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Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Horst Buchholz, Charles Bronson ... see more see more... , Robert Vaughn , Brad Dexter , James Coburn , Vladimir Sokoloff , Rosenda Monteros , Whit Bissell , Val Avery , Bing Russell , Rico Alaniz , Robert J. Wilke , Jorge Martinez De Hoyos , Pepe Hern , Enrique Lucero , Alex Montoya , Mario Navarro , Natividad Vacio , Jorge Marchegiant

Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai (1954) is westernized as The Magnificent Seven. Yul Brynner plays Chris, a mercenary hired to protect a Mexican farming village from its annual in... read more read more...vasion by bandit Calvera (Eli Wallach). As Elmer Bernstein's unforgettable theme music (later immortalized as the "Marlboro Man" leitmotif) blasts away in the background, Chris rounds up six fellow soldiers of fortune to help him form a united front against the bandits. The remaining "magnificent six" are played by Charles Bronson, Steve McQueen, Horst Buchholz, Robert Vaughn, James Coburn, and (the one that everybody forgets) Brad Dexter. Though jam-packed with action, William Roberts's screenplay pauses long enough to flesh out each of its characters, allowing the audience to pick their own favorites. The Magnificent Seven was followed by three sequels, not to mention dozens of imitations. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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85% liked it

50,739 ratings

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93% liked it

29 critics

R, 2 hr. 6 min.

Directed by: John Sturges

Release Date: January 1, 1960

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DVD Release Date: May 8, 2001

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Stats: 2,498 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,498)

  • ironclad1609
    April 26, 2012
    ironclad1609
    Shocking, that one of the great, classic Western films is actually a remake of Kurosawa's Samurai film. That doesn't take anything away from this humorous, tragic, enthralling gunslinger drama, where men are still men and women need protection. In this case it's a whole village t... read morehat finds a bunch of heroes to fight back against regularly invading bandits. Great characters you love to cheer for, shootouts, a fantastic soundtrack. This film leaves little to desire and is re-watchable over and over.
  • deano
    December 27, 2010
    deano
    A brilliant classic, beautifully shot and acted. Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai served as the inspiration for this enjoyable Western, directed by John Sturges. Much is made here of the difference between fighting for money, fighting for justice, or fi... read moreghting for a future.
    Yul Brynner is solid in the lead role. Brynner, Steve McQueen and James Coburn define the word cool as they go about their various exploits before and after they join forces. McQueen and Coburn are men of few words, but of fierce action when necessary. Charles Bronson does his best with a pretty mushy storyline involving the youth of the village. Horst Buchