7 Women
Directed by John Ford
Written by Janet Green and John McCormick from a short story by Norah Lofts
1966/USA
Bernard Smith Productions/JohnFordProductions/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
First viewing/YouTube rental
[box] Dr. D.R. Cartwright: What you all need is a good stiff… drink.[/box]
Ironic that John Ford’s swan song is Far Eastern rather than Old Western – and with a largely female cast at that.
The setting is 1935 China. American women serve as lay missionaries. Their leader is Agatha Andrews (Margaret Leighton). She is a ramrod strict taskmaster who in her off hours obviously lusts after sweet young Emma (Sue Lyon). The lone man is weak, nervous Charles Pether (Eddie Albert). His hysterical middle aged pregnant wife Florry (Betty Field) is waiting anxiously along with the entire mission for the services of a doctor. She comes in the fierce, free-spirited form of D.R. Cartwright (Anne Bancroft).
Warlord Tunga Kahn (Mike Mazurki) starts to pillage the countryside. The Americans are joined by women from the British mission. Finally, Tunga Kahn pays a visit with dramatic consequences. With Flora Robson, Mildred Dunnock , and Anna Lee as other missionaries and Woody Strode as a Mongol (!).
According to the ad campaign, the seven women represent the seven deadly sins but I sure didn’t get that out of the movie. It’s a competently made melodrama with the chance to watch some favorite old-timers mingle in the New Hollywood. Sad to see the last of John Ford on this particular journey.
Amazing that Hollywood continued to use yellow face this late in the game.
