7 Women

7 Women, also known as Seven Women, is a 1966 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Panavision drama film directed by John Ford and starring Anne Bancroft, Sue Lyon, Margaret Leighton, Flora Robson, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field, Anna Lee, Eddie Albert, Mike Mazurki and Woody Strode. It was produced by Ford and Bernard Smith from a screenplay by Janet Green and John McCormick, based on the short story "Chinese Finale" by Norah Lofts. The musical score was conducted by Elmer Bernstein and the cinematography was handled by Joseph LaShelle. This was the last feature film directed by Ford, ending a career that had spanned 53 years. Plot In rural China in 1935, all but one of the white residents of a remote Christian mission post are women. The strict Miss Agatha Andrews is the head of the mission, assisted by the meek Miss Argent. Charles Pether is a mission teacher who always wanted to be a pastor; his peevish, panicky, self-centered and domineering middle-aged wife Florrie is pregnant for the first time. Emma Clark is the only young staff member and Miss Andrews treats her Emma as if she were her daughter. The mission is elated to learn that a much-needed doctor is arriving, but they are shocked to discover that Dr. Cartwright is a Chicago woman who smokes, drinks alcohol, swears, wears pants, has short hair, disdains religion and sits before grace. Miss Andrews and Dr. Cartwright are soon at odds. Emma, who has led a very sheltered life, is fascinated by the newcomer, much to Miss Andrews' dismay. After she has settled in, Dr. Cartwright urges Miss Andrews to provide money to send Florrie to a modern facility to birth her baby, as Florrie's advanced age places her at high risk, but Andrews refuses.