Movie Review: The Magnificent Seven (1960)

The Magnificent Seven (1960) directed by John Sturges

This classic Western is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, a tale of a group of samurai hired to defend a medieval Japanese village. The action is transported to late 1800s Mexico, where a small farming village is robbed yet again by Calvera (Eli Wallach) and his bandits. Calvera says he will be back soon. The villagers want to do something to stop the constant pillaging. They consult their wise old man who tells them to fight. A small delegation gathers all the valuables of the town and heads to the border where they plan to buy guns. When they arrive, a funeral has been cancelled because the locals don't want an Indian buried in their local cemetery. A traveling salesman has paid for it and can't understand why there is so much prejudice. Gunslinging drifter Chris (Yul Brynner) volunteers to drive the hearse to the graveyard; Vin (Steve McQueen), another gunfighter passing through town, volunteers to ride shotgun on the hearse. They deliver the corpse through grit and determination. The delegation go to Chris and ask him to help buy guns, since they know nothing about gunfighting. Chris convinces them to hire men rather than buy guns, since it will be cheaper and more effective. He puts together a ragtag group with different motivations to head south and help the village fight Calvera and his men.

The movie has so many strengths. The rousing Elmer Bernstein score sets the tone of high adventure and excitement. All the characters are three-dimensional, with their own motivations and problems. The actors all do a great job with their roles, making the characters real and relatable. The group of gunslingers are honorable if flawed men. Calvera is more than a common thief--he cares for his men almost as much as for himself. He's intelligent but maybe talks too much for his own good. Even the villagers, who you would think would be stock or generic characters, have a good variety of emotions and attitudes. They aren't just helpless peasants who need outsiders to take care of them. They step up and fight alongside the seven gunmen they have hired, though that has complications through the farmers' different motivations. The plot moves at a good pace and provides a great blend of action and drama, with plenty of comedic and philosophical moments. 

Highly recommended--this is easily in the top ten Westerns ever made.

Also, this was discussed on A Good Story Is Hard to Find Podcast #62. Check it out!