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Brad Dexter, Charles Bronson, Eli Wallach, Horst Buchholz, James Coburn ...( see more  see more... ) , Jorge Martinez De Hoyos , Rico Alaniz , Robert Vaughn , Rosenda Monteros , Steve McQueen , Vladimir Sokoloff , Yul Brynner

Akira Kurosawa's rousing Seven Samurai was a natural for an American remake--after all, the codes and conventions of ancient Japan and the Wild West (at least the mythical movie West) are not so very ...( read more  read more... )far apart. Thus The Magnificent Seven effortlessly turns samurai into cowboys (the same trick worked more than once: Kurosawa's Yojimbo became Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars). The beleaguered denizens of a Mexican village, weary of attacks by banditos, hire seven gunslingers to repel the invaders once and for all. The gunmen are cool and capable, with most of the actors playing them just on the cusp of '60s stardom: Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn. The man who brings these warriors together is Yul Brynner, the baddest bald man in the West. There's nothing especially stylish about the approach of veteran director John Sturges (The Great Escape), but the storytelling is clear and strong, and the charisma of the young guns fairly flies off the screen. If that isn't enough to awaken the 12-year-old kid inside anyone, the unforgettable Elmer Bernstein music will do it: bum-bum-ba-bum, bum-ba-bum-ba-bum.... Followed by three inferior sequels, Return of the Seven, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, and The Magnificent Seven Ride! --Robert Horton

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Unrated, 2 hrs. 7 min.

Directed by: John Sturges

Release Date: January 1, 1960

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DVD Release Date: May 8, 2001

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Flixster Reviews (2,176)

  • PvtCaboose91
    December 22, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "We deal in lead, friend."


    It's strangely appropriate that John Sturges' The Magnificent Seven is a Western remake of Akira Kurosawa's Japanese epic Seven Samurai. After all, Kurosawa has repeatedly said that his work is inspired by American Westerns. Whi

    ...( read more)le The Magnificent Seven cannot compete with Seven Samurai in terms of visual dexterity or profound thematic complexity, John Sturges' Western-ised adaptation holds up as a rousing action-adventure story as well as a fascinating turning point in the history of films about the Old West. Not only does The Magnificent Seven contain a pitch-perfect cast and a satisfying amount of exciting, gun-slinging action, but it additionally finds time to explore deep contradictions of the mythic noble outlaws which proved so endemic to the American Western genre.


    The plot is a simple one, and follows the template established by Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. A small Mexican village is repeatedly raided by a bandit gang led by the menacing Calvera (Wallach) who constantly leaves the villagers destitute. Desperate and fed up with living under Calvera's thumb, several of the villagers travel to a nearby border town in the hope of purchasing guns to defend themselves, but end up simply hiring professional gunmen instead. A total of seven men are recruited, who travel back to the village to confront Calvera and his gang of bandits. Each of the seven men has their own reasons for being involved, but all are united under the common goal of removing fear from the village and overthrowing the evil marauders.


    The Magnificent Seven is divided into two distinct halves. The first chronicles the rounding up of the seven gunmen, while the second half recounts the epic battle fought between the gunslingers and Calvera's gang of bandits. Taken at face value, this is standard good vs. evil stuff. But if scrutinised further, one will uncover something much deeper. Sure, the good guys fight off the bad guys heroically, but each character is imbued with a finely-drawn, distinct and interesting personality. The gunmen are masterfully humanised; they're tough guys who have regrets and fears, but manage to do a commendable job of hiding them. Things steadily intensify during the lead-up to the final showdown which displays no mercy even towards the film's most likeable characters. The Magnificent Seven also remains vital and interesting due to departures from the genre norms it opted to take. This was probably the first Hollywood Western in history to delve into the emptiness of the life of a gunfighter; they're confident in their profession, but are unable to hold down a stable home and family life. In a wonderfully judged scene, the seven men discuss the pros and cons of the life they've chosen, and it's apparent this life hasn't greatly rewarded them since they were poor enough to accept this job for which they'll receive little pay.


    Of course, The Magnificent Seven wouldn't be considered such a success on characters alone; there are rousing action sequences here as well. In this respect, much of the credit belongs to director John Sturges, an 'outdoor' director who keeps the pacing efficient and has an eye for action set-pieces. Prior to The Magnificent Seven, Sturges was experienced in directing both action films and Westerns with such titles as Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and Bad Day at Black Rock. It's due to the director's extensive experience that when the action happens, it's taut, motivated and convincing, with a strong sense of urgency and a clear notion of what's at stake. The expansive vistas of Western scenery, the codes of honour among the gunslingers, the camaraderie they find in each other, as well as the shootouts so common in Hollywood Westerns are all included here in spades. This fusion of so many irresistible elements raises the film several notches above more typical tales of simplistic cowboy heroes.


