Unbeknownst to the 19th-century Greek "primitive" painter Theofilos, other painters around the world at the time were also exploring non-academic subjects, focusing on the everyday lives of ordinary persons. In the U.S., the group of painters who chose such subjects were dubbed "the Ashcan school." Though Theofilos remained unknown in his lifetime, this biographical drama explores the painter's life from his birth on the Isle of Lesbos (Lesvos) in 1868 to the time when he developed his characteristic style, following his discharge from the Greek army.
A really skinny guy finds out that he has incredible strength in his punches. After starting a boxing career a lot of people try to take advantage of his talent.
An unbeatable gentleman, he meet a widow, owner of a nightclub that has a hidden casino in its own. He goes in the club, plays cards and wins at first. But when he starts to lose large amounts, he understands that he has been the victim of gamblers. His reaction is immediate, he takes lessons from professional gamblers, and avenues his opponents. In the end, he also wins the beautiful widow.
The movie is about dictatorships in Greece – first, the Metaxas regime (1936-1940), and then the Colonels’ Junta (1967-74). In Part One, the Metaxas regime is depicted as a circus, where Thanasis (Thanasis Vengos) is a clown trying to conceal a young colleague’s subversive action. In Part Two, we see Thanasis suffer because of his honesty and kindness, in a country where the system’s irrationality is clearly evident.
