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6.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Seventh Commandment remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Only if you’re a total sucker for pre-code era melodrama or you’ve got a weird fascination with how people in the 30s thought they could ‘fix’ society by showing them a cautionary tale. If you want high-octane drama, steer clear. You’ll probably hate it if you need a fast pace or modern editing. If you like feeling like you’re snooping through a very judgmental attic, though, you’re in for a treat.
The whole thing feels like it was filmed in a living room that hadn't been dusted since the Great War. You can almost smell the mothballs on the actors' coats.
Maxine Collins is trying her best, bless her, but the script gives her about as much room to breathe as a goldfish in a thimble. There’s this one scene where she stares out a window—or maybe just at a wall, it’s hard to tell—and the silence goes on for, I swear, an eternity. It feels like the director just forgot to yell 'cut.'
It’s funny how they treat adultery like it’s the end of the world. It’s got that same vibe as Virtuous Sinners, where everyone is so desperately worried about their reputation that they forget to actually act like human beings. The dialogue is so stiff you could use it to build a shed.
There’s this one moment where a character tries to look sad, but it just looks like they’re trying to remember if they left the stove on. It’s deeply charming in a way that I’m sure wasn't intended.
Don't expect a masterpiece. Expect a movie that thinks it’s doing the Lord’s work while mostly just being a bit of a snoozefest. It’s not quite as weird as The Sky Jumper, but it’s got its own specific, strange energy.
I left the room to make a sandwich halfway through, and when I came back, nobody had moved. I think I missed absolutely nothing. 🥪
