Known for Acting
The film is the story of a group of soldiers, who, in the course of their compulsory military service in 1967 and 1968, before and during the military dictatorship in Greece, are assigned to the then recently founded Armed Forces Television. This TV station, founded for the civilian population, was run by the Cinematographic Unit of the army which until then had only produced propaganda films and newsreels and was responsible for entertaining the troops and other charity organizations with movie screenings. The personnel was composed mostly of soldiers, who already had experience in the film business in their civilian lives, as well as those who received their training in the army. The story may be only 95% true, but that is simply because the true story is even more absurd...
Still reluctant to call it quits on her dying marriage, a conventional Athenian housewife gets caught up in a whirlwind romance with a successful man. Will this deliciously dangerous affair lead to true love or sharp disappointment?
Melina Mercouri plays Maya, a jet-setting Greek actress who returns to her homeland to undertake the role of Medea. Searching for inspiration and clues as to how a mother could kill the children she loves, Maya discovers Brenda (Ellen Burstyn), a bible-spouting American woman serving time in an Athens prison for that very crime.
Up against his money-grabbing relatives, his compromised superiors, and the state, a firm painter decides to protest by bricking up the windows of his house. Everyone wants to get their hands on his legacy. Will the protectors succeed?
This film is a social comment of the times, exploring issues that centre around relationships and what was allowed and what was not allowed at the time (early 60s) in Greece. There are sub-plots also, mainly relating to the life of the poor city dwellers, social injustice and seeming double standards. Aliki Vougiouklaki is a poor young girl dreaming of a better life and the "handsome prince on a white stallion" who will deliver her from her miserable existence. She meets and falls in love with a young man (Nikos Kourkoulos) who also falls in love with her, but things are not as simple as they first seem. His past comes to haunt them with tragic consequences. Vassilis Diamantopoulos is excellent as the half-crazed old captain whose life strangely echoes that of young Aliki.
Helena (Xenia Kalogeropoulou) returns to Greece after studying in Paris and on the ship home she meets Dinos (Dinos Iliopoulos). An attraction develops between them and after a while Dinos asks for her hand in marriage. Helena though cannot accept his proposal because she is pregnant.
Lalakis is married with Poppe. He goes on a trip to Salonique by train, with his mistress, pretending that he has business there to attend. After his wife found out the truth about the motive of her husbands trip, finally accepts the proposition of Nikos, a man who was in love with her for a long time, and they go to a little village called Thyrassia, which has also a train station. By accident Lalakis and his mistress get down at the same station just to rest a bit but they manage somehow to lose the train. The train station manager hosts both of the couples at his house for the night and unfortunately introduces everybody..
Three young musicians and three female singers strive for success, competing each other. But love gets in their way.
