The Greek Tycoon Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

The Greek Tycoon Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 29, 2020

More entertaining than 1978’s “The Greek Tycoon” is the making of the film. Movie trivia details efforts to coax Jacqueline Kennedy into starring in a picture based on her relationship with Aristotle Onassis, which she understandably refused. Unwilling to give up on the idea, the production elected to make slight changes to the screenplay (credited to Mort Fine) to avoid lawsuits, and key members of the crew set out to publicly reject any connection to real-world people and events. For example, Jackie Kennedy is now Lizzie Cassidy and Ari Onassis is now Theo Tomasis. See? Problem solved. Clearly embarking on completely different tale of a rich Greek shipping magnate and his lustful drive to woo the widow of an assassinated president, “The Greek Tycoon” doesn’t achieve any of its sneaky intentions, and it’s not an impressive drama either, putting steely journeyman director J. Lee Thompson in charge of a delicate story of romantic and social pursuit, and the helmer elects to sprint through a tale that demands a refined touch and greater attention to the passage of time.

A man of power and Greek charm, Theo Tomasis (Anthony Quinn) lives to conquer the world. He’s in command of oil tankers, doing big business with dubious partners, including key figures in Saudi Arabia. He’s an unrepentant womanizer, keeping wife Simi (Camilla Sparv) for show as he wines and dines multiple partners around the globe. He also watches as his son, Nico (Edward Albert), begins to take his first steps in the family business, hoping to become his own man. While he possesses money, fame, and power, Theo quickly grows fixated on Liz (Jacqueline Bisset), who’s married to Senator Cassidy (James Franciscus), a man making plans to become the next President of the United States. Achieving his dream, Cassidy’s reign is ended by an assassin’s bullet, making Liz a widow and open to Theo’s advances. Offering unimaginable luxury and a marital contract, Theo finally claims Liz as his bride, only to experience complications with a challenging wife, while his financial dealings are soon put under a microscope by government officials.

It’s difficult to tell if Fine is trying to make Theo a sympathetic character. He’s introduced as a bit of a vulgarian, openly wooing models in front of his wife, while his business practices are less than honorable, always pushing for an angle to gain the upper hand in negotiation. He’s also all over Liz when they first meet, unafraid to flirt with a married woman. “The Greek Tycoon” aims to create a bigger-than-life character out of Theo, even hiring Quinn for the part, with the actor never one to turn down a role that allows him a chance to chew the scenery. He’s big in the movie but rarely expressive in a way that permits the audience a chance to understand what’s driving his dangerous behavior. Quinn plays Theo as a man simply drunk on power, and the screenplay rewards such behavior, making it difficult to understand if Thompson is looking to generate a romance or a story of Liz’s imprisonment.

“The Greek Tycoon” is in a hurry to work through the years. Going from introductions to the final moments of Liz and Theo’s marriage, the production has a lot of ground to cover, and it does so rather clumsily. The picture takes huge leaps in time to get Liz into position as a presidential widow (the assassination scene crudely mirrors JFK’s final moments), tossing around life details such as Cassidy’s political run and powerful family, along with a miscarriage. Theo is treated the same way, but with a little more emphasis on his shipping issues (Charles During plays his advisor) and fatherly love for Nico. Still, personal appearances and ages never change for a story that likely takes place over five years (or more), creating some visual confusion. Thompson tries to build up the opulence of Theo’s lifestyle, endeavoring to distract from certain informational gaps with loving shots of yachts and extended scenes in Greece, giving Quinn a chance to recreate his Alexis Zorba energy.

The Greek Tycoon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

While boasting a "brand new 2K scan," Scorpion Releasing doesn't share what exactly they've scanned for the Blu-ray release of "The Greek Tycoon." The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation is darker, with slightly oversaturated colors found through the viewing experience. Skintones run hot at times. Primaries are acceptable, surveying blue skies and period fashion from the 1970s. Detail is softer, but some texture is found with facial surfaces and fibrous clothing. Distances are passable, showcasing the expanse of Theo's luxurious world, and decorative additions are open for inspection. Delineation isn't strong, periodically solidifying with denser business attire. Source is in decent condition with some mild speckling.

The Greek Tycoon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA mix presents a basic understanding of sound elements, leading with dialogue exchanges that retain intelligibility but not crispness. Scoring cues are louder but also lack precision, never intruding on the drama. Heavy hiss carries throughout the listening event.

The Greek Tycoon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell, and Nathaniel Thompson.

• Alternate Opening Scene (5:47, HD) highlights an oceanic standoff between Theo and naval police, meant to showcase his cunning business ways before the story begins. The scene is helpful to get used to Theo's deceitful personality, but was likely removed to help ease viewers into his lifestyle.

• Alternate End Credits (3:07, HD) are offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:20, HD) is included.

The Greek Tycoon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Greek Tycoon" is painfully melodramatic at times, and not helping the cause is a distinct lack of chemistry between Quinn and Bisset. The screenplay strives for feeling, but Theo's personal conduct isn't welcoming, creating a divide between the viewer and the movie, which fully believes it's creating magic with this examination of love(?). Such warmth never arrives, and as an effort to inspect the Onassis/Kennedy union, the whole production comes off predatory, delivering a National Enquirer version of a private relationship.