The Magnificent Seven (1960)

The Magnificent Seven. So descriptive of what we are about to see; so much honor, dignity and anticipation in those three words. I remember the first time vividly, though some forty-five years ago. I'd come in at the end of it, and the final battle was underway. There was Brynner, trapped against doors that would not give way for his retreat, and here comes a shouting, hard-riding comrade to his rescue - doomed to be the first who would fall. Astonishing intensity of gunfire and a limping Steve McQueen thrusts himself into the fray. Next, a vested, gloved gunman rounds a corner, stops, spies movement inside a house, coolly holsters his gun, kicks open the door and engages three men in a swift, deadly gunfight. Ten minutes later it was all over but my passion had been stoked. It would be a long, long time before I would again miss an airing of The Mag 7 from it's beginning.

Chris, the leader: Of course it's easy to see now that the King and Chris were the two roles Yul Brynner was born to play. They belong to him alone (so far no actor has been able to improve them). As the first of the seven he brought the aura of absolute authority needed for the role of a man who would be universally respected and obeyed by other men who were his martial equal. Though at times he is typically stiff and larger than life in this performance, he does come across at other moments as relaxed and dry-humoured.

Calvera, the adversary: Eli Wallach gives a wonderful performance as the menacing, yet wise-cracking bandit boss with a delightfully cynical view of life. Though he is appropriately menacing, you just can't keep from smiling as he expounds his experience of robbing "one little bank" in Texas.

Vin, the cowboy-come-gunfighter: Steve McQueen gives the most natural performance of them all. He truly never seems to be acting; rather, he seems to actually be the character. His every movement, gesture and facial expression look uncannily genuine. A very, very cool screen persona.

O'Reilly, the professional: Though the odds are stacked against, this is nothing new for him. He has faced and won against even more intimidating odds. Several times. Charles Bronson plays the part as ... well, as Charles Bronson. Plain and simply, you don't fool with this guy. To say O'Reilly is a loner is a massive understatement. Who better to play him than the "friendless" Bronson?

Lee, the hider: Revealed as having 'lost his nerve' I related to Lee in a truthful way as I could not really relate to the other heroes (except in my fantasies). On the commentary track of the DVD James Coburn advises that when actors invariably discuss who would play what part in a remake, most choose the role of Lee for themselves. Reviewers have noted that the brooding and darkness evident in Seven Samurai is largely absent from this adaptation but it is Lee who brings a little of it to this film. In his introductory scene the music takes an ominous tone. It signals clearly that there is something a little "off" about this character. South-eastern accented - Georgia or the Carolinas, he is educated, stylish and a very fast gun, probably arrogantly so in his past. The character is perhaps stylistically modeled on the real-life Doc Holiday. Fascinatingly different, he remains ever in the background, has little contact with the rest. There are two small instances that reveal the depth of his desperation late in the film: A villager says 'only the dead are without fear'. At that momen

Fmovies: This is the original from known series formed by four "Magnificent Seven" movies . This classic ¨Magnificent seven¨ is well played Yul Brynner as a tough gunslinger named Chris who along with Steve McQueen , and their group set off in rescue some Mexican villagers . One day a bandit called Calvera (Elli Wallach) comes and takes most of crops and foods from a Mexican village , then the oppressed Mexican peasant villagers assemble seven gunfighters to help defend their homes . They set out to look for Chris, the leader of The Seven for help . Chris is decided to take a group and strike a blow against the Mexican bandits . Chris also meets Vin (Steve McQueen) and both of whom reunite a motley group . They find four other men (Robert Vaughn , Brad Dexter , James Coburn , Charles Bronson) and along with the young unexperienced Chico (Horst Buchhold) set out to carry out their mission . As Chris and his buddies , each of whom comes for a different reason , must free a Mexican village attacked by nasty outlaws who are devastating the small location . All of them get a chance to redeem themselves . Later on , the group develops a plan to secure the villagers defend it against enemy attack .

