SOCIAL DECAY
English titleKOINONIKI SAPILA
Dinos Vristhenis (Stelios Tatasopoulos), a poor student in the University of Athens, has dropped out of his studies because of dire financial difficulties and is job hunting. He is employed as an actor in a theatre company, where he falls in love with the Niki (Danai Grizou), the leading actress. When she gives in to an industrialist's promises for a bright future, Dinos is disillusioned and abandons theatre. Poverty drives him to join in the ranks of the working class and get a job as a laborer in the tobacco industry to earn his living. He is confronted with labor force exploitation, becomes a founding member of a workers' union and takes the lead in the struggle for social justice, with complete disregard for ruthless police persecution. He goes to prison and when he is released he denounces his past and resolves upon fighting social decay.
- Production Year 1932
- Color B/W
- Audio SILENT
- Director TATASOPOULOS STELIOS
- Production FYZIO FILM
- Script Writer TATASOPOULOS STELIOS
- Director of Cinematography GAZIADIS MICHALIS
- Set Designer LOGARIASTAKIS KOSTAS
- Assistant Director SPATHOPOULOS KIMON
- Cinematography Assistant Directors TZANETIS EMMANOUIL, DIMITROKALIS MICHALIS, PAPADOPOULOS KOSTAS
- Production Manager EXARCHOPOULOS KOSTAS
- Makeup artist SPATHOPOULOS KIMON
- TATASOPOULOS STELIOS
- GRIZOU DANAI
- KEFALAS TASOS
- GARMPI TZOLI
- OIKONOMOU KAITI (NTIRINTAOUA)
- KAVOUKIDIS GIORGOS
- MOUCHTOURIS GIORGOS
- LOGARIASTAKIS KOSTAS
- LAVDA ELENI
- SPYROU NIKOLAOS
- ARSENIS GERASIMOS
- PAPPA NIKI
- KAROUZAKI RIKA
- LAFAZANOS SPYROS
- SPATHOPOULOS KIMON
25 photographs about this movie
57 themes about this movie
OPENING TITLES
00:00:00-00:01:11
Opening Titles
DINOS IS LOOKING FOR A JOB AS AN ACTOR
00:05:37-00:07:43
Dinos stumbles upon an advertisement for actors. He goes to an address where a theatre company is rehearsing a stage play. There, he meets Niki, the leading actress. The director auditions him.
Participants: DINOS - THE DIRECTOR - LEADING ACTRESS NIKI
DINOS' TALENT IS APPRECIATED
00:07:44-00:08:56
Dinos' talent is appreciated and he soon becomes the leading actor in the theatre company. Dinos is on the stage of the ORPHEUS Theatre. He and Niki are the leading actors, followed and applauded by crowds of people.
Participants: SPECTATORS – DINOS - NIKI
AFTER THE PERFORMANCE
00:08:57-00:09:20
After the performance, the leading actress in her dressing-room has been sent a bouquet of flowers. Annoyed by the fact, Dinos reads the card that accompanies the bouquet.
Participants: NIKI - A GIRL - DINOS
COASTAL ROAD
00:09:21-00:10:05
Panoramic view of a coastal road in built-up area (possibly in Faliro)
NIKI AND DINOS ARE GOING FOR A WALK
00:10:06-00:10:30
The two main characters, Dinos and Niki, walk along the edge of water in each others arms. Their mutual attraction turns into love. They kiss.
Participants: NIKI - DINOS
THE THEATER COMPANY'S REHEARSAL
00:10:31-00:10:40
The entire company are rehearsing on the stage
Participants: THE ACTORS
DINOS AND NIKI REHEARSING
00:10:41-00:11:15
Dinos and Niki, under the director's guidance, try a move.
Participants: NIKI - DINOS - THE DIRECTOR
NIKI'S FLIRTING IN A NIGHT CLUB
00:11:16-00:15:49
We are in a night club frequented by actor. There are shots of the orchestra. Couples are going down the stairs of the club. A couple is dancing. Niki and Nikos are seated at a table having a drink. Michalis Stratakis, a rich bon-viveur, with a reputation as a reveler and lady killer, asks Niki to dance. She accepts and Stratakis starts to court her. As they dance, she convinces her that she will be leading actress in her own theatre. The orchestra plays music and a lot of couples dance. Dino drinks and smokes as he watches Niki and Stratakis together. When the dance is over, Dinos, obviously annoyed, asks her to leave the club together.
