Seven Women (7 Women) (1966): John Ford’s Last Film, Starring Anne Bancroft, Margaret Leighton, Sue Lyons, Flora Robson, Mildred Dunnock

A tribute to the resilient strength of women in dire conditions, 7 Women (aka Seven Women) is John Ford’s very last film, and unfortunately, an underestimated one.

7 Women
1966 theatrical poster by Reynold Brown

Ford works from a script by Janet Green and John McCormick, based on the story “Chinese Finale” by Norah Lofts.

The film boasts an all-star cast (both British and American) of three generations of actresses: Anne Bancroft, Sue Lyon, Margaret Leighton, Flora Robson, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field, and Anna Stein.

Anne Bancroft, just before playing the seminal role of Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate, took over the role of Dr. Cartwright, when Patricia Neal (Oscar-winner for Hud), who had been Ford’s first choice, suffered a series of strokes.

The story is set in China in 1935 on a remote missionary post, mostly populated by women, and facing endless threats from within and from outside.

Appearances are deceitful. On the surface, everything seems calm and orderly as the severe head of the mission, Miss Agatha Andrews (the splendid British actress Margaret Leighton) runs the place rigidly, self-righteously committed to her notion of Christian piety.

The other women at the mission are Miss Argent (Mildred Dunnock), her loyal assistant; Miss Binns (Flora Robson) and Mrs. Russell (Anna Lee) from the nearby British mission, who are seeking safety from the war atrocities; Mrs. Florrie Pether (Betty Field), whose husband, Charles Pether (Eddie Albert) is a mission teacher and the only male there; Miss Ling (Jane Chang), the Chinese mission teacher and translator and Emma Clark (Sue Lyon), a member of the staff and the youngest and prettiest girl.

The arrival of an outsider, the elegant, cynical, atheist doctor, Dr. Cartwright (Anne Bancroft), soon disrupts the fragile peace, especially when Emma becomes the doctor’s admirer. Sporting pants and a leather jacket, and with a cigarette constantly in her mouth, Cartwright stands apart from the group of women.

Predictably, Cartwright and Andrews clash over the former’s approach to work, her profane speech, her smoking, and her lack of interest in participating in the ritualistic prayers.

Then Florrie gets pregnant but fears she is too old to give birth, not to mention the mission’s primitive sanitary conditions. Dangers further escalate when a cholera break out, and they go from worse to worst when the place is attacked by Mongol marauders who commit atrocities and other acts of barbarism.

Cartwright manages to inspire the women to great bravery and they manage to cope with extremely dangerous situations. But there is a price to be paid: To save the group, Cartwright is forced to offer herself up as a concubine to the Mongol leader, Tunga Khan (Mike Mazurki).  This sets a rift among the missionaries: Agatha is appalled by Cartwright’s decision, while Miss Binns and the other femmes applaud her courage and spirit.

At the film’s powerful conclusion, Cartwright toasts her ruthless captor Tunga Khan with a poisoned cup of tea which he drinks and immediately falls to his death, while coldly uttering: “So long ya bastard!”

The women are fully developed as individual characters, not social types. Throughout, each member of the group offers a different response to the various dangers, which gives the film depth and diversity. Ford is generous enough a director to accord each femme a number of good scenes.

Production values are polished, with lush music score by Elmer Bernstein and sharp cinematography by Joseph LaShelle.

This film signaled the end of the spectacular, five-decade career of John Ford, who had won four directing Oscars. He died in 1973.

Greeted by Mixed reviews, 7 Women was not popular at the box-office.

However, one year later, Anne Bancroft would become a major star after appearin in Mike Nichols classic, The Graduate (1967), as the older woman who seduces Dustin Hoffman,

Anne Bancroft as Dr. D.R. Cartwright

Sue Lyon as Emma Clark, Mission Staff

Margaret Leighton as Agatha Andrews, Head of Mission

Flora Robson as Miss Binns, Head of British Mission

Mildred Dunnock as Jane Argent, Andrews’ Assistant

Betty Field as Mrs. Florrie Pether, Charles’ pregnant wife

Anna Lee as Mrs. Russell, Mission Staff

Eddie Albert as Charles Pether, Mission Teacher

Mike Mazurki as Tunga Khan, Bandit Leader

Woody Strode as Lean Warrior

Jane Chang as Miss Ling, Mission Staff

Hans William Lee aa Kim, Mission Staff

Directed by John Ford
Written by Janet Green, John McCormick, based on “Chinese Finale” 1935 short story by Norah Lofts
Produced by Bernard Smith. John Ford
Cinematography Joseph LaShelle
Edited by Otho Lovering
Music by Elmer Bernstein
Color process Metrocolor
Distributed by MGMRelease date: January 5, 1966 (Los Angeles)Running time: 87 min.
Budget $2.3 million