Chris character was compellingly played by Yul Brynner in two occasions and one performed by Lee Van Cleef and George Kennedy . Brynner as a two-fisted pistolero is very good ; in fact , it was Yul Brynner who approached producer Walter Mirisch with the idea of doing a Western adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's classic, The seven Samurais. However , in the sequel ¨The Return of the Magnificent Seven¨ Yul insisted he would only make this film if Steve McQueen was not involved , McQueen felt the plot was too absurd and for this, and other reasons, was not interested anyway . The story is classic and traditional , following its interesting premise in subsequent sequels , including customary misfit band formed by an eclectic gang with diverse characters as well as speciality . The film gets action Western , exciting riding, shootouts , it's fun and entertaining , although nothing new , being a remake from a famous Japanese picture , but displays a slight style . The movie contains some moment of violence and even touching on the relationships between the villagers and the Magnificent . Walter Bernstein did the original adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's film , The seven Samurais , but it wasn't used ; Walter Newman wrote the screenplay that is substantially what you see on screen. Very good support cast, including notorious actors playing The Magnificent , as Robert Vaughn recommended his old schoolmate and friend James Coburn for the role. Although George Peppard was first considered for the role of Vin and Gene Wilder also auditioned. Sterling Hayden and John Ireland were originally supposed to play the knife expert, Britt. There appears several Mexican actors such as Rosenda Monteros , Enrique Lucero , Jorge Martinez Hoyos , Alex Montoya and usual Western players , such as Robert J. Wilke , Val Avery and Whit Bissell . Breathtaking and memorable musical score by Elmer Berstein ; Elmer , whose score for this movie is one of the best-known ever composed, also wrote the soundtrack for the parody of this film, 'Three amigos'. Even the great composer John Williams was a member of the orchestra that recorded Elmer Bernstein's score; he played the piano . Appropriate as well as glowing cinematography by expert cameraman Charles Lang . Being filmed on location in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Tepoztlan , Durango, Churubusco , Mexic

Re-make are seldom as good as the original, but here Hollywood or rather John Sturges managed to capture some of the spirit of Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai' which itself owes something to the 'Three Musketeers' and which Sturges duly acknowledged in the credits. Partly this is due to some inspired casting. With the exception of Yul Brynner, none of the actors was particularly well known at the time. Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Eli Wallach and Horst Buchholz (an unlikely Mexican) all went on to successful acting careers. The format of this film was replicated in many later films.

The plot couldn't be simpler. Desperate Mexican villagers, bled white by local bandits, retain a group of almost equally desperate gunslingers from the other side of the Rio Grand to deal with the bandits. A lot of the fun arises early on as leader Cajun Chris seeks out half a dozen suitably deranged but deadly types for the job. Ostensibly they are doing it for the money but it becomes apparent early on that they are really on the team just for the hell of it. Once they are together things don't quite go to plan, but the camaraderie holds up, and their mission is accomplished, though at considerable cost.

Despite all the action it is a character-driven piece in some ways. Eli Wallach's Calvera the bandit leader is more than a cardboard cut-out villain and Yul Brynner's enigmatic Chris keeps us guessing. The villagers, despite their matching white smocks, are not all lily-white and each of the Seven has at least one interesting weakness.

A strong feature of the film is the music, penned by the ubiquitous Elmer Bernstein, and entirely appropriate, with a main theme which seems to be permanently welded into my brain.

'The Magnificent Seven' was made at a time when the appetite for westerns was going into decline. Whereas westerns were staple film and TV fare in the 50's, the sixties saw a sharp decline, as spy dramas and sex farces burgeoned. One interesting theory I've heard about this is that it's not so much that the audience tired of westerns, but that TV executives discovered that they were being watched by the people too poor to buy their sponsor's fine products. Anyway this film holds up very well after 45 years, a true classic and satisfying to watch.

The Magnificent Seven fmovies. I first saw this film about 20 years ago as a teenager and I still find it as enjoyable now as I did then. It is the tale of seven gunfighters who are hired by a poor Mexican farming community to help drive off the bandits who periodically show up and steal the communities food and goods. Of the Magnificent Seven most of the screen time is given to Chris (Brynner), Vin (McQueen) and Chico (Bucholz). While no details are given about the individual pasts of the Magnificent Seven it is fairly clear what there pasts may have been.

