Die glorreichen Sieben (1960)

Die glorreichen Sieben: Directed by John Sturges. With Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Horst Buchholz. Seven gunfighters are hired by Mexican peasants to liberate their village from oppressive bandits.

“Based somewhat faithfully on the Akira Kurosawa classic Shichinin no samurai, The Magnificent Seven could be mistaken for just another of the many Westerns that were turned out in Hollywood during this era. But there is a certain something that keeps The Magnificent Seven unique. Part of it is the concept borrowed from the earlier Japanese film, but some of it lies in the attitude of the seven mercenaries referred to in the title.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMuch is made here of the difference between fighting for money, fighting for justice, or fighting for a future. While this version of Kurosawau0026#39;s epic contains all the philosophical leanings of the original, it isnu0026#39;t nearly as long-winded or languid. The downside to this is that it isnu0026#39;t nearly as moody or powerful. In fact, one can easily see the difference between American and foreign cinema simply by comparing Shichinin no samurai with The Magnificent Seven. One is incredibly dark and downbeat most of the time. The other mostly has a score that is so major it wouldnu0026#39;t sound out of place in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDifferences in feeling aside, the ultimate question is whether this version of the story manages to entertain. The hardest challenge any film faces is keeping the audience amused while all the exposition is laid out. Here, the exposition is kept to a minimum while carefully inserted between some fast-paced, albeit very mild action sequences.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSometimes, the dialogue (u0026quot;We deal in lead, friend.u0026quot;) gets incredibly stilted. Sometimes, it seems incredibly wise. Well, since we have examples of films where itu0026#39;s all stilted, all the time, we can forgive this one. The film also includes several textbook examples of how to include a sudden plot element without seeming contrived. When we learn why Calverau0026#39;s men just wonu0026#39;t go away, it needs no setup simply because it is consistent with their behaviour throughout the rest of the film.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn the end, The Magnificent Seven comes off as an excellent remake of a masterpiece. There are better Westerns out there, and there are better action films, but there arenu0026#39;t many. I gave it a nine out of ten. Go in expecting to be entertained, but little more, and you cannot go wrong.”