7 Women (1966), John Ford's last movie doesn't seem to be a film that received much notice when it was first released nor does it get much analysis now. I saw it for the first time yesterday and, while I sort out my own thoughts about it, I wonder if anyone else would like to share their own take on this movie?
So far my only strongly held view is that if I had been stuck anywhere with Betty Field's character demanding that "we" be fed or have something to drink, I would have killed her or myself (which is more or less what Eddie Albert did--and who can blame him?)
You can see the entire film on youtube at the moment, beginning below:
[youtube][/youtube]
7 Women (1966)
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moira finnie
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Re: 7 Women (1966)
This movie definitely came and went when it was first released.
Critic were quite unified, however, in praising Anne Bancroft's performance.
Ford biographers look at his final films (this and Young Cassidy (1965) ) as his attempt at being contemporary in the
eyes of modern film-goers. The sex and violence quota is amped up for the time (although he could be said to have
helped blaze the trail for the violent westerns of the 50's & 60's with Wagon Master (1950)) and he creates a portrait
of a strong-willed loner of a woman that was usually played by a man. Ford's lifetime themes of the family unit surviving
in a wild wilderness is still on display but for many this film is just a throwback to The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
and its xenophobia over the Yellow Peril.
So the movie is a clash over old and new attitudes which all aging directors must come to terms with but it is still interesting
in the context of Ford's career.
Gary J.
Critic were quite unified, however, in praising Anne Bancroft's performance.
Ford biographers look at his final films (this and Young Cassidy (1965) ) as his attempt at being contemporary in the
eyes of modern film-goers. The sex and violence quota is amped up for the time (although he could be said to have
helped blaze the trail for the violent westerns of the 50's & 60's with Wagon Master (1950)) and he creates a portrait
of a strong-willed loner of a woman that was usually played by a man. Ford's lifetime themes of the family unit surviving
in a wild wilderness is still on display but for many this film is just a throwback to The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
and its xenophobia over the Yellow Peril.
So the movie is a clash over old and new attitudes which all aging directors must come to terms with but it is still interesting
in the context of Ford's career.
Gary J.