Title: Seven Beauties (English), Pasqualino Settebellezze (Italian)
Year: 1975
Country of Origin: Italy 
Directed by Lina Wertmüller
- Acting: 5/5
- Visuals: 5/5
- Editing: 5/5
- Sound: 5/5
- Story: 5/5
- Total: 25/25 (Perfect)
Never have I seen a film which made me struggle so much with the ideas it presents. From the strange opening song, to the beautiful and comedic scenes through most of the film, to the surreal final act … Seven Beauties spins a work of art which will leave you questioning Pasqualino (played incredibly by Giancarlo Giannini) and his choices.
The acting in this film is spot on. I imagine Giannini would be quite recognizable to audiences with his turns in the new Bond films. It is here where he gives the performance of a lifetime and one could not ask for more. He commands the screen like Pacino, De Niro, and Bogart. As for the supporting cast, there are no real standouts. I look at this in a good light, as Giannini is far and away the main character of the film. Everyone else was excellent by not being near as impressive as Giannini. The only one who comes close is Shirley Stoler. She portrays a grand villain in The Commandant who Giannini must prostitute himself out to survive.
It is in this prostitution scene where one begins to put together why this film is so moving. The film is non-linear and rattled with flashbacks to show us who Pasqualino, Seven Beauties really is. Many of these scenes are comedic, but they work well to show us the character of Pasqualino. We find out he believes he is an honorable Mafioso and he deplores his sister for prostitution. He eventually kills his sisters ‘boyfriend’ because of the prostitution he had led her into. From here, a series of events leads Pasqualino down a road where (as mentioned before) he has to give up the final bit of his honor and prostitute himself out in a PoW camp.
It was hard to find any comedy in the last act of this film. By making the first two acts riddled with humorous flashbacks and dialogue, the viewer is lulled into a sense of comfort. Of course we find the idea of Pasqualino whoring himself out a disturbing one, but we can understand what he needs to do to survive. However, The Commandant ups the ante and we are heartbroken over what Pasqualino must do.
It is in these final moments where the film destroys the viewer. I began to question where do we draw the line on what we are willing to do to survive. Then I began to wonder “who am I to judge his choices?”. Would I act any differently in that situation? Wouldn’t I want to survive? Of course Wertmüller makes the questions even tougher by showing characters who would sacrifice themselves for the rest of the camp.
The movie is just incredible. Giannini’s performance was one of the best I have ever had the pleasure to watch. The story was excellent and will make me rethink my position on other WWII PoW/Internment camp films. The soundtrack is perfect … the opening number is extremely haunting. There are just so many brilliant things about this film (such as every time someone begins wearing a flowery dress, it signifies they are now a prostitute). If you truly want to fall in love with this film, then re-watch the courtroom scene over and over again. There are no words spoken … just music and facial expressions. Seven Beauties is a masterpiece.
Foreign Filmcapades 