    Yul Brynner was initially suggested to direct this movie, but Sturges ended up getting the job. Instead, Brynner settled for one of the protagonists - an excellent alternative, because Brynner's performance is outstanding. Another inspired casting choice is Steve McQueen as a member of the titular team. McQueen, who eventually went on to star in Bullitt and The Great Escape, imbues his performance with cool and intensity. He was the ultra-cool male film star of the 1960s, after all. The other five champions of the film are James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter and European film star Horst Buchholz. It's easy to see why these men were cast: all have unique, memorable faces that convey both conviction and desolation. A number of actors got their big breaks in this film, including Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Charles Bronson. It's funny to imagine these actors being relatively unknown at the time. It's also interesting to note that there was a tremendous rivalry between the actors, in particular between Brynner and McQueen. Meanwhile Eli Wallach is superb playing the menacing, no-nonsense villain. Too many movies allow the lead villain to remain two-dimensional, but this is not the case here.


    Upon close examination, there are no real flaws to point out within The Magnificent Seven - it's just flawed in the sense that it feels like an abridged reiteration of Seven Samurai. Other than that, the film is top drawer. It offers drama, strong characterisations, clever writing, action and suspense. It's exciting, witty, smart and sometimes even sweet. Added to this, it's a Western actioner that crosses the line to appeal to movie-lovers of all sorts. Deep down, you know it's not as brilliant as Kurosawa's Seven Samurai...but very few films are.
  • ohagankieran
    January 25, 2009
    ohagankieran
    What else is there to say about Sturges' remake of The Seven Samurai? As soon as Elmer Bernstein's iconic score fills our ears we are back with old friends. Friends that after 48 years still never bore us or let us down.
    But really The Magnificent Seven is a collective memory sh...( read more)ared between Christmas, Easter, or rainy Sunday afternoons with grandfathers or dads. A film that fills in its own blanks when we join it half way through and a film that we feel compelled to watch even though we have already seen it hundreds of times before.
    Simply put, the Magnificent Seven is what is best about cinema.
  • bradwest
    October 13, 2008
    bradwest
    This works whether its samurai or gunslingers. Everybody just oozes cool in this.
  • Deano78
    September 2, 2008
    Deano78
    One of the best older westerns. Has an impressive cast as the best guns of the west come to the aid of a Mexican village.
  • jplong39
    July 6, 2008
    jplong39
    I can never watch it all the way through because I've seen Kurosawas original too many times. This is pale and shallow compared to Seven Samurai...
  • agalwk
    December 2, 2009
    agalwk
    Well, a classic :D And Yull Brynner. And stuff. I loved it since I ws a kid.
  • Yelverton
    November 29, 2009
    Yelverton
    All-Star cast in an All-Star western.
  • ancestry80
    November 24, 2009
    ancestry80
    All star cast, plenty of action, and a great story make this a Western that can't be missed. I'm drawn to movies about men willing to make a stand for what is right, even when there's nothing in it for them. Too bad more like this aren't made today.
  • spacecasefukface
    November 7, 2009
    spacecasefukface
    one of the best remakes of a kurosawa films... great cast
  • ringoestrella258
    October 29, 2009
    ringoestrella258
    One of my favourite American westerns with a brilliant cast. More enjoyable (and a lot shorter) than Seven Samurai upon which it is based. Great music by Elmer Bernstein.

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Comments

  • Gx7
    November 25, 2008
    Gx7
    Im pretty sure I watched this when I was a weeeee ickle girl, the only thing is I cant remember anything abt this movie now lol! Highly doubt id watch it again tho.
  • spaghettimonster
    April 11, 2008
    spaghettimonster
    Hello, Douglas. I believe it's Horst Bucholst.
  • DouglasWCollins
    April 9, 2008
    DouglasWCollins
    Can somebody tell me who played the young gunslinger character in the movie. He is the only one besides Yul and Steve to live at the end. I looked on IMDB and could not figure it out. Just watched the movie again tonight (for the first time in 25 years) and it's bugging the heck out of me.
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The Magnificent Seven Trivia

  • The Magnificent Seven is the remake of what japanese film? (english title)  Answer »
  • What western film is based off the Japanese film Seven Samurai?  Answer »
  • Match the movie to the quote: O'Reilly: "Don't you ever say that again about your fathers, because they are not cowards. You think I am brave because I carry a gun? Well, your fathers are much braver because they carry responsibility, for you, your brothers, your sisters and your mothers."   Answer »
  • Which movie was remade as The Magnificent Seven?  Answer »
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