Sept hommes et une garce

The Army of Italy that Bonaparte inherited was a ragged, disgruntled lot of soldiers short of pay, rations and supplies. That was the soldiers of Year II (of the French first Republic which in fact was never called so)and the beginning of the movie includes Napoleon's famous speech :"Soldiers! You are hungry and naked; the Government owes you much but can give you nothing. The patience and courage which you have displayed among these rocks are admirable, but they bring you no glory-not a glimmer falls upon you. I will lead you into the most fertile plains on Earth." Namely Italy where they were in conflict with the Austrians (who speak German,much to the credit of the film).

A French General and six men (hence the title) separated from their unit get beyond the enemy lines. There they meet Carlotta the resolute daughter of an Italian Count who's not shrinking violet (hence the second part of the title ).Then begins a cock and bull saucy story in which Marilu Tolo 's principal talent is to strip naked every fifteen minutes ("I'm used to do it ", she says in a disullisioned voice , in the last sequences) Aside from the heroine 's amorous adventures (with the French and the Austrians :that's what one can call international relations ), the plot deals with powder and the courageous French army who amost falls into an ambush set by the nasty Austrian officer.

An international cast :French (Jean Marais,Guy Bedos who stammers all along the movie,which may be irritating in the long run),Americans (Sidney Chaplin) Italians (Tolo, Ettore Manni) ,even Romanians ,given the co-production.

By and large ,this is a mediocre production ,saved by the cast and beautiful colors (Henri Persin) .Bernard Borderie would soon resume his more lucrative Angelique saga ,but the final episodes did not match the success of the first ones .