Jamais le dimanche

"Never on Sunday", that charming Jules Dassin film, was shown unexpectedly on cable recently. The inspired story of a happy prostitute working the waterfront of Piraeus, was a smash hit everywhere when it first came out. Mr. Dassin's love poem to Greece, a land he loved, added another layer to his distinguished career. Not being known for light comedies, this movie strikes the right tone from the start. The director himself decided to play the pivotal role of Homer Thrace, a Brooklyn scholar familiar with Greek culture, but naive in matters of the heart and sex.

Ilya, a happy-go-lucky prostitute, is loved by the men working in the port. She has no hangups, something, that in contrast, Homer is full of. After all, he came from a society where sex was for the most part a taboo for the society he came from during the time period where the action takes place. After all, America was not a sexually liberated country. Ilya, on the other hand, was free to share her services openly, as she saw fit without any problem. In a way, the relationship that develops between Homer and Ilya, is a modified version of Pygmalion and Galatea, something that Homer was happy to undertake, even though he knew better not to try.

Melina Mercouri dominates the film. She obviously enjoyed getting inside her character as it clearly shows on the screen. She gave a bigger than life reading in what was her best role in the movies. Ms. Mercouri's effortless performance wins the viewer right away because one realizes she is, like Fellini's Cabiria, a genuine soul that gives love without expecting anything in return.

Jules Dassin has been criticized by some contributors to IMDb by his take on Homer, but actually, he also gives an appealing account of his scholar. Not being an actor, he understood what he wanted to accomplish with this Brooklyn man that has spent most of his life around books, but not around real life, something he finds living among the earthy people around the Greek port where he spends his vacation. In fact, he kept reminding this viewer of this type of individual that is more at home among books than with real people.

The black and white cinematography of Jacques Natteau, enhances the film and the background in which it was filmed. Manos Hatzidakis' delightful music score plays well in the story and it's never out of touch with what the director conceived. Ultimately, the film was another triumph for Jules Dassin, an American original whose body of work speak for itself.

Jules Dassin has directed a delightful film starring Melina Mercouri as the happy whore with the heart of gold. As wonderful as Mercouri is, and she is wonderful, Dassin is a disaster, whose performance almost destroys his film. Clearly the low budget with which the film was made prevented his obtaining another English-speaking actor for the main male role.

Dassin, I'm sad to say, is the only actor in the film who has absolutely no personality. He comes across with all the dynamism of a dead log. How lucky we are that Ms Mercouri, who won best actress at the Cannes film festival for her role here, was at the top of her form. Without her, the film would have been forgotten decades ago. As it is, it remains a classic.

One of my all-time favorite movies! Coming from the 50's generation, I remember seeing this movie when I was a teenager and being absolutely fascinated by the Greek setting, music and dancing. I believe that this movie contributed to my interest in foreign movies to this day. The song "Never on Sunday" was very popular on the radio in the 60's. If you don't remember it now, you probably will, once you hear it.

The story line in this movie is clever and charming. The variety of characters pull you right into the story. It's dramatic, funny and at the same time, romantic. Tame by today's standards, this movie must have been considered very risqué for its time, but it remains entertaining to this day.....timeless!!! A must-see for old movie buffs.

Melina Mercouri, "The Last Greek Goddess", stars in the comedy "Never on Sunday"(1960) directed/written by Jules Dassin. She plays Illia, the most sensuous and radiant "lady of the night" in the seaport Pyres where every man adores her and she is the one who chooses her partners. Mercouri was 40 years old when she played Illia but she did not hide a single day of her age and she was gorgeous, full of the inner fire and absolutely irresistible. When the new Pygmalion, the intellectual American named Homer (of course) sails into the town and meets Illia, he decides that his search for meaning of life would end in Pyres if he would reform Illia and make her change her way of life. With all his intellect and education he couldn't understand a very simple truth about Illia - only true love might change her. Homer played by director/writer Jules Dassin is the weakest part of this mostly charming comedy. I agree with one of the IMDb commenters who said that "Jules Dassin has directed a great movie but he should have hired an actor to play Homer, and not played it himself... A better actor might have found a way around the rough spots but Dassin magnifies them." I guess that in real life Dassin was much more charming that in the film because he and Mercouri were married in 1966 and stayed married until her death in 1994.

7.5/10

Middle-aged American scholar Jules Dassin (as Homer) goes from Connecticut to a Greek sea port, where he discovers vivacious thirty-something prostitute Melina Mercouri (as Ilya). As he soaks up local culture, Mr. Dassin decides to play "Pygmalion" with Ms. Mercouri. Speaking about morality and happiness, Dassin wants Mercouri to cleave only unto him; but, that means she must give up her regular seamen, including handsome Giorgos Foundas (as Tonio) and the occasional lonely young sailor. Mercouri is happy with her pleasure-driven lifestyle. Dassin wants her to change…

Dassin wrote and directed "Never on Sunday" for the actress he loved. The film won Mercouri the "Best Actress" prize at the film's celebrated "Cannes Film Festival" opening. She went on to receive similar consideration from the "New York Film Critics" (her performance was #8), and nominations from the US and UK Academies. Dassin and the music also received many honors. In the end, Mercouri and the music are the film's main assets.

The excellent Manos Hatzidakis title song was an easy listening hit for several recording stars, worldwide; collectively, the song must have sold many millions during 1960-61. My grandfather and mother liked the more innocent stereo LP version by Connie Francis. MGM made sturdy record albums; it still plays.

****** Never on Sunday (5/25/60) Jules Dassin ~ Melina Mercouri, Jules Dassin, Giorgos Foundas, Titos Vandis