Plot: Beautiful and corrupt, sociable and sensitive, Ilya, an independent, happy-go-lucky streetwalker in the bustling Port of Piraeus, is the talk of the town. Intrigued by her character, the love-smitten American intellectual and amateur philosopher, Homer Thrace, sets his sights on becoming Ilya's Pygmalion, and in the process, attempt to explain the decline of the great Ancient Greek civilisation. Of course--as Ilya belongs to no one, and the handsome Greek-Italian dockhand, Tonio, is bent on winning her heart--this is a challenging task, especially when proud Ilya swears that she leads a full and exciting life. Now, the romantic philhellene has two short weeks to accomplish his task. Will he learn a thing or two about life, and maybe, just maybe, find the secret of happiness?
Alternative Plot: Free spirit and prostitute Ilya (Melina Mercouri) lives in a Greek port city. Open and amiable, she makes friends often and easily. She encounters Homer Thrace (Jules Dassin), a vacationing American who is obsessed with ancient Greek culture. Homer feels that modern Greece is a shadow of its former self, and he believes that Ilya is a prime example of contemporary decadence. He makes it his goal to amend Ilya's easygoing ways, but she has stronger principles than Homer expected.
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