1. Chris: A leader, perhaps a former soldier, who has encountered danger before and gained a degree of mastery over his emotions in dangerous situation.

2. Vin: A capable man with a gun, perhaps a one time cowboy. He seems to be comfortable working as a loner but clearly would like to one day settle down.

3. Chico: The youngest of the Seven and most inexperienced. He wants to shed his farming past and attempts through acts of bravado to persuade others and himself that he is a gunfighter at heart.

4. Bernardo (Bronson): A strong solitary man that in many ways resembles Chris although not displaying the desire to lead. In many ways he is the most interesting character. He has made quite a bit of money in the past even though he is now broke. The attention he gives to the local village children and the gift he gives a village girl hint at the idea that while he is good at gunfighting he knows that it is a good family life that is important.

5. Lee (Vaughn): The most difficult character to relate to. He appears to be a gunman who in the past was cocky, arrogant and self assured but now after experiencing life on the run now doubts himself. He wants to do the right thing but finds it difficult to step up to the plate when it's his turn.

6. Britt (Coburn): A loner who is unequaled in a gun or knife fight. A man whose motives remain his own.

7. Harry (Dexter): A good man to have in a fight but one who lets greed cloud his every decision. It would seem that Harry is one of those individuals who is always one step away from gaining riches but somehow never gains them.

The leader of the bandits is Calvera (Walsh) who is not an unlikeable fellow. He appears to believe that it is his job to steal so that he can support himself and his men. For him it is only a job, not unlike the farmers who work the land to provide for their families. He has what can almost be describes as a code of ethics for those who make their living with guns. This code of ethics is evident in the way he treats the Magnificent Seven towards the end of the film. However, given the films ending, this code does not seem to be shared by the Magnificent Seven

Lastly, while many people may view this film as a western action film I think there is quite a bit of underlying humanity and character depth woven into the story. It is these underlying characteristics that distinguish it from the average western action flick and have helped to make this film as popular as it is.

Based somewhat faithfully on the Akira Kurosawa classic Shichinin no samurai, The Magnificent Seven could be mistaken for just another of the many Westerns that were turned out in Hollywood during this era. But there is a certain something that keeps The Magnificent Seven unique. Part of it is the concept borrowed from the earlier Japanese film, but some of it lies in the attitude of the seven mercenaries referred to in the title.

Much is made here of the difference between fighting for money, fighting for justice, or fighting for a future. While this version of Kurosawa's epic contains all the philosophical leanings of the original, it isn't nearly as long-winded or languid. The downside to this is that it isn't nearly as moody or powerful. In fact, one can easily see the difference between American and foreign cinema simply by comparing Shichinin no samurai with The Magnificent Seven. One is incredibly dark and downbeat most of the time. The other mostly has a score that is so major it wouldn't sound out of place in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers.

Differences in feeling aside, the ultimate question is whether this version of the story manages to entertain. The hardest challenge any film faces is keeping the audience amused while all the exposition is laid out. Here, the exposition is kept to a minimum while carefully inserted between some fast-paced, albeit very mild action sequences.

Sometimes, the dialogue ("We deal in lead, friend.") gets incredibly stilted. Sometimes, it seems incredibly wise. Well, since we have examples of films where it's all stilted, all the time, we can forgive this one. The film also includes several textbook examples of how to include a sudden plot element without seeming contrived. When we learn why Calvera's men just won't go away, it needs no setup simply because it is consistent with their behaviour throughout the rest of the film.

In the end, The Magnificent Seven comes off as an excellent remake of a masterpiece. There are better Westerns out there, and there are better action films, but there aren't many. I gave it a nine out of ten. Go in expecting to be entertained, but little more, and you cannot go wrong.

A wonderful classic beautifully scored and shot.

There are so many moody looks between characters, and little movements or idiosyncrasies that just make each of the gunmen seem so real. Apparently, there were big egos behind the camera that caused these acts of showmanship, but unlike most films where the egos clash, here they just build the characters up without harming them.

Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen are just wonderful, and James Coburn and Charles Bronson both put in equal performances. There's just nothing about this film that you can fault, the script is kept light when required and the stunning score lifts up and the acting is huge but never too much. This is a must seeÂ…again and again.