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Frine, Courtesan of Orient | |
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Directed by | Mario Bonnard |
Written by | Nicola Manzari |
Story by |
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Produced by | Alberto Manca |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Mario Albertelli |
Music by | Giulio Bonnard |
Release date |
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Language | Italian |
Frine, Courtesan of Orient (Italian: Frine, cortigiana d'Oriente) is a 1953 Italian epic adventure film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Elena Kleus and Pierre Cressoy.[1] Sergio Leone served as assistant director.[2]
The film is based on the trial of the ancient Greek courtesan Phryne.[3] 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 she is charged with impiety; at the trial Iperide saves Frine.[4]