A not so original murder mystery
When Marcello, the head of a well-to-do family, is found Christmas Eve morning with a knife stuck in his back, the women in his life find themselves trapped in a mansion with his body. There is the eldest daughter, Susanna, visiting from Milan; the youngest daughter, a rebel named Caterina; the selfish mother-in-law, Rachele; Agostina, the spinster sister-in-law; Margherita, the stern wife; Maria, the beautiful maid; and Veronica, his old flame. Skirting around suspicion and secrets, they must collaborate to find out who among them is the killer. A murder mystery set in another era (the 1930’s), with plenty of suspects trapped in a mansion that is oozing with secrets. So, what’s not to like? This Warner Bros. film tries its best to put a creative spin on a classic murder mystery concept and it does succeed in part. The ending is somewhat of a surprise, yet once the killer is revealed, what happens next is all too predictable. The mother-in-law, Rachele, adds some much-needed humor, but her character alone isn’t enough to keep viewers entertained. Later in the film, an interesting scene between two of the characters unfolds in an attempt to provide some extra entertainment. I won’t give away what the scene is, but it was slightly pathetic. Rather than adding value to the film, it took away from it. Even though it has a brief run time of 84 minutes, there is a lot of dialogue and not a lot of action. Viewers are not exactly going to be on the edge of their seats in anticipation of finding out who the killer is. The camera work and effects are also not particularly skilled or impressive. Where is the sweat on the brow of the accused? Where are the close-up shots showing any emotion, or lack thereof? Some compelling camera work and a more detailed screenplay could have really turned the whole movie around. The murder does have a slightly fresh take that viewers will find out near the end, but 7 Women and a Murder is definitely not going up on the “Greatest Mystery Movies of All Time” list. Read More: 7 Women and a Murder Ending Explained
