Suntan experiments with both the human body and the human psyche, showing each in full glory and in deep stages of decay. In the first two acts, such boldness yields laughs, plot development and a firm sense of place; unfortunately, director Argyris Papadimitropoulos pushes his luck in the third act with Suntan culminating in a fall from grace which deeply challenges both credulity and Papadimitropoulos’ intention in creating this film.
Kostis (Makis Papadimitriou) arrives to the Greek isle of Antiparos in the tourist off-season, hired to serve as the sole doctor for the island’s 800 inhabitants. He is quickly integrated into the tight-knit community in the dark and rainy days of winter. Most of the film, however, is set in the frenzy of August, when Antiparos is inundated by swarms of tourists from all over Europe.
In the opening high-season-set scene, Kostis treats Anna (Elli Tringou) for mild injuries sustained in a scooter accident, and he is instantly taken by her flirtatious manner, alluring features and youthful joie de vivre. She casually beckons him to venture beyond his medical office to the crowded clothing-optional beaches of the island. Kostis complies, visiting the beach where Anna and her cosmopolitan group of friends are camping and spending their holiday. The stark contrast between his pale and flabby body and the tanned, lean figures of the young tourists is one the camera will turn to again and again.
With the premise established—a desperate Kostis chasing after the charming, playful and teasing Anna— Papadimitropoulos begins utilizing Anna to manipulate and string Kostis along. Anna convinces her friends to warm up to Kostis and persuades the doctor to come to several parties and night clubs. This creates an odd paradox: Suntan’s setting of Antiparos in August guarantees a repetitive series of sites and events—nude beaches, sun-kissed bodies, blue seas, night clubs, strobe lights and lots of liquor—but bests the monotony through Anna’s constant toying with Kostis. Just as she manages to keep him clinging to her, she allows for the film to remain engaging, exciting and unpredictable, even though ultimately the viewer has a fairly good idea of where the plot is headed once it finishes cycling through the party and beach scenes.
The third and final act of Suntan was always doomed. This story really had only one possible ending, and the film rushes into it with reckless abandon. Kostis’ obsession with Anna leads to his demise. At first, he merely embarrasses himself in front of the Antiparos natives with whom he had become friends during the winter. Then, he becomes increasingly derelict in his medical practice and alienates both Anna and her friends. Yet, he continues his pursuit, even though Anna has begged him to stay away. In a drunken slumber, he fails to respond to a medical emergency, losing his position on the island. He is just another tourist now and is no longer welcome. The film ends after showing his final night on the island.
All of this is expected, in some form or another. A film about a middle-aged man pining after a free-spirited woman half his age is bound to end with the man losing everything. Where Suntan crosses the line from merely annoyingly predictable to possibly offensive is with its closing moments. It would be cruel to spoil the final shot here, but it is certainly the nadir of Kostis’ fall from lovable leading man to despicable creepy sex fiend and such a concluding scene casts doubt on Papadimitropoulos’ goals in making Suntan in the first place. It is difficult to draw a moral from the story that would justify the culmination of of Kostis’ obsessive infatuation.
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