Business Venture

Two poor roommates, Spouritis and Floros, owe their landlady, Mrs. Persephone, several months' rent and are in danger of being thrown out onto the street at any moment. One day, they take on a job painting a house, but Spouritis's repeated blunders cause them to be chased by the owner, who demands that they pay for the damage. In their attempt to escape, they come across a dying woman, who entrusts them with a sick child and asks them to find his father. The two friends, kind-hearted and compassionate as they are, take it upon themselves to place an ad in a newspaper to find the boy's father. Coincidentally, the child's father is someone who is pursuing them. They try various tricks to avoid him. Then they get into trouble as photographers, and so someone else takes up the chase, resulting in a series of mishaps and blunders.

Directed by Vangelis Melissinos, Business Venture leans on a strong ensemble — Fragiskos Manellis, Giannis Fermis, Giannis Sparidis — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1966.