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The Greek Tycoon

1978, Movie, R, 106 mins

The Greek Tycoon: Review

If you can't guess who the characters are in this, you must have been living on Mars for the last few decades. A thinly disguised "fictional" account, THE GREEK TYCOON gives us Quinn (although born in Mexico, he's made a living for years playing Greeks), in a lavish soap opera, as an Onassis type. He falls in love with Jackie Kennedy clone Bisset. Made in 1978, it had a fair run at the theaters, but its style and content seem more at home next to 1980s TV shows like "Dynasty" and "Dallas." In the story Bisset is the wife of Franciscus, a US senator, when Quinn begins slyly to court her, despite the fact that she is apparently happily married. Franciscus is busy talking to the British prime minister when Bisset first goes aboard the Quinn yacht and becomes aware that she is being wooed. Quinn is married to Sparv but taunts her by sleeping around. His son, played by Albert, is the gyro of his eye; and Quinn taunts his brother, Vallone, mercilessly. In the course of events, Albert dies in an accident (as really happened to Onassis' son), Franciscus becomes president of the US and is later assassinated, and widow Bisset takes up with Quinn. The only credible scenes in this tripe are Quinn's reprises of his ZORBA THE GREEK role. In one scene he dances with some Greek peasants in a poor restaurant, and later he commiserates about his son's death in a dance with some fishermen. If scenery, greenery, and lavish living are what you like to see, you may enjoy THE GREEK TYCOON. If honesty, drama, and real feelings are more to your taste, read a book. Superb photography by Richmond and a pretty good score by Myers. Quinn is an immense talent with some legendary roles to his credit (LUST FOR LIFE, VIVA ZAPATA), but he has to get off this kick of acting as Greeks get on with playing other characters so that we can once again enjoy his work. Enough is enough. leave a comment

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The Greek Tycoon

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