider | ... | Margot (Santorini) | |
Philippe Noiret | ... | Raoul Malfosse | |
Victor Lanoux | ... | Michel Boutros | |
Umberto Orsini | ... | Rico (Santorini) | |
Gastone Moschin | ... | Primoukis | |
Delia Boccardo | ... | Dora Cooper | |
Martine Brochard | ... | Avghi | |
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Neli Riga | ... | Amalia |
Joachim Hansen | ... | Stahlbaum | |
Carl Möhner | ... | Von Pahlen (as Carl Mohner) | |
Vasilis Kolovos | ... | Andréas | |
Paul Muller | ... | Directeur de l'hôtel | |
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Camille Piton | ... | Le Gardien |
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Aldo Farina | ... | L'Américain |
On August 4, 1936, General Metaxas declared martial law in Greece. A union leader using the name Boutros is sought in Athens by Primoukis, a ruthless police leader. Boutros narrowly escapes and, early the next morning, jumps through the window of Marchese Margot Santorini, the wealthy Austrian-born wife of Rico, a penniless Italian diplomat and playboy. Margot is bored and without purpose: aiding Boutros's escape invigorates her, and soon she is in love. The film briefly jumps to 1945 when Rico and Raoul (who assisted her out of love) meet in France to talk about her fate, and then jumps 30 years to Margot's daughter's visit to Greece to find out about her father. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
This movie promised great things:Philippe Noiret,Victor Lanoux and Umberto Orsini as the three male principals ,and Romy Schneider,as beautiful as ever ,now in the late part of her career;plus the magnificent Greek landscapes;plus a love affair between a communist (Lanoux)and a diplomat's wife ;plus politics;plus a non-linear plot.
But ,for all that, the movie is boring,and if it weren't for the cast,you'd often feel like giving up;politics ,yes,military dictatorship,but most of the time,it stays theoretical ,although Noiret calls Greek mythology to the rescue (Oedipus and Antigone),the characters remain hollow and the passionate love story lacks focus ,intensity and passion ;as for the political side ,it is only skimmed over ,Granier-Deferre being not Costa -Gavras for that matter.
The characters move in a world of luxury and the only pictures of the victims of the dictators are those the lady sees from the window ....of her car as she passes through a wasted land in the hands of the soldiers.