7 Women (1966)

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Norah Lofts (short story "Chinese Finale")
Janet Green (writer) ...

Release Date:

24 March 1966 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A Story of Flame and Fury, Faith and Fear, Love and Adventure

Plot:

Legendary director John Ford's final film involving seven dedicated missionary women in China circa 1935 trying to protect themselves from the advances of a Mongolian barbaric warlord and his cut-throat gang of warriors.

Plot Keywords:

Mission | Missionary | Warlord | China | Sacrifice

Cast

Anne Bancroft	...	Dr. D.R. Cartwright
Sue Lyon	...	Emma Clark, Mission Staff
Margaret Leighton	...	Agatha Andrews, Head of Mission
Flora Robson	...	Miss Binns, Head of British Mission
Mildred Dunnock	...	Jane Argent, Andrews' Assistant
Betty Field	...	Mrs. Florrie Pether, Charles' pregnant wife
Anna Lee	...	Mrs. Russell, Mission Staff
Eddie Albert	...	Charles Pether, Mission Teacher
Mike Mazurki	...	Tunga Khan, Bandit Leader
Woody Strode	...	Lean Warrior
Jane Chang	...	Miss Ling, Mission Staff
Hans William Lee	...	Kim, Mission Staff
H.W. Gim	...	Coolie
Irene Tsu	...	Chinese Girl

Also Known As:

Chinese Finale (USA) (working title)
Seven Women (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

West Germany:18 (f) | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Originally titled "Chinese Finale" according to an M-G-M 40th anniversary short.

Quotes:

Dr. D.R. Cartwright: [to Tunga Khan, Bandit Leader] So long, ya bastard!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Le fantôme d'Henri Langlois (2004)

Underrated

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.