Zo gia ton erota (1976)

Director: Omiros Efstratiadis Writer: Omiros Efstratiadis Stars: Magda Makri, Lefteris Giftopoulos, Samantha Romanou

Alternate Titles
The Joy of Fooling Around USA, Cal Vista, hard version, altered credits, 88 mins, UK soft version 59 mins
The Joy of Mikonos alternative US title
Rivalen Holland, World Video, 90 minutes, near hard core
Rivals in Love

Summer on a Greek island in a big harbour city. Flora is the pretty owner of a big hotel where the male clients can get special roomservice (delivered by Aleca Calefati); she is quite a nymphomaniac but in search for a real man to share her life – her current boyfriend is a hippielike playboy thug, Alexis.

The story is about a man who drifts on the beach. He is taken care of by Marina, a nice simple girl, and has a cabin by the sea; he has amnesia; could he be the thief of icons and murderer who is on the loose? The whole plot is centered around the love life of Flora versus Marina; they are opposites, but they have the same experiences with the same men. In the background are the speculations and virtual flashbacks of different scenarios and the investigation of the police.

Eventually it’s clear who’s the thug and Peter and Marina will live happily ever after.

The Greek version is softer than the English dubbed one; it also has one additional Sirtaki scene. Magda Macri is a pretty, hot and good actress and makes a complex character out of her role. There are some good lesbian scenes, plus much love and sex by the sea and even in the sea. The English version is near hardcore. So there could well be a real hardcore version too.

Very nice photography, good scenario, good film structure; quite good sex scene; quite good acting. (Special detail: during the whole film, Magda Macri holds her very little dog in her hands, and is constantly hugging, fondling and caressing it, especially between it’s rear legs. This happens 7 times and stops when she has met with Terry Gift. Accidentally?)