Acensbart
Excellent but underrated film
Rio Hayward
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
wbdinsmoor
These "Mongol" bandits speak (rather poor) Mandarin Chinese rather than Mongolian, and the wrestling scene showed absolutely nothing of the famous Mongolian wrestling style. Other than that, I enjoyed the movie (shown on the Turner Classic Movies channel). It was a bit disappointing that Ford did not choose an East Asian to play the main "Mongolian" role - just as actresses like Katherine Hepburn played Chinese in movies like The Good Earth - but given the facts of Hollywood life at that time, this is understandable. An interesting subplot runs between the doctor and the head of mission: who is more Christ-like, she who talks the talk or she who walks the walk?
deschreiber
I don't understand all the gushing in these reviews of "Seven Women," much of which seems to be spillover from a general worship of John Ford's other movies, but some reviewers actually seem to be impressed. I, on the other hand, was not impressed in the least. It was pretty much a waste of time. The plot line was pedestrian, much of it predictable from the outset, the conflicts between characters stark and artificial, as if written by an amateur, the dialogue stagey and unnatural. Again and again a short scene developed only so that a single line could be delivered, and that line was always burdened with carrying some overdone bit of poignancy or deep significance. The final scene was total, schlocky melodrama that brought to my mind some bad old silent movie, just one small cut above The Perils of Pauline. Don't get your hopes up if you're reading these reviews before watching.
zetes
John Ford's swan song is very underrated. Anne Bancroft plays a chain-smoking doctor who has fled the United States (for reasons unknown, unless they were explained during the minute or so I was away to answer the phone) to work at a mission in China. Margaret Leighton plays the head of this mission, a devout Christian who controls her underlings with strict rules. Various troubles ensue, the most prominent being the threat of a cholera epidemic, a raid by Mongolian bandits, and a pregnant woman who is nearing menopause, which makes the birth a very difficult situation. It is the second problem which I mention that takes up most of the plot. The mission has heard stories of these Mongolians in the nearby areas. Leighton is sure that they will never dare attack her mission, by the grace of God and America. But they do, and they keep all the white women hostage after killing off every Chinese person in sight. They believe that they can win a ransom for them. The tough Bancroft bravely opposes them, but she can make no headway by those means. Instead, the leader of the bandits demands sex. In this way, she is able to influence the way the women are treated (especially concerning the birth). The main conflict of the film is between Leighton and Bancroft. It's very 60s, with the progressive, liberated woman fighting against the strict, sexless one. The role of religion is very interesting in the film. It's shocking that Ford, a devout Catholic, would make the headmistress so foolish. It's a very intelligent criticism of the holier-than-thou attitude of some. When death looks imminent, Leighton seems almost excited to become a martyr; and she's willing and ready to take everyone else with her. When Bancroft sees her chance to save the others, Leighton viciously attacks her for being the "whore of Babylon." The final scene is quite excellent. What a great way for the greatest director of all time end his career.
mike-544
John Ford, usually with the reputation of misogynist, directed his last film surrounded by strong female characters and where the male characters are not particularly relevant. The movie is set in China, 1935, where a Civil War is taking place. Anne Bancroft, a female doctor who is also an atheist, says: "I spent years in slum hospitals. I never saw God come down and take care of anyone". Ford, with his catholic roots, allows himself to be pessimistic. Even when Margaret Leighton, a supposed strong believer is confronted by the female doctor, she says: "I've always searched for something that... isn't there. And God is not enough. God help me - He isn't enough".The title refers to seven women, but the fact is that there are eight: What led us to believe that Anne Bancroft is excluded from the beginning? She wears man's clothes, she smokes and drinks. The loner Bancroft, condemned to always walk alone, like Ethan Edwards in "The Searchers". And what about the final scene, with a rare beauty, where the viewer isn't allowed to watch her fall? She is dressed in woman's clothes for the first time and is prepared to a truly catholic gesture, the sacrifice. "Seven Women" is a beautiful film, almost perfect. Towards the end, we become aware that Mr. Ford will live eternally.
