The Seven Minutes (1971)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Russ Meyer

Writers:

Richard Warren Lewis (writer)
Irving Wallace (novel)

Release Date:

23 July 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Why is The Seven Minutes the most exciting experience in a woman's life?

Plot:

The Seven Minutes is a steamy book written in 1969. To help with an upcoming election, a bookstore clerk...

Plot Keywords:

Number 7 In Title | Based On Novel | Number In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Wayne Maunder	...	Mike Barrett
Marianne McAndrew	...	Maggie Russell
Philip Carey	...	Elmo Duncan
Jay C. Flippen	...	Luther Yerkes
Edy Williams	...	Faye Osborn
Lyle Bettger	...	Frank Griffith
Jackie Gayle	...	Norman Quandt
Ron Randell	...	Merle Reid
Charles Drake	...	Sgt. Kellogg
John Carradine	...	Sean O'Flanagan
Harold J. Stone	...	Judge Upshaw
Tom Selleck	...	Phil Sanford
James Inglehart	...	Clay Rutherford (as James Iglehart)
John Sarno	...	Jerry Griffith
Stanley Adams	...	Irwin Blair

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:PG (edited for re-rating: 1973) | USA:R (original rating)

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In an interview many years later Russ Meyer recalled that with his substantial budget from 20th Century-Fox he had exposed a tremendous amount of footage, with over 24 hours of usable film, and in the editing room he decided to make quick cuts using all sorts of angles, with hardly any shot in The Seven Minutes (1971) lasting more than 3 or 4 seconds as edited.

Soundtrack:

Love Train

Pretty entertaining despite being Russ Meyer's weakest film

After Russ Meyer hit it big with BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS for 20th Century Fox, he directed his second movie for the studio's two-picture deal with him. THE SEVEN MINUTES was a box office flop and ruined any chances Meyer may have had to continue with Fox. But I actually found myself liking this movie and while it's not as fantastic as his comedies or action flicks, MINUTES is still unique in its own way.

"The Seven Minutes" is a book that has been charged with obscenity and is blamed for leading a young boy to rape a girl. The film revolves around the court case against the book. That's pretty much it. Regular Meyer fans will be disappointed in this film, no doubt. While it does feature Edy Williams, Charles Napier, Stuart Lancaster, a young Tom Selleck, the actor who plays Martin Bormann, and the black boxer from BVD, these cast members appear in what amount to cameos and disappear very quickly. Yvonne de Carlo is great as an old-time Hollywood actress, though. The major problem with the film is that it is a serious film, not a slapstick comedy, a real turning point for Meyer. I wonder if he even wanted to make this film, as it is such a departure from his regular content.

THE SEVEN MINUTES is not filled with busty beauties or excellent music or outrageous situations, but features lots of Meyer's trademark lightning-quick editing and enough twists and turns in the plot to get the viewer involved in the story. The surprise ending is totally out of left field. Still, I would only recommend THE SEVEN MINUTES to diehard Meyer fans and even then, very carefully. The film is very hard to find, but I was able to rent it from Video Vault in Alexandria, VA. Even Meyer doesn't offer it on his Bosomania label! So if you spend lots of time searching for it, expecting another BVD or SUPERVIXENS, you will be disappointed when you finally see it. Worth one viewing.