The Magnificent Seven
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | ||
| Starring |
| |
| Directed by | John Sturges | |
| Produced by | John Sturges | |
| Based on | Seven Samurai (1954 film) | |
| Runtime | 128 minutes | |
| Country | United States | |
| language | English | |
| Budget | $2 million | |
The Magnificent Seven is a 1960 American Western film directed by John Sturges. The screenplay, credited to William Roberts, is a remake (in an Old West style) of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Japanese film, Seven Samurai, which was initially released in the United States as The Magnificent Seven. The ensemble cast includes Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, James Coburn, and Horst Buchholz as a group of seven gunfighters hired to protect a small village in Mexico from a band of marauding bandits led by Eli Wallach.
The film was released by United Artists on October 12, 1960, and became both a critical and commercial success. It has been recognized as one of the greatest films of the Western genre. It spawned three sequels, a television series from 1998 to 2000, and a 2016 film remake. Elmer Bernstein's film score was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score and is included in the American Film Institute's list of the top 25 American film scores.
In 2013, the Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the United States National Film Registry because it was "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. "
Plot
A gang of bandits led by Calvera periodically raids a poor Mexican village for food and supplies. The village leaders decide to fight back after the latest raid, during which Calvera kills a villager.
They send three villagers carrying their few valuable possessions to try to barter for weapons. In a town just inside the United States, the villagers find and approach the gunslinger Chris Adams. Chris advises them to hire gunfighters to defend the village instead, as "men are cheaper than guns."
Initially agreeing only to help with recruitment, Chris eventually takes the lead of the group. Despite the meager pay, Chris persuades five willing gunmen to join him. They include Vin Tanner, a gunfighter who has fallen into poverty due to gambling; Chris's friend Harry Luck, who believes Chris is hiding a much larger reward for their efforts; the Irish Mexican Bernardo O'Reilly, who is experiencing hard times; Britt, an expert in both knife and gun who joins purely for the challenge; and the dapper, fugitive gunman Lee, tormented by nightmares of fallen enemies and so haunted that he has lost his nerve for battle. While on their way to the village, they are followed by the hotheaded Chico, an aspiring gunfighter whose previous attempts to join Chris have been rejected. Impressed by his determination, Chris permits him to join the group.
Upon arriving at the village, they collaborate with the villagers to construct fortifications and train them in combat. They observe the absence of young women in the village until Chico stumbles upon Petra and learns that the women had been hidden out of fear that the gunmen would assault them. The gunmen start to bond with the villagers, and Petra pursues Chico. When Bernardo notes that the gunmen are being given choice food, they share it with the village children.
Three of Calvera's men are dispatched to reconnoiter the village; due to a mistake by Chico, the seven are forced to kill all three. Some days later, Calvera and his bandits arrive in force. The seven and the villagers kill eleven gang members and run the rest out of town. The villagers celebrate, believing Calvera will not return. However, Chico infiltrates Calvera's camp and learns that Calvera will return, as his men are short on food. Some villagers fear reprisals and call for the gunfighters to leave. Even some of the seven waver, but Chris insists that they stay.
The seven ride out for a preemptive raid on Calvera's camp, only to find it abandoned. Upon returning to the village, they are captured by Calvera and his men, who have conspired with some of the villagers to infiltrate and seize control. Calvera spares the seven's lives, partly believing they have been disillusioned by the betrayal and partly fearing reprisals from their friends across the border.
As they prepare to leave, Chris and Vin acknowledge their emotional attachment to the village. Bernardo similarly becomes upset when the boys he befriended call their parents cowards. Chico states that he despises the villagers; when Chris points out that he also grew up as a farmer, Chico angrily retorts that it is men like Calvera and Chris who have made the villagers what they are.
The gang escorts the seven gunmen from the village and returns their weapons. The seven debate their next move. All agree to return and fight, except for Harry, who believes the effort is futile and suicidal.
The gunmen infiltrate the village, and a gunfight breaks out. Harry, who has had a change of heart, returns just in time to save Chris's life but is himself fatally shot. Harry pleads to understand what they were fighting for, and Chris lies about hidden gold to let Harry believe he died for a fortune; Harry smiles before dying. Lee finds the courage to burst into a house where several villagers are being held, shooting their captors and releasing the prisoners to join the fight, but he is gunned down as he leaves the house. Bernardo, shot while protecting the boys he befriended, tells them as he dies to see how bravely their fathers fought. Britt dies after killing many bandits and exposing himself from cover. Chris shoots Calvera, who demands to know why he returned for the village. The remaining bandits flee.
After Chico decides to stay with Petra, Chris and Vin bid farewell to the village elder. The elder tells them that only the villagers have won, whereas the gunslingers are "like the wind, blowing over the land and passing on." As they pass the graves of their fallen comrades, Chris admits the elder was right.
Cast
- Wikipedia article: The Magnificent Seven Cast
Production
- Wikipedia article: The Magnificent Seven Production
Music
- Wikipedia article: The Magnificent Seven Music
Reception
- Wikipedia article: The Magnificent Seven Reception
External links
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