Seven Sinners

AS soon as I saw that Tay Garnett had directed this film I knew we were going to have action. For that is Mr. Garnettas passion. He told me so when he was visitarig this country a few years back. He had no time for dead-and-alive-ness, and I imagined that when he has finished directing a picture all the players have to go to Palm Springs or somewhere to recuperate.
Anyway, he has done something that no one ever dared to do before. He has allowed a tough to sock Marlene Dietrich—to knock her down several times and make even the most hardened of us wince. True, Marlene got herself into a fight in Descry Rides Again, but it was one of her own sex that did the battering, and in any case, Marlene gave as good as she got. Personally, T think this throwing of the fragile Marlene on to the floor was " much too much,"
Indeed. she looks like a frail and sometimes rather weary bird of paradise. In the not unfamiliar role of the cabaret singer in low dives on the South Sea Islands, for whose favours strong men battle, break chairs and wreck public bars, she ensnares the heart of an American lieutenant whose
father and grandfather were admirals. Of course, marriage with a bedraggled bird or paradise is out of the question. And so Marlene goes out of his life with a brave smile on her lips and a tear in her lovely eye. Who will grudge her that drink she is making for in the ship's bar, accompanied by the faithful ship's doctor?
Yes. We seem to have met this plot before somewhere. But in spite of that " Seven Sinners " is a highly entertaining film and Marlene gives you the impression she enjoys it, bruises and all.
Tay Garnett seems to have used up some of those shots he took when he voyaged round the world in the Athene—his big sailyacht—and so the local colour is good. He gives us a magnificent rice-for-all fight just before the end with knife-throwing, lamp-swinging and balustrade-jumping to give it added flavour.
G. C. Odeon