The Magnificent Seven (1960) Review

The Magnificent Seven


Release Date: 23rd October 1960 - USA


Production Companies
The Mirisch Company (presents)
Alpha Productions


Genre: Western

Rating: PG

Runtime: 128 minutes


Budget: $2,000,000

Box Office Gross: $9,75,000 (rentals)


Plot Summary
Each year, the evil bandit Calvera and his bloodthirsty bandits have terrorised a small Mexican village, leaving the town's farmers on the brink of poverty. With no guns, no money and not so much of a violent instinct on their bodies, the leaders head out to the American border to purchase firearms. Instead, they come across a veteran gunslinger

named Chris Adams, who

suggests they should hire

more gunslingers in their

defence. He rounds up six

of them, each for a

different reason. Now,

the helpless villagers have not only one but seven hired guns ready for action.

Together, these professional gunmen devise a plan to secure the town by fitting it with defences and giving the villagers basic training to resist Calvera's attack as they're in for a violent showdown.

Cast
Yul Brynner - Chris Larabee Adams
Eli Wallach - Calvera

Steve McQueen - Vin Tanner
Horst Buchholz - Chico
Charles Bronson - Bernardo O'Reilly
Robert Vaughn - Lee
James Coburn - Britt
Brad Dexter - Harry Luck
Vladimir Sokoloff - The Old Man
Jorge Martínez de Hoyos - Hilario
Rosenda Monteros - Petra
Rico Alaniz - Sotero
Pepe Hern - Tomas
John A. Alonzo - Miguel
Robert J. Wilke - Wallace
Val Avery - Henry
Whit Bissell - Chamlee
Bing Russell - Robert

Valentin de Vargas - Santos - Calvera Henchman (Uncredited)

Crew
Producer/Director - John Sturges
Screenplay - William Roberts,

Walter Bernstein (Uncredited)

and Walter Newman (Uncredited)

Based on a Screenplay "Shichinin no samurai" -

Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto

and Hideo Oguni (Uncredited)
Associate Producer - Lou Morheim
Executive Producer - Walter Mirisch
Art Director - Edward Fitzgerald

Set Decorator - Rafael Suárez
Director of Photography - Charles Lang

Assistant Directors - Jaime Contreras,

Robert E. Reylea, Emilo Fernández (Uncredited)

and Jerome M. Siegel (Uncredited)

Special Effects - Milt Rice
Film Editor - Ferris Webster

Sound Effects Editor - Del Harris

Sound - Rafael Ruiz Esparza and

Jack Solomon
Music - Elmer Bernstein


Awards

1961 Academy Awards
Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy

Picture - Elmer Bernstein (Nominated)


Review
An unforgettable Western classic from director John Sturges, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is known for its terrific and inspiring solid story. It is mainly an American remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai with a fine display of gun-slinging action. I praise Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen for their acting, playing two of these seven marvellous characters that defined the old Western genre. Next in this large ensemble of talented performances are Charles Bronson, Eli Wallach, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn and Horst Buchholz. All of them did a superb job in the film. This film has helped make similar movies like Pixar's A Bug's Life. Every once in a while, a director produces a timeless classic with an infinite shelf life. It's one of those movies that will live on for generations.

Due to its long-running time, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is slow. It's a great classic. A passionate moviegoer would agree and might watch this western in their home theatre instead of paying top dollar on the big screen.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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