l_rawjalaurence
WOMAN TIMES SEVEN is one of those portmanteau films beloved of filmmakers of the Fifties and Sixties linked by an abstract theme or authorial voice. In this case, it is adultery.Shirley MacLaine gets the chance to show off her acting talent in seven different roles ranging from a mousy homemaker to a translator-turned-vamp, a shrewish society lady, and a middle-aged Parisian pursued by a strange man. Sometimes she is more effective than others; she reveals her talent for dancing as well as nonverbal comedy. The film is quite risqué for the late Sixties, as it has her appearing nude in one of the sequences, although director De Sica ensures that she is most tastefully shot, revealing nothing of her charms for lascivious viewers.Of the seven playlets, "Funeral Procession" is quite droll, with Peter Sellers reprising his role from the previous year's WHAT'S NEW, PUSSYCAT? as a lecher trying yet failing to persuade a widow (MacLaine) to sleep with him. In "Super Simone" Lex Barker plays a successful novelist so obsessed with his fictional character Simone and her sexual exploits that he remains immune to his wife's (MacLaine's) entreaties - that is, until she initiates some outrageous stunts, including having their evening meal served by an African dressed in tribal clothing. "At the Opera" has MacLaine as a society lady fond of shouting at everyone who is eventually trumped by the sight of one of her deadliest rivals (Adrienne Corri) having the same style of dress designed for her. The anthology rounds off with Michael Caine in a nonspeaking role working for a rich Parisian (Philippe Noiret) jealous of his wife (MacLaine).The film incorporates some of the sexist values characteristic of a pre-feminist era: women mostly exist to serve their husbands, both socially as well as sexually. Yet such archaism is redeemed somewhat by the atmospheric photography (by Christian Matras) that captures Paris's romanticism and enduring attraction.
MartinHafer
My summary was facetious. Without good writing, a film simply isn't worth seeing--which pretty much sums up my opinion on "Woman Times Seven". It's very poorly written--quite uneven and at times annoying. The director didn't help any, as the film lacks subtlety and simply is a chore to watch. My only reason to watch it is that Peter Sellers was in it--but barely.Shirley MacLaine stars in seven different vignettes as a woman living in Europe. The shorts are supposedly funny (which they aren't) as well as a bit bawdy. I real felt sorry for the actress, as she was far too talented to be in such a lousy film. In fact, my wife kept asking me "why are you watching that STUPID film"--until finally I realized she was right and turned off this dreadful mess.
moonspinner55
With Shirley MacLaine in a variety of different wigs and costumes (and a large variety of co-stars in the cast including Alan Arkin, Rossano Brazzi, Shirley's "Gambit" co-star Michael Caine, Anita Ekberg, Vittorio Gassman and a pre-"Being There" Peter Sellers), I was terrified this was going to be a replay of MacLaine's all-star marital farce "What a Way to Go!" Not quite, as Shirley is playing seven different women this time, in seven short stories about love and sex. The opening tale involving Shirl in a funeral procession is very witty, but the other six seem to progressively lose steam. Not the tour-de-force MacLaine's fans were probably hoping for, it does have some cute bits and pieces but suffers from a muddy production and tepid handling overall. *1/2 from ****
Marie-62
Well, this movie is a little pointless. The endings to each sequel aren't shone and the plots themselves except for Edith and Marie, are a little drastic. Can you imagine a beige haired Shirley MacLaine wondering around her apartment naked reading T.S. Elliot while a Mediterranean man and a gorgeous blonde Scot are sitting on the bed, paying more attention to this pixie like artistic woman than the story that she reads? A little odd...Yes...But Shirley pulled it off. All these stories have a theme "Love can drive you crazy." There's also a story of a rich, spoiled woman (Eve) who wants a stupid dress like no other so she tries to blow up the other owner of her dress! Then there's Edith, who loves her author husband enough to come out of her bland, unexciting shell into the characters that he creates. That 15 minute part right there could've been a movie. The doctor and Vic tell Edith that she's crazy but she cries from the roof top "I'M NOT CRAZY!!! I'M IN LOVE!!" There's Maria Theresa, who comes home a day early and catches her friend sleeping with her husband. In out rage she runs to hookers to sleep with another man to drive her husband wild with jealousy. Marie and Fred are two lovers who are confused about life. They decide to make a suicide pact. I was surprised at how cute Alan Arkin really was when he wasn't in "Wait Until Dark"! Anyhow, they both decide that no love is worth the trouble of shooting each other or whatnot. Of course after they finish boffing each other. There's Jeanne, who is followed with her friend by a "mysterious stranger" who was only hired to follow her to make sure that she wasn't cheating on her suspicious husband. All of these stories are odd and a little loony but seeing Shirley MacLaine change so much for each part is delight. She goes to every color of hair, every style of look, through every outfit you can imagine. She looks great! Apart from that, this movie is a little much for kids and well, I don't highly suggest it to anybody other than dedicated Shirley MacLaine fans. OTHER STARS: Michael Caine appears. He's too cute.
AD
