The Sunday Morning Movie Presents: Iphigenia (1977) Run Time 2H 8M

Greetings gentle readers and welcome to another installment of the Sunday Morning Movie. Today it’s a cinematic retelling of a Greek myth, Iphigenia:

and next week’s movie, The Man Who Stole the Sun:

Taiyô wo nusunda otoko (1979)

Reviews of Iphigenia:

Irish Film Critic says:

The movie is deliberately paced, slowly building toward its devastating conclusion. The actors do a fantastic job in their roles, especially Papas as the mother, who goes from elation at the idea of her daughter’s wedding to utter turmoil when the truth is revealed. Papamoschou, who was only 12 when filming took place, also plays her role very well, showing restraint and keeping things from becoming over-the-top. Despite the slow pace, this one kept me at attention throughout.

Mythlok says:

The 1977 Greek film Iphigenia, directed by Michael Cacoyannis, stands as a powerful retelling of one of the most emotionally charged stories in Greek mythology. Based on Euripides’ tragedy, the movie captures the tension, sacrifice, and human vulnerability surrounding the fate of Iphigenia, the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. By staying close to the mythological source material while offering its own cinematic interpretation, the film immerses viewers in the moral and spiritual dilemmas of the ancient world.

At its heart, the movie revolves around the fateful decision of Agamemnon, the commander of the Greek army during the Trojan War. When the goddess Artemis halts the winds at Aulis, preventing the Greek fleet from sailing to Troy, a divine oracle reveals that only the sacrifice of Iphigenia can appease the goddess and restore their journey. This mythological premise is treated with a sense of realism and gravity, portraying how divine will clashes with human emotion, duty, and ambition. Unlike other adaptations that often emphasize the supernatural elements, Cacoyannis chooses to focus on the human tragedy, grounding the myth in palpable tension and familial conflict.

Dennis Schwartz Reviews says:

Based on the classic Greek tragedy of Euripides (485-406 BCE), Michael Cacoyannis’s (“Electra”/”The Trojan Women”) film is both stunning and moving. A talented cast, headed by Irene Papas, give first-rate performances and do wonders with this stirring ancient drama.…The film brilliantly captures the stark tragic mood of the myth and shows this classic Greek theater production in a memorizing way that’s never before been realized on the screen as powerfully as it is here.

My take:

A well-made and compelling film. The set and costuming bring to mind the “Sword and Sandal” fantasy films of the 1960’s. It’s gritty and realistic, everything and everyone in the army camp looks dirty, sweaty. The story is so sad, the young lady who is destined to be sacrificed is sweet and innocent and it tears at your heart to know that she is doomed. I’m awarding it ⭐⭐’s, it’s worth another watch or two.

Director: Michael Cacoyannis

Writer: Michael Cacoyannis, Euripides (play)

Plot (Spoilers!):

King Agamemnon has screwed up. Royally. He has accidentally killed a stag sacred to the goddess Artemis. She wants blood. Literally.

Artemis’s high priest informs the king that the life of his young daughter Iphigenia is forfeit. The king is heartbroken but there is a war on, and his ships cannot sail until Artemis releases the winds. Grudgingly, he accepts this grim fate.

His daughter and her mother are on their way to the army camp. They think they are going to offer Iphigenia to a man as his wife. Instead, they find that Agamemnon is preparing to turn her over to the high priest. Iphigenia manages to escape but is captured and delivered to the temple of Artemis. At the movie’s end we see Agamenon with a shocked expression on his face. His daughter is dead.