Participants: THE ORCHESTRA - THE PATRONS – NIKI - DINOS - INDUSTRIALIST MICHALIS STRATAKIS
DINOS FOLLOWS NIKI
00:15:50-00:16:46
Dinos is jealous and suspects Niki. So, he follows her as she takes a taxi to her meeting with Stratakis. He turns up at an open-air café when Niki is having breakfast with Stratakis. He asks him over to their table, but Dinos reacts violently and decides to give up Niki and the theatre.
Participants: DINOS - STRATAKIS - NIKI - THE WAITER
DINOS CHECKS OUT OF THE HOTEL
00:16:47-00:17:31
Carrying his suitcase, Dinos checks out of the hotel
Participants: DINOS - THE RECEPTIONIST
ATHENS AFTER THE ASIA MINOR DISASTER (1931)
00:01:12-00:02:18
After the Asia Minor disaster in 1922, Athens was transformed into a major city after 1,500,000 refugees had settled there. There are shots of the capital centre.
Participants: PASSERSBY
DINOS IS ROAMING AROUND ATHENS WITHOUT ANY MONEY. POVERTY HAS FORCED HIM TO SELL EVEN HIS SUNDAY CLOTHES.
00:17:32-00:18:24
THE INDUSTRIALIST AND NIKI'S OUTING
00:18:25-00:19:13
The industrialist and Niki, holding a small dog in her arms, are on a car ride. At some point along the way, they nearly run over Dinos - roaming around all alone, hungry and looking harassed - who stares at them in astonishment and despair.
Participants: NIKI – THE INDUSTRIALIST – PASSERS-BY – THE HOUSEMAID - DINOS
DINOS MEETS THE THEATRE MANAGER
00:19:14-00:20:31
Dinos and the theatre manager meet on a square at the site of an open-air performance. They walk together for quite some time, but Dinos politely declines his former employer's offer to carry on with his career in the theatre.
Participants: SPECTATORS - PASSERSBY - DINOS
DINOS IS REDUCED TO A TRAMP BUT MANAGES TO STEER CLEAR OF WRONGDOING
00:20:32-00:23:21
After a number of mishaps, Dinos ends up a tramp and in the company of pimps and drug dealers. Operating from a drug den with cocaine, hashish, morphine and heroin addicts, the "clan" concludes various illegal business deals. They try to get Dinos work for them and to get him involved in wrongdoing, they give him a knife. However, he manages to stay out of all this after a struggle.
Participants: DINOS - THE CLAN OF THE UNDERWORLD
THE GANG LEADER
00:23:22-00:23:38
Operating from a café, the gang leader concludes "business" deals
Participants: THE GANG LEADER - THE COLLABORATOR – THE WAITER
DRUG TRAFFICKING IN HOSPITALS
00:23:39-00:24:05
Drug trade operates even in hospitals. A nurse buys drugs from a dealer in the hospital forecourt and supplies a patient (with morphine?).
Participants: A DRUG DEALER - A NURSE - A PATIENT
DINOS COLLAPSES
00:24:06-00:24:37
Worn out from hunger and hardship, Dinos collapses in the street
Participants: DINOS - PASSERBY
DINOS IS RESCUED BY SOME WORKERS
00:24:38-00:25:01
Some workers leaving the tobacco factory after shift work find Dinos lying on the road unconscious.
Participants: TOBACCO FACTORY WORKERS - DINOS
DINOS' CONVERSATION WITH THE WORKERS
00:25:02-00:25:57
The workers carry Dinos to a nearby café and look after him. When he comes round, he explains how he ended up like that.
Participants: WORKERS - DINOS - THE CAFE ATTENDANTS
DINOS BECOMES A LABORER
00:25:58-00:26:28
Dinos gets a job as a laborer in a tobacco factory. We see laborers at work and Dinos talking with another worker
Participants: THE TOBACCO FACTORY WORKERS - DINOS
THE UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
00:02:19-00:02:42
Some students leave the university building. They are talking with one another.
