Lesbian August (1974)

 

(Original Title: Lesviakos Avgoustos) A Greek film about the various conflicts that stem from a brief affair between a fisherman and an aristocrat's daughter.

Oi lykaines ia the TV title, so we may be looking at a censored version - although there are lots of boobs. Not sure if boobs were okay for Greek TV. 

 

Kostas (Giorgos Hristodoulou), a poor fisherman, accompanies aristocrat Sir Alexis (Stavros Farmakis) on the trip to his vacation villa.

Also on the boat: Elena (Joanna Papa) Alexis' new wife and his daughter Hristina (Rena Kosmidou).

Kostas can't help but admire Hristina's awesome body.

They land on a small island and he gets even more turned-on.

Back at Kostas' humble home his wife Angeliki (Katia Dandoulaki) meets with his brother Nikos (Giannis Papathanasis).

Angeliki is extremely concerned about her husband going off with those decadent aristocrats.  Nikos harbors a secret lust for his sister-in-law.

Back on the island, Kostas continues to be tempted by Hristina.

As Hristina pulls offer dress, Kostas gets an eyeful of accidental exposure.

Elena is unhappy - she harbors a secret lust for Hristina, and her old fart aristocrat husband Alexis is just worthless.

Hristina stands before Kostas and we get the A-Frame

Back at home, Angeliki confronts Kostas with her suspicious.  She can tell he isn't acting quite right.

Kostas gets violent, and Angeliki threatens him with death if he cheats on her.

At the villa, Elena expresses her displeasure with Hristina's flirtations with Kostas

Alexis likes to paint, and he's currently working on a picture of two women in a romantic embrace.

That night, Hristina seduces Kostas

Angeliki witnesses the affair

Angeliki tells Nikos that, if he wants his brother to live much longer, he better keep him away from that rich bitch Hristina.  She will straight up kill his ass.

We find that Hristina and her stepmother have a lesbian affair going on.

Alexis takes his wife and daughter for lunch and to see street entertainment

Angeliki is full of rage and humiliation. After she dances with Kostas he gives the kerchief to...

Hristina! 

Hristina and Elena fool around on the beach

They notice that they have been spotted by a man - Nikos.

Nikos goes to tell Angeliki, but is stopped in his tracks when he catches sight of her changing for bed.

Angeliki hears that someone was there, but never knows of Nikos' visit.

Angeliki confronts Hristina to back off her man.  Hristina says she's through with Kostas anyway.

Hristina tells Elena about Angeliki's threat.

Uh-oh.  They're spotted by Alexis.

Alexis says he's going to change the faces on the painting to represent Elena and Hristina.  He says they are "intermingling against nature".

Alexis and Elena get into a big fight

He rips off Elena's clothes and rapes her.

Kostas gets word about what Hristina dumping him and engaging in lesbian practices.  He calls her a whore and violently threatens her.

Elena has had enough of Alexis and poisons his thermos.

Kostas finds Alexis dead - and when he sees his painting he knows who killed him.

After the funeral, we find that Elena and Hristina both are guilty for Alexis' death. 

Kostas tells Nikos he knows who killed Alesis.

But Kostas is himself killed - by the hand of a woman, but we don't know who.

With Alexis out of the picture, Elena and Hristina happily go for a swim in their pool.

Nikos storms in yelling, "Sluts. Where is my brother, what have you done to him?"

He demands answers at knifepoint. 

They are wrestling with him when the police arrive.

The police inspector questions them.  Nikos accuses the two women of killing Kostas.

They swear they had nothing to do with it - and deny any relationship with the lowly fisherman.

Nikos reveals what he heard from Angeliki - of Hristina's seduction of Kostas. And we get a sepia flashback.

But Elena tells the inspect of Angeliki's public threats to murder him if he cheated on her.

For a moment it looks like Angeliki is the prime suspect.

But then Kostas stumbles in, bloody but still alive.  He says Hristina stabbed him.

They deny it, calling it an "amusing story".  But then he presents what Alexis was painting when he died - with the names of Elena and Hristina at the bottom.  Somehow this proves it, and the stepmother and daughter are taken to jail.

Elena and Kostas patch things up. THE END

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 Not much more than a soap opera, but it does hold interest and gallops along with plenty of over-the-top soap opera energy. The smattering of boobs here and there certainly help, and Joanna Papa really is a compelling actress. 

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆5/10