A modern retelling of the Greek myth of Phaedra. The young and fiery second wife of an extremely wealthy shipping magnate meets her estranged stepson Alexis and sparks immediately fly. Their love seems doomed from the beginning when she convinces him to come to Paris to meet his father.
Cinematography
Hydra island shots so gorgeous you'll weep.
Costume
Mercouri's wardrobe: mourning glamour perfected.
Acting
Perkins plays tortured desire like no one else.
Director
Jules Dassin
Melina Mercouri
Phaedra Kyrilis
Anthony Perkins
Alexis Kyrilis
Raf Vallone
Thanos Kyrilis
Elizabeth Ercy
Ercy (as Elisabeth Ercy)
Tzavalas Karousos
Phaedra's father, (as T. Karoussos)
Zorz Sarri
Ariadne
Andreas Filippides
Andreas
Stelios Vokovich
Stravos
Nikos Tzogias
Felere (as Nicos Tzoyas)
Tasso Kavadia
Kostas Baladimas
Dimos (as Dimos Baladinas)
Faidon Georgitsis
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Dassin and Mercouri were real-life partners; their electric chemistry here got them blacklisted from Hollywood during the Red Scare era.
The Aston Martin DB4 in the cliff scene was Dassin's own car—he destroyed it for authenticity because budget wouldn't cover a replica.
US
