''Frine, Courtesan of Orient'' () is a 1953 Italian epic adventure film directed by

Mario Bonnard Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director. Career Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made befo ...

and starring Elena Kleus and

Pierre Cressoy Pierre Cressoy (born Pierre Jules Lazare Cresson; March 25, 1924 – October 31, 1980) was a French film actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor perfor ...

Sergio Leone Sergio Leone ( ; ; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian filmmaker, credited as the pioneer of the spaghetti Western genre. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema. Leone's film-making style ...

served as assistant director.

Plot

The film is based on the trial of the ancient Greek courtesan

Phryne Phryne (, before 370 – after 316 BC) was an ancient Greek hetaira (courtesan). Born Mnesarete, she was from Thespiae in Boeotia, but seems to have lived most of her life in Athens. Apparently, she grew up poor but became one of the riches ...

. In the film a young woman, Afra, escapes imprisonment in Thebes before being brought to Athens as a slave; there she takes on the name Frine and becomes a courtesan. She falls in love with the orator Iperide. After Frine takes on the role of a goddess at the

Eleusinian Mysteries The Eleusinian Mysteries () were initiations held every year for the Cult (religious practice), cult of Demeter and Persephone based at the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Eleusis in ancient Greece. They are considered the "most famous of the secret rel ...

she is charged with

impiety Impiety is a perceived lack of proper respect for something considered sacred. Impiety is often closely associated with sacrilege, though it is not necessarily a physical action. Impiety cannot be associated with a cult, as it implies a larger b ...

; at the trial Iperide saves Frine.Funke, ''Phryne: A Life in Fragments'' pp.137-138

Cast

* Elena Kleus: Frine *

: Iperide *

Tamara Lees Tamara Lees (14 December 1924 – 22 December 1999), born as Diana Helena Tamara Mapplebeck, was an Austrian-born English film actress. She appeared in 48 films between 1947 and 1961. Filmography References External links * 1924 bi ...

: Criside *

Giulio Donnini Giulio Donnini (17 February 1923 – 22 May 2001) was an Italian film actor. Life and career Born in Milan, Donnini made his film debut in 1946, in Giacomo Gentilomo's ''Teheran''. He got his first mayor role two years later, playing the epile ...

: Lamaco *

Roldano Lupi Roldano Squassoni, known professionally as Roldano Lupi (8 February 1909 – 14 August 1989) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 60 films between 1942 and 1967. He was born in Milan, Italy and died in Rome, Italy. Selected filmography ...

: Prassitele *

John Kitzmiller John Kitzmiller (December 4, 1913 – February 23, 1965) was an American actor who worked in his native land, as well as Italy and the United Kingdom. Kitzmiller achieved his greatest fame as a popular and versatile actor in Europe, making an est ...

: Nabus *

Lamberto Picasso Lamberto Picasso (21 October 1880 – 17 September 1962) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 70 films between 1914 and 1953. Life and career Born in La Spezia, Picasso studied at the Istituto Tecnico in Genoa, and made his acting debu ...

: Titteca *

Barbara Berg Barbara may refer to: People * Barbara (given name) * Barbara (painter) (1915–2002), pseudonym of Olga Biglieri, Italian futurist painter * Barbara (singer) (1930–1997), French singer * Barbara Popović (born 2000), also known mononymously as ...

: Ate *

Franco Silva Francesco Vistarini (18 February 1920 – 10 November 1995), known professionally as Franco Silva, was an Italian actor. Born in Genoa, Silva moved in Rome to attend the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, from which he graduated in 1938; th ...

: Claus *

José Jaspe José Jaspe () (10 August 1906 – 5 June 1974) was a Spanish film actor. He played Konev the conductor in '' Horror Express'' (1972), Ahmed in '' House of 1,000 Dolls'' (1967), Henneker in '' The Man Called Noon'' (1973), the traitor in '' The C ...

: Crosio *

Carlo Tamberlani Carlo Tamberlani (11 March 1899 – 5 August 1980) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1931 and 1976. His brother Nando Tamberlani was also an actor. Life and career Born in Salice Salentino, Tamberlani was born ...

: Assirione *

Nico Pepe Nico Pepe (19 January 1917 – 13 August 1987) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1936 and 1981. Life and career Born in Udine, after a bachelor's degree in business Pepe got a job as a banking clerk, which he q ...

: Dignitary * Gian Paolo Rosmino: Taulete * Charles Fawcett: King Arconte *

Mino Doro Mino Doro (6 May 1903 – 13 April 1992) was an Italian actor who appeared in more than a hundred films between 1932 and 1970. Doro generally played supporting and character roles. He appeared as a blackshirt in the 1934 Fascist propaganda f ...

: Osco *

Vittorio Duse Vittorio Duse (21 March 1916 – 2 June 2005) was an Italian actor, screenwriter and film director. Biography One of Duse's first roles was in Luchino Visconti's debut feature '' Ossessione'' (1942). Outside Italy, Duse is known for his role ...

: Official *

Edda Soligo Edda Soligo (17 July 1905 – 2 March 1984) was an Italian film and television actress.Verdone p.111 Selected filmography * '' Adam's Tree'' (1936) * '' The Man from Nowhere'' (1937) * ''The Former Mattia Pascal'' (1937) * '' Il signor Max'' (193 ...

: Cleo *

Enzo Biliotti Enzo Biliotti (28 June 1887 – 19 November 1976) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 80 films between 1916 and 1958. Life and career Born in Livorno, Biliotti started his career in 1918, in the stage company of and Olga Vittoria Gentil ...

: Macio *

Bruna Corrà Bruna may refer to: __NOTOC__ People First name *Bruna (footballer, born 1984) (born 1984), Brazilian footballer * Bruna Benites (born 1985), Brazilian footballer * Bruna Duvančić (born 2004), Croatian taekwondo practitioner * Bruna Lombardi (born ...

: Telesilla * Lilia Landi: Diala *

Cesare Fantoni Cesare Fantoni (1 January 1905 – 15 January 1963) was an Italian actor and voice actor. Biography Born in Bologna, Fantoni began his acting career in Luchino Visconti’s stage proses until making his first on-screen appearance in 1937. ...

: Prosecutor * Mariolina Bovo: First Slave *

Fanny Landini Fanny may refer to: Given name * Fanny (name), a feminine given name or a nickname, often for Frances In slang * A term for the vulva, in Britain and many other parts of the English-speaking world * A term for the buttocks, in the United States ...

: Second Slave *

Franca Tamantini Franca Tamantini (24 August 1931 – 11 August 2014) was an Italian film, television and stage actress. Life and career Born in Rome, since young age Tamantini studied piano, singing and classical dance at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. In 194 ...

: Frine's Slave *

Luisella Boni Luisella Boni (born 24 July 1935) is an Italian actress. Born as Luisa Angela Bozzo, Boni debuted in 1952 in Bernard Vorhaus' film ''Finishing School''. One of the most active actresses in Italian cinema between the early fifties and mid-sixies ...

: Touni *

Luigi Pavese Luigi Pavese (25 October 1897 – 13 December 1969) was an Italian actor and voice actor. Biography Born in Asti, Pavese started his career in 1916 working as a silent film actor at 19 years of age. He then began his theatrical debut in 1 ...

: Warrior

References

External links

* 1950s historical adventure films Italian historical adventure films Films directed by Mario Bonnard 1953 films 1950s Italian-language films Italian black-and-white films 1950s Italian films Cultural depictions of Phryne {{1950s-Italy-film-stub