Seven Beauties

Seven Beauties (1976) starring Giancarlo Giannini. Directed by Lina Wertmueller. During World War II, an Italian (Giannini) who fancies himself something of a ladies' man ends up in a German concentration camp. There he determines that the best way to save his life is to seduce a brutish female guard. Surprisingly, she goes along with the idea -- with the proviso that he must make love to her or die. This is a comedy with a surprisingly serious heart, and the movie does not have a "happy" ending. This film won Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Film, Best Actor and Best Director -- the first time a woman was nominated for Best Director. It's in Italian, with English subtitles. Although the disc allows you to listen to the dialogue dubbed in English, I chose to listen to it in the original Italian. Grade: A