Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Excellent, a Must See

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Most of the reviews, if not all, have gone through the surface of the movie, looking at the comedy or the simple story aspect. However the movie has much more than this, and if one looks deep, probably it doesn't have any comedy left out. There are only a few movies like this I have seen (another that comes to mind is Ajantrik - of Ritwik Ghatak). For understanding both, we have to just look at the respective directors. Dassin was one of those who had been victimized by the "Red" paranoia of USA and was black-listed under McCarthy code, forcing him to move to Europe. Interestingly even Ritwik was red, in fact compared to him Mr & Mrs Dassin were pale pink. To go inside the skin, the movie there are two very important dialogues. Obviously one at the beginning when Homer(Dassin) indicates his quest, he wants to understand why the civilization is in this shape, captivating but decadent. The second was in the end, "Only way Ilya could be saved is by love" On allegorical level, the the two indicate something entirely different. Illya is the nature whereas Homer - I don't think anywhere he has been indicated to be an author or even philosopher - he is, as was told in the end "American Boy Scout", the up keeper of the moral-values of others, as he feels to be proper. We judge the morality of others through our tinted glass and thereby spoil the fine balance of the nature. This had been done through ages, at national level (Libya, Iraq, Vietnam, Korea, Ukraine, Poland, Czech,...) or at society level (various religious missionaries to educate and bring to light the barbaric natives.Naturally, we don't blame ourselves for the catastrophe, Homer too didn't. Fortunately in this case the nature didn't allow herself to be spoiled by the boy-scout. It is interesting to see that the movie got so many nomination for Academy, despite the director being black-listed till recently (a la Charlie Chaplin), he even got a nomination for best director, and that is doubly strange, considering the allegories (and also that during this time Vietnam war at its peak).

Middle-aged American scholar Jules Dassin (as Homer) goes from Connecticut to a Greek sea port, where he discovers vivacious thirty-something prostitute Melina Mercouri (as Ilya). As he soaks up local culture, Mr. Dassin decides to play "Pygmalion" with Ms. Mercouri. Speaking about morality and happiness, Dassin wants Mercouri to cleave only unto him; but, that means she must give up her regular seamen, including handsome Giorgos Foundas (as Tonio) and the occasional lonely young sailor. Mercouri is happy with her pleasure-driven lifestyle. Dassin wants her to change… Dassin wrote and directed "Never on Sunday" for the actress he loved. The film won Mercouri the "Best Actress" prize at the film's celebrated "Cannes Film Festival" opening. She went on to receive similar consideration from the "New York Film Critics" (her performance was #8), and nominations from the US and UK Academies. Dassin and the music also received many honors. In the end, Mercouri and the music are the film's main assets. The excellent Manos Hatzidakis title song was an easy listening hit for several recording stars, worldwide; collectively, the song must have sold many millions during 1960-61. My grandfather and mother liked the more innocent stereo LP version by Connie Francis. MGM made sturdy record albums; it still plays.****** Never on Sunday (5/25/60) Jules Dassin ~ Melina Mercouri, Jules Dassin, Giorgos Foundas, Titos Vandis

Never on Sunday never again? Flipped over this exuberant film when it first came out, but got bored sooner in the plot line mainly because of Jules Dassin's feckless role as Homer the Mentor to his big everything prostitute Ilya. Ilya played with bombastic gusto by Melina Mecouri is weighted down now with the image that she later became Greek's Minister of Culture and must have been literally slumming through this filmic romp. NEVER ON's Pygmalion roots just too obvious this time, and that's where I switched to the local news to return later to the more ebullient ending. Titos Vandos, with whom I appeared in a bomb of a Broadway show, THE GUIDE,circa 1970, was the most genuine character around with his devotion to Ilya, his sincere dancing and love-hate relationship with Homer. Tito's was used to advantage later by Woody Allen in EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK. Dassin even throws in a Greek chorus with those fab four hookers who march down the street in unison and goad on the action-- with great advantage to the needed pace. Pireaus and environs look tourist ready but the visual peak of the film is Ily's and Homer's walk through the magnificently night-lit Parthenon on the Acropolis after seeing a fine performance of Medea. Never see Sunday again? Well, just like Ilya's fine figure, only the best parts. John Hart

Never on Sunday is a beautiful, down to earth, romantic comedy. It's a feel-good movie without the Hollywood over-sweetness. A well to do American is educated by a Greek courtesan who is not so sophisticated but full of life. And life proves to be more important then money or sophistication. And there even is a happy ending even though is one with a tear, if you a a sucker for such things. The music is prefect. The title-song is just great. The scenery makes you want to got to Greece for your next holiday. In an nutshell; this is one Greek Delight. Watch it on a cold Sunday and you'll get all warm inside. Watch it on a hot summers-night and you'll believe your in Greece already.