A Matter of dignity [DVD]

A Matter of dignity is a drama set in upper class Athens in the 1950s. It is the story of Chloe, a beautiful, young woman of high society accustomed to riches, parties, fine frocks, and an endless round of admirers. One evening Chloe discovers that her family is on the verge of bankruptcy, a situation that horrifies her snobbish, gambling, amoral mother. Chloe is pressed into falsely returning the romantic interest of a wealthy but boring suitor, who is courting her. Chloe meets and is attracted to another man, Galanos, a Greek fine art dealer who beckons her to marry him instead. A parallel tale is that of the family’s loyal maid, Katerina, who works on tirelessly for the family, despite having not been paid for months. Katerina’s five-year-old son is ill, and she desperately needs the money for his recovery. Chloe’s mother is more concerned however with keeping up appearances and throwing lavish parties for her daughter, disguising their dwindling funds. The scene is set for tragedy, the outcome of which hinges on Chloe’s choices regarding her destiny. “A Matter of dignity” is a taut study of class-consciousness, greed, the corrupting influence of money and the defining journey of one woman’s morality.