Participants: STUDENTS
DINOS BECOMES A TRADE UNIONIST
00:26:29-00:27:23
Within a short period of time, Dinos becomes a trade unionist. In view of a forthcoming workers' congress, he coordinates and monitors several workers' organizations. Smoking and looking at some papers, he talks to isolated male and female workers.
Participants: DINOS - A FEMALE SPEAKER - WORKERS
THE WORKERS' CONGRESS
00:27:24-00:27:57
The workers' congress is held in the open air despite a police-enforced ban. There are speakers (3 men and one woman) on the stand and indignant working raising a clenched fist during Dinos' speech.
Participants: WORKERS - A FEMALE SPEAKERS - DINOS
THE POLICE RAID
00:27:58-00:28:12
While Dinos is still on the speaker's stand, the police raid the venue for the congress. The workers rise in protest.
Participants: DINOS - THE POLICE
CLASHES AND ARRESTS
00:28:13-00:28:48
There are violent clashes. The police make arrests, including the woman speaker and Dinos.
Participants: WORKERS - THE POLICE
DINOS IN PRISON
00:28:49-00:30:24
Dinos is taken to prison (old barracks). The political prisoners are forced into co-existence with criminal prisoners and tramps. The place is filthy dirty. Prisoners go down the stairs, walk, shoot craps and delouse themselves. Dinos and his mates try hard to maintain their moral stature. They chat and smoke a lot.
Participants: DINOS - POLITICAL AND CRIMINAL PRISONERS
NIKI HEARS ABOUT DINOS' ARREST
00:30:25-00:00:31:28
In his mansion, industrialist Stratakis, who lives with Niki, shows her the paper with the news of Dinos' arrest. Niki is upset and leaves.
Participants: INDUSTRIALIST STRATAKIS - THE BUTLER - NIKI
NIKI GETS INTO ACTION TO HELP DINOS
00:31:29-00:32:09
Niki contacts various people trying to get Dinos acquitted and released from prison.
Participants: NIKI - TWO OFFICE CLERKS
POLITICAL AND CRIMINAL PRISONERS IN THE SAME COURTYARD
00:32:10-00:33:05
The prisoners shoot craps and walk about the prison courtyard. Amid mud water, political prisoners share the same forecourt with the dregs of society and the social outcasts.
Participants: POLITICAL AND CRIMINAL PRISONERS
NIKI'S PRISON VISIT
00:33:06-00:33:19
Niki visits Dinos in prison in a luxury car
Participants: NIKI - THE CAR DRIVER
VISITS TO PRISONERS
00:33:20-00:34:07
Visitors (mostly women) enter the prison and meet the prisoners behind bars. Dinos avoids Niki and refuses to see her.
Participants: DINOS - NIKI - PRISONERS – PRISON VISITORS
DINOS VREISTHENIS
00:02:43-00:03:04
Dinos Vreisthenis, a student from the provinces, chats happily with a young man, possibly a fellow student, in a room.
Participants: DINOS VRISTHENIS - A FRIEND
NIKI'S DEPARTURE
00:34:08-00:34:33
Niki walks out of the prison, hanging her head low, empty-headed and sorrowful.
Participants: NIKI - THE CAR DRIVER
THE INDUSTRIALIST GETS DRUNK
00:34:34-00:34:51
Industrialist Stratakis returns to his mansion after a drinking spree
Participants: STRATAKIS
NIKI'S INDIGNATION
00:34:52-00:35:31
Niki is alone in bed, indignant at Stratakis' degenerate attitude and his assoiation with other women. He has just come back drunk from wild revelry, puffing at his cigarette. He looks at himself in the mirror and carries on with his drinking spree.
Participants: NIKI - STRATAKIS
NIKI'S ROW WITH THE INDUSTRIALIST
00:35:57-00:36:26
Niki and the industrialist have a row, calling each other names and exchanging asperities. The tension builds up and Niki withdraws with a mind to leave him. The industrialist carries on with his revelry.
