The Magnificent Seven
The Magnificent Seven is a 1960 American Western film directed by John Sturges and starring Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach and Steve McQueen. The supporting cast features Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, James Coburn and Horst Buchholz. The film is an Old West–style remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Japanese film Seven Samurai. Brynner, McQueen, Bronson, Vaughn, Dexter, Coburn and Buchholz portray the title characters, a group of seven gunfighters hired to protect a small village in Mexico from a group of marauding bandits (whose leader is played by Wallach). The film's musical score was composed by Elmer Bernstein. In 2013, the film was selected for the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Plot
A gang of bandits led by Calvera (Eli Wallach) periodically raids a poor Mexican village for food and supplies. After the latest raid, during which Calvera kills a villager, the village leaders decide they have had enough. On the advice of the village elder (Vladimir Sokoloff), they decide to fight back. Taking their few objects of value, three villagers ride to a town just inside the United States border hoping to barter for weapons. They are impressed by Chris Adams (Yul Brynner), a veteran Cajun gunslinger, and approach him for advice. Chris suggests they instead hire gunfighters to defend the village, as "men are cheaper than guns." At first agreeing only to help them recruit men, Chris eventually decides to lead the group. Despite the meager pay offered, he finds five willing gunmen.
Awards
Cast
- Bing Russell
- Brad Dexter
- Charles Bronson
- Eli Wallach
- Enrique Lucero
- Fernando Rey
- Horst Buchholz
- James Coburn
- Jim Davis
- John A. Alonzo
- Joseph Ruskin
- Larry Duran
- Rico Alaniz
- Robert J. Wilke
- Robert Vaughn
- Steve McQueen
- Val Avery
- Valentin de Vargas
- Victor French
- Vladimir Sokoloff
- Whit Bissell
- Yul Brynner
More details
author | Akira Kurosawa Walter Bernstein Walter Newman William Roberts |
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award | National Film Registry |
contentLocation | Mexico Texas |
director | John Sturges |
editor | Ferris Webster |
genre | historical western |
keywords | abandon across the border cajun change of heart fight forced to kill gamble gold mine gunfighter gunslinger hard times haunt hidden gold hide irish mexican old man pass rosenda monteros shoot survive their way united states village |
musicBy | Elmer Bernstein |
nomination | Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score |
producer | John Sturges |
productionCompany | Alpha Productions The Mirisch Company |
publisher | United Artists |
recordedAt | Mexico |
theme | japanese |