A self-styled playboy
gangster (Giancarlo Giannini) with his own code of honor accidentally kills his sister’s pimp and
finds himself captured by the Germans and interned in a concentration camp
where he is put to the test of human extremes, whether it is sacrificing a friend,
selecting men to die in his stead, or seducing the sadistic bullish prison
warden. Lina Wertmuller’s acclaimed Seven
Beauties is a bawdy and broad European style comedy and harrowing war
picture that changes tones often but succeeds thanks to great direction (Wertmuller became
the first woman is Oscar history nomintated for Best Director) and Giannini's confident,
emotive performance.
*** ½ out of ****
