Actually, while the summary sounds pretty blunt, it IS the actual plot of this film. While the Academy liked this film so much that it received some awards, I was not all that taken by the film and I couldn't get past the fact that the leading character was a prostitute--and a very unattractive one at that. I know she was also sweet and fun-loving woman that every man in the film desired, but to me the thought of sleeping with her just seemed very nasty--after all, practically every man in Europe seems to have done this! The men drooled and ogled constantly but frankly she gave me the creeps and the cliché of a "hooker with a heart of gold" just seemed silly. Just once, I want to see a film where instead of Melina Mercouri or Julia Roberts playing a nice "professional girl", I'd like to see one where the lady has oral herpes sores or at least a bad yeast infection.
Well, the plot revolves around a naive American (played by Jules Dassin) who wants to reform Mercouri and make her a "nice girl". His motives, ultimately, are rather interesting and there are many wonderful scenes--particularly at the end of the film. Mercouri was a wonderful actress in the film, but the overall effect, while rather charming, is also pretty disturbing since it's a prostitution film. In many ways, I guess that makes me a bit of a naive boyscout if the movie's main premise is accurate.
Well, the plot revolves around a naive American (played by Jules Dassin) who wants to reform Mercouri and make her a "nice girl". His motives, ultimately, are rather interesting and there are many wonderful scenes--particularly at the end of the film. Mercouri was a wonderful actress in the film, but the overall effect, while rather charming, is also pretty disturbing since it's a prostitution film. In many ways, I guess that makes me a bit of a naive boyscout if the movie's main premise is accurate.