Island of Love (1963)

In the bustling heart of New York, the silver-tongued con artist Steve Blair, alongside his perennially tipsy and easily swayed writer partner, Paul Ferris, hatches a scheme as audacious as it is lucrative. Their grand plan: to metamorphose the humble Greek island of Paradeisos from an obscure speck on the map into an irresistible lovers' haven, a tourist trap drenched in romantic allure and cloaked in enchanting myths of ancient love. With a sprinkling of counterfeit antiquities to bolster the island's claim as the legendary 'island of love', Steve and Paul hope to strike gold. The roots of their scheme sink into the deep pockets of the not-so-sharp but dangerously influential New York mobster, Tony Dallas. Having just successfully swindled the unsuspecting mobster, the trip to Greece initially serves as a convenient escape route for Steve and Paul before their deceit is discovered and retribution arrives. On the sun-kissed shores of Paradeisos, Steve's past unexpectedly resurfaces in the form of the Harakas family, especially the enchanting Elena Harakas, who has transformed from a girl he knew during the war into a captivating woman. Her professor-fiancé, Gregor Pappas, becomes a pawn in Steve's machinations as his local historian expertise could lend credence to their fabricated discoveries of Dionysian artifacts. However, a blossoming romance between Steve and Elena threatens to unravel their carefully woven web of deceit. As the potential for their fraud to be exposed looms ominously, the vengeful Tony Dallas sends his henchmen on a global manhunt for Steve and Paul. Adding to the spiraling chaos is the impending arrival of Mama Harakas' long-lost brother, whose unexpected visit could send their plans into disarray. As the stakes rise, the question remains: Will their island of love prove to be a paradise of riches or a ticking time bomb of ruin?

Island of Love is a comedy movie featuring Robert Preston and directed by Morton DaCosta.

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