Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

fedor8 The first half is drama, while the second a strange mix of drama and cheap-50s-Genghis-Kahn-like-JackPalance/YulBrynner-type movie. It's unrealistic that such a small group of bandits could be terrorizing village after Chinese village with even the army running away. Even more interesting is how racially mixed this gang is; we have Chinese, we have Turk-like guys, and even the occasional suspiciously European-looking character. It also seems absurd this gang didn't simply rape Sue Lyon. Men throughout history, in such situations, have been known to rape 90 year-old women, let alone someone as perfect-looking as Sue Lyon! Her presence made this movie enticing, but also Anne Bancroft's, who is charismatic and plays a character with refreshingly atheistic overtones. In fact, the entire movie seems to be quite critical of religion, and this is somewhat of a surprise. In the end, the atheistic Bancroft not only sacrifices her freedom (and vagina) to save others, but even gets to poison Tunga Khan.

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.

velebilje I have to admit that the ending of this film really stunned me. In the first part we see a female doctor, very determined, ready to work in the harsh condition. It is hard to her to be female doctor, she couldn't even get the decent office back in her country. The title of the film is "7 women", but actually there are 8. Why? It seems that the main character is excluded. Is that for the fact she wears man's clothes, drinks and smokes and most importantly that she is a doctor? In our society it is considered a compliment when the woman is told she was like a man (brave like a man, determined like a man, has brain like a man..) even today. But, despite her man's clothes she looks more appealing than the rest of women in their all women clothes who look like dry broomsticks.From today's point of view it is inappropriate for the doctor to smoke so much and even get mad when is told not to, but as we know in the past women were not allowed to smoke, not for health reason, but only for the fact they were women, we could see it as her rebellion against this attitude.For all the above the ending came as surprise. I think that Ford made for the main character a typical female destiny. Something like that: Dear ladies, you could try to be like a man, but in the end you couldn't avoid your female destiny. Is this a bottom line of the film? Later we see her dressed like a geisha. How sad to see her in that outfit when we know how she loves to wear man's clothes for practical reason. If the main character was a man,I am sure Ford would intend for him typical man's (male's)ending. He would fight to the last drop of his blood even if it would be hopeless. What is the point of her sacrifice? She saved 8 lives, but with her determination and skill as a doctor she could have saved 8 thousands lives if she had stayed alive. Also it was not pleasant to see Chinese depicted as brutes with disgusting eating habits who mumble instead of talking. Obviously some see the world like this: We are in the middle and the rest of the world is made of savages, brutes who constantly fight with each other. I'm sure this wasn't Ford intention; he just followed the pattern. Nevertheless, it is a good film, which makes you think.

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.