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Thirty-two years before My Big Fat Greek Wedding brought Greek-American culture to a mainstream audience, Never on Sunday took mainstream culture to Greece, with similarly popular results. Expatriate director Jules Dassin wrote, directed, and costars in this vibrant and (in retrospect) rather simple-minded celebration of good living, as embodied by the vivacious Melina Mercouri in the Cannes award-winning role of her career. She's Ilya, a fiercely independent prostitute who hand-picks her clientele, and Dassin plays Homer, an American intellectual enamored of all things Greek, and determined to steer Ilya onto the straight and moral path. He's out of his depth, of course; it's not long before his efforts are exposed as naively self-serving, and half the fun of Never on Sunday comes from watching Mercouri amiably deflect any attempt to dampen her indomitable spirit. Innocently good-natured by latter-day standards, Dassin's delightful film still retains its popular charm, and its familiar bouzouki theme is an irresistible invitation to join in the fun. --Jeff Shannon

Review
Forced out of Hollywood by the blacklist, noted noir director Jules Dassin (Brute Force [1949], Rififi [1954]) took a detour from his customary genre to make this entertaining comedy on a shoe-string budget. To his surprise, it became an international hit. The story, a twist on the legend of Pygmalion, concerns an academic type (Dassin) who journeys to Greece in hopes of understanding why it's lost the kind of cultural weight it had in the days of Plato and Aristotle. As his part in the battle against cultural illiteracy, he decides to tutor down-to-earth prostitute Melina Mercouri in her country's heritage. Despite the familiarity of its high-concept premise, this hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold comedy gets a great deal of mileage from the contrast between the owlishly earnest Dassin and his real-life spouse, the spirited, live-for-today courtesan. The film is Mercouri's show all the way, however, and in giving the best comic performance of her career, she demonstrates that the Greek people already know as much philosophy as they need to know. ~ Michael Costello, All Movie Guide

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12 Reviews 5 star:  (10) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review (12 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most helpful customer reviews   1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: HAPPINESS IS......., Oct 11 2003 By  Mark Norvell (HOUSTON) - See all my reviews    This is one of those rare b&w films that I think, wow, if it had been in color...but nevermind that. "Never On Sunday" is fine the way it is. A simple, intoxicating tale of an American writer named Homer (director Jules Dassin) who comes to the Greek isle of Piraeus to write and study the Greek culture. He is amazed at the laid back, carefree lifestyle he sees and the seemingly amoral ways of the local shipbuilders and fishermen. To them, drinking, partying and prostitution isn't bad---it's a fact of life, a necessity. They worship the local independent prostitute Illia (Melina Mercouri) who makes them all happy. She never sets prices and chooses only the ones she likes. She's as wonderful, exuberant and exotic as the Greek isles themselves. Homer cannot believe she's actually a (gasp) hooker and sets out to do the Pygmalian thing with her---educate her and "free" her from her lifestyle. But she is clearly happy with her life and sees nothing wrong with it. Homer has his job cut out for him. But the local bad guy Mr.No Face, who owns the local apartment row and overcharges the prostitutes who live there, wants Illia's business which she refuses to give. He cuts a deal with Homer---two weeks to educate her and get her out of business or else. But of course nothing goes exactly right. "Never On Sunday" is sexy, happy and romantic. The bouzouki music is infectious and won an Oscar in 1960 for film score. Everybody drinks ouzo and dances and sings and vies for Illia's favors. The location filmed cinematography is beautiful. The story is lyrical, like the music, and bittersweet. Dassin is wonderful as Homer, a ga-ga eyed intellectual naif with only the best intentions. But it's Mercouri as Illia who IS "Never on Sunday". She is spectacular as the earthy, wise, good-hearted earthmother/... who can teach intellectuals a thing or two about life. She knows the Greek Tragedies and can tell their stories at the drop of a hat---HER versions: "all these bad things happened and then everyone was happy and went to the seashore". But that's Illia and that's "Never On Sunday". A joyous, harmless slice of happiness you can watch again and again. The DVD print is crystal clear and sharp and the sound perfect for all the bouzouki music you'll be humming for days afterward. The spirit of this film is "ENJOY". So, please do. It's lovely. Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: The original Zorba music., Dec 17 2001 By  John R. Baker & Carol McGinn (Rockledge, FL United States) - See all my reviews This review is from: Pote tin Kyriaki (VHS Tape) What a pleasure to finally be able to see this great movie again. I never find it in video stores. Melina Mercouri is fantastic. Jules Dassin is a real know-it-all American do gooder who makes me cringe. The dancing and music are so Greek, and I love Greek dancing. Great acting from the Greek cast. You could practice your Greek, though subtitles are provided. There is also plenty of English, if you aren't used to reading subtitles. Actually anyone who knows this film is accustomed to subtitles because you like lots of foreign films. Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   An All Time Classic With A Great Score, Jan 5 2004 By  Timothy Kearney (Hull, MA United States) - See all my reviews    When the Carol Burnett show was on television, she had a skit about foreign films where the stories were mistranslated. When she did the take off on NEVER ON SUNDAY, Burnett's Illia did all that Mercouri's Illia did in the movie, but the lines matched those of a young school teacher collecting money for supplies rather than those of a prostitute. The skit piqued my interest in this film and could hardly wait a while until I saw it on video, since I was probably only ten when the Carol Burnett skit first aired. Perhaps what gives the movie its appeal is the fact that Illia, a gorgeous Greek prostitute is not the stereotype of a prostitute. She is not a miserable waif in need of salvation. She is a free spirit who cannot, or perhaps better stated, will not be tamed. The role is played masterfully by Melina Mercouri who won an award at Cannes for her performance. Homer, the American writer who wants her for himself is played by Jules Dassin. The film is set in a small Greek fishing village after World War II amend the locals give the film a great deal of flavor. There is plenty of Bouzouki music and Illia sings a rather seductive version of the well known theme song. The DVD has a trailer for the original film. In some ways the commercial for this film is humorous since it has very little to do with the actual plot, but I suppose since this film was so risqué in its day, the trailer had to be vague. Since the film is in black and white, it has a historic flair, but the tale itself is timeless, which makes this a true all time classic. Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers:  › See all 12 customer reviews...		Most recent customer reviews An oldie but goodie Never on a Sunday uses the wonderful, bigger-than-life talents of Melina Mercouri to show us the secrets of good living in her native Greece. Read more Published on Jan 2 2004 by Peggy Vincent ARISTOPHANES ...... WOULD APPLAUD HEARTILY ... and IF he were around today, he'd probably write about her [pity though that in ancient times - she'd be played by a man ! Read more Published on Dec 15 2003 Never on Sunday I haven't seen this movie in years but what I remember is the music not the story line. Published on Jun 26 2003