GIANNIS DALIANIDIS

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BB. 

Original title:  I Pariziana

Greece, 1969.  Finos Film.  Screenplay by Giannis Dalianidis.  Cinematography by Nikos Gardelis.  Music by Mimis Plessas.  Production Design by Markos Zervas.  Film Editing by Pavlos Filippou.  

Rena Vlahopoulou plays a local seamstress who is tired of being expected to improve women’s lives along with their hemlines (“This isn’t a career, it’s torment!”). Her sister comes up with the brilliant idea of having them travel to the big city with a number of designs and pretend that they have just come back from Paris in order to boost her business. Naturally, the charade they come up with to pull this off involves duping a number of men who make for possible romantic interests. It’s a silly, uneven romp uncomfortably full of musical numbers that pop out of nowhere (but, thanks to very high quality music and singing, are also the film’s best moments). As an easy way to pass the time it does the trick, but as filmmaking goes it’s garbage.