Participants: NIKI - STRATAKIS - TWO WOMEN
THE PIMP
00:36:27-00:36:52
A pimp is hanging around the street puffing at a cigarette
Participants: THE PIMP - PASSERSBY
NIKI IS ATTRACTED TO THE PIMP
00:36:53-00:38:11
Niki turns up looking sad and sits at an open-air café. The pimp notices that the woman feels bad, sits down beside her and gives her the glad eye. They leave together.
Participants: THE PIMP - NIKI - THE WAITER
DINOS' RELEASE FROM PRISON
00:38:12-00:38:34
Dinos waves his prison mates goodbye and is released from prison after he has served his term to the end. He gives money to some people in rags and they cheer him.
Participants: DINOS - THE PRISON MATES - PEOPLE IN RAGS
THE ROYAL GARDENS
00:39:00-00:39:20
Shots of the Royal Gardens
SHOTS OF ATHENS
00:03:05-00:03:21
Panoramic view of Athens with the Acropolis in the distance
DINOS RENTS A ROOM AND GOES FOR A WALK
00:39:21-00:39:29
Dinos leaves a building (he may have booked into a hotel) to go for a walk in Athens.
Participants: DINOS
NIKI IS IN DANGER
00:39:30-00:40:22
In a room, Niki desperately looks through the small ads for a job. The pimp walks into the room, searches her bag and using physical violence, shouting and yelling wants to force her into prostitution. Niki calls out for help through the window.
Participants: NIKI - THE PIMP
DINOS RUSHES TO NIKI'S RESCUE
00:40:23-00:40:49
Passers-by hear Niki shout and go to her rescue. Dinos happens to be in the neighborhood and responds to her distress call.
Participants: PASSERSBY - DINOS
DINOS DRIVES THE PIMP AWAY
00:40:50-00:41:24
To Niki's astonishment, Dinos drives the pimp away. He slips some money discreetly on the table and Niki accepts it.
Participants: DINOS - NIKI - THE PIMP - PASSERSBY
DINOS WALKS OUT
00:41:25-00:41:39
Standing tall, Dinos walks out as he does not want to have anything to do with his past.
Participants: DINOS - NIKI
NIKI LEAVES ALONE
00:41:40-00:42:10
Feeling rotten, Niki takes the money, goes down the stairs and goes away
Participants: NIKI
DINOS FINDS TRUE MEANING IN LIFE
00:42:11-00:42:43
Dinos is at a crossroads. He stops and looks at his watch. He knows what he wants to do with his life. His companions are waiting for him. They will join forces to eradicate social rottenness and this will be his redemption
Participants: DINOS - THE WORKERS
SYNTAGMA SQUARE
00:42:44-00:43:08
Panoramic view of Syntagma Square and crowds of people
Participants: PASSERSBY
SERENADE AT THE FOOT OF THE ACROPOLIS
00:03:22-00:03:56
A group of young men is serenading along the alleys in Plaka under the Acropolis.
Participants: FIVE YOUNG MEN
- //EMBASSY/EMPASSY//ΕΜBASSY/ - PIONEERS IN EUROPEAN CINEMA FROM 15 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. ATHENS EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE, 49, 1985
- GREEK FILM ARCHIVE, LITTLE CLUB (MIKRI LESCHI) (1 KANARI ST) - SCHEDULE OF FILMS NOVEMBER 1990, 9, 1999
- GREEK FILM ARCHIVE, LITTLE CLUB (MIKRI LESCHI) (1 KANARI ST) - PROGRAMME JANUARY - APRIL 1997, 16, BOUND, 1997
- NETWORK OF MUNICIPAL CINEMAS - RESTORATION OF HISTORICAL MEMORY THROUGH CINEMA, 12, BOUND, 1997
- GREEK FILM ARCHIVE, LITTLE CLUB (MIKRI LESCHI) (1 KANARI ST), 1
- APOLLON - 50 YEARS OF GREEK FILM ARCHIVES (1950-200). CINEMA'S ARK, 14, 2000
- TRIANON - MUSIC & CINEMA, 43, FOLDER, 2000
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