The Goddess of Love

The Goddess of Love (Italian: La Venere di Cheronea, French: Aphrodite, déesse de l'amour), also known as Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is a 1957 Italian-French epic adventure film directed by Fernando Cerchio and Viktor Tourjansky, and starring Belinda Lee, Massimo Girotti, and Jacques Sernas.[1]

The Goddess of Love
Directed by
Produced byGiampaolo Bigazzi
Written by
Starring
Music byMichel Michelet
CinematographyArturo Gallea
Production
company
  • Faro Film
  • Prora Industrie Cinematografiche e dello Spettacolo
  • Rialto Film
Release date
  • 5 December 1957 (1957-12-05)
Running time
90 minutes
Country
  • France
  • Italy
LanguageItalian

It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome.

Plot

Athens and her allies are at war with king Philip II of Macedonia. Luciano, captain of the Macedonian Army, gets wounded in action and is rescued by Iride, a model of extraordinary beauty who poses for the sculptor Prassitele. Iride takes Luciano to the sculptor's home where he falls in love with her. Until that point, Prassitele had only considered Iride a model who he used for inspiration to create the statue of Aphrodite, but now he too feels passionately about the young woman. Iride decides to run away with Luciano and to try to return to the Athenian camp. Prassitele then decides to take revenge on the couple by telling the Athenian soldiers about the two escapees. The soldiers chase them and shoot Luciano with an arrow. He is believed to be dead so Iride is sent back to Prassitele's studio. She tries to forget about Luciano by seeing other men. Meanwhile, the Macedonians continue advancing and Prassitele is killed by the soldiers. After some time, Iride returns to Prassitele's house and while contemplating the unfinished statue of Aphrodite, an alive and well Luciano shows up. Iride confesses to him that she has been with other men and then tries to kill herself, but Luciano forgives her and affirms his love for her.

Cast

Release

In December 1960, a heavily cut dubbed version of the film was released in the United States by 20th Century Fox. A different and more faithful dubbed version, with Belinda Lee self-dubbing herself, was released in UK and Eire in 1961.[2]

References
  1. Smith, Gary Allen (2004). Epic Films. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. pp. 95–97. ISBN 978-1-4766-0418-3.
  2. Reid, John (2005). CinemaScope Two: 20th Century Fox. Morrisville, NC: Lulu. pp. 84–86. ISBN 978-1-4116-2248-7.
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