In her American feature debut, a romantic advenure in the Greek Islands, the tall and sexy Sophia Loren starred with the short and declining Alan Ladd.

This was the film that helped launch Sophia Loren as an international sex symbol.

I can't help but wonder if this might not have worked better in black and white? As it is, it's a rather sterile and distinctly unsexy treasure hunt with a scantily clad, but off-form Sophia Loren in the role of sponge diver ("Phaedra"). On one such dive, she discovers a statue of a young boy riding a dolphin, nestled amongst the weeds. Desperate for some cash, she soon has the interest of the honourable "Dr. Calder" (Alan Ladd) and the unscrupulous "Parmalee" (Clifton Webb) vying for her attention - and for the location of this legendary work of art. It's not that it's a bad film, this - its just that there is way too much dialogue and nowhere near enough action. Webb's manoeuvrings are the highlight, but Ladd just looks like he is here (Greece) for a suntan. Geoffrey Keen turns in quite an engaging performance as the dipsomaniac doctor "Hawkins" and it has a pleasing soundtrack with the odd dance from Miss Loren before an ending that though right and proper, I found a bit, well, twee! Anyway, the cinematography looks nice and there is some good underwater photography to admire, but it's still all a pretty forgettable adventure with nobody really firing on all cylinders.

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