Seven Beauties

"Confrontational and uncompromising, the narration instantly roots the film historically in the 1940s while also introducing Wertmüller’s irreverent reconciliation of Italian history and contemporary sexual politics."

"Giannini's character is a facistic Little Tramp who swallows whatever bull is thrown at him. The picture made a lot of money, proving desensitized audiences were looking for goofball black comedy pratfalls, mixed in with a soupcon of perversion and cruelty. Things haven't changed much since then."

"Much of it is fifth-rate slapstick, decked out in gaudy sub-Ken Russell style with the occasional interpolation of gruesome or violent images, plus some nudgingly insistent music."

"Its virtuoso style, demonstrating once again Miss Wertmuller's mastery of filmmaking, is used to tell us a story that's very opaque, despairing, and bottomless."