The Magnificent Seven (DVD)

The more recent infatuation with remaking Japanese films is not an original concept. Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film, Seven Samurai, is not such a well known film, but the chances are you'll be somewhat more familiar with John Sturges' 1960 film The Magnificent Seven, a Western remake of the Japanese classic. It made stars of some of the cast while cementing the reputation of others, and is one of those films where the build up is as entertaining as the action.

In the Wild West, Mexican bandit Calvera (Eli Wallach) terrorises a little town, and three inhabitants go seeking weapons with which to defend themselves. Instead, they come across Chris, a veteran gunslinger, who assembles a team of 7 men to defend the town.

As I said, it's the buildup and how the team are assembled that's the magical thing about this film. It allows us to get close to the characters as they each get given their own allotted devoted screen time to show us what they're about. It's a right old rabble, a mix of various skillsets but all seeming like the elite of skilled fighters in their own field, whether it be the knife skills of one or the tenacity and devotion of another, they all justify their place and have proven themselves before.

Before we get the seemingly impossible standoff between the 7 fighters and Calvera's bandits, the development of the film really does cement things, and Sturges allows the tension to build along with a feel good element that means we're in for a highly entertaining finale.

If anything, I like how the 7 are put together in the film more than the action parts towards the end, as it's like an introduction of an all star cast. Yul Brunner plays Chris, and he is joined by a rabble of now legendary actors, including Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughan, James Coburn, Brad Dexter and Horst Buchholz. The seven of them all show great screen presence at the same time as making sure there is no awkwardness with so much charisma and acting ability all together at the same time.

On the other side of things, Wallach's show as Calvera is suitably disdainful and aggressive to warrant bad feeling from the viewer. I liked it how each character had their own little quirkiness about them, some being the saviour and sometimes it causing them problems, from Coburn's knife skills to Bronson's affinity with a group of village kids. Vaughan's character being on the run from the authorities and needing to lay low is well worked in, as is the smoothness of the character, and McQueen's turn as broke gambler Vin needing a little cash also works well. Every man seems to have need to battle Calvera, and it's a real game of the many versus the few, which works very well.

It is a much lauded film, and it has spurned a number of less successful sequels. The score is also instantly recognisable, much in the way that of The Great Escape is, to me, and the various musical tones throughout balances perfectly with the mood of the scenes and the level of danger and intrigue. It really isn't a complicated film to follow and doesn't tug at the brain cells, although there are a few moments where it does so to the heart strings. The final battle is quite frenetic and intense, well choreographed and with a clever ending that leaves things open for the sequels.

I highly recommend this. I wouldn't say it's as deep and thought provoking as some of the more intense Westerns such as Sergio Leone's efforts, and isn't as drawn out as a John Wayne classic, but it has that all star indulgence that revolves around a plot, an often well needed film that has some real feel good moments coupled with some great action. Highly recommended.