Fabio Piccioni’s 1971 movie Si può fare molto con sette donne (You Can Do A Lot With Seven Women), a crime thriller set in Egypt, stars Richard Harrison, Marcella Michelangeli, and Marie Louise Sinclair and features a soundtrack composed by Franco De Gemini and Stefano Torossi that also includes contributions by Alessandro Alessandroni and I Cantori Moderni.

Richard Harrison plays Mike Spencer, a detective from Interpol whose girlfriend may have been killed by a ring of drug smugglers that use a model agency as a front for their operations. In the course of following leads, Harrison’s character is involved in fights, car chases, and an encounter with the Egyptian police. The lead role for the Salt Lake City-born actor is one of more than a hundred films and TV programs he did for Italian producers, including comedies, Westerns, and thrillers.

“What Is This Love,” with vocalist Melody singing the theme song of Si può fare molto con sette donne, also appears on Franco De Gemini’s The Man With The Harmonica CD. The English language version of the title song composed by Franco De Gemini and Stefano Torossi features an orchestra directed by Arthur Orlandy, with lyrics by Giuseppe Cassia. Franco De Gemini plays harmonica on the piece.

Franco De Gemini and Stefano Torossi’s “What Is This Love” title track, featuring Melody on vocals, is on YouTube:

The Italian version of the theme track,”Cos’e l’amore,” is done by Marcella Michelangeli, who also acts in Si può fare molto con sette donne. She released several albums in addition to appearing in dozens of movies including And God Said To Cain (1970), Arizona Colt Returns (1970), The Big Racket (1976), and Immacolata e Concetta: l’atra gelosia (1980).

“Cos’e l’amore” is also used in Si può fare molto con sette donne and is included on the soundtrack released on LP in 1972 by Italy’s Beat Records Company. The album was reissued in vinyl in Japan in 1993 and appeared in CD for the first time in 2012, issued by the same label responsible for the original LP. At this time, it doesn’t appear that Marcella Michelangeli’s “Cos’e l’amore” is available online.

One of the most memorable tracks from composers Franco De Gemini and Stefano Torossi on Si può fare molto con sette donne is “Cheops and Nefertiti,” a song that showcases the talents of I Cantori Moderni. This original piece was later included on Cinecocktail: From Beat Records the Ultimate Easy Listening Compilation (2004), a two-CD collection by Beat Records Company often available at music stores and websites specializing in soundtracks and library music.

Franco De Gemini and Stefano Torossi’s “Cheops And Nefertiti,” with I Cantori Moderni, is currently found online:

“Cheops And Nefertiti” and two more songs from Si può fare molto con sette donne, the instrumental version of “What Is This Love?” and “Cairo Nights,” are included on She Had a Taste For Music (1999), a CD compilation by Italy’s Dagored.

Si può fare molto con sette donne is one of three films directed by Fabio Piccioni. He also served as an assistant director on several productions in addition to working as a second unit director for England’s Richard Lester. Piccioni was at Italy’s national public radio (RAI) from the mid-1970s through the late eighties. During this time he started working for Hollywood, a city he would later relocate to.

Footage from Piccioni’s film is not easy to find. However, one fan made the following video which combines Moroccan psychedelia with a slowed down sequence from Si può fare molto con sette donne:

Movie and Soundtrack Info and Online Video Album

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An all-region English version of the film that works in both NTSC and PAL DVD players is currently available at www.modcinema.com. Several other DVD and video tape releases can also usually be found via the Internet with minimal effort, including a region-free PAL version that has English and Italian audio options.

An online video album for Franco De Gemini and Stefano Torossi’s Si può fare molto con sette donne original soundtrack includes four of the eight tracks, “Bossa Beat,” “Omar Khayyam,” “Cheops And Nefertiti,” and “What Is Love”:

More Music From Franco De Gemini

“Prairie Sunset,” a composition by John Tender performed by Franco De Gemini and The Gil Flat Group from Coloursound Library’s A Happy Tramp, was uploaded to the Internet earlier this year:

An audio file for Alessandro Alessandroni and Franco De Gemini’s “Beat 700” is on SoundCloud:

And something special, Franco De Gemini performing one of his most influential and enduring works, “L’uomo dell’armonica” from Sergio Leone’s Once Upon A Time In The West. This 2010 live version of the Ennio Morricone classic features a choir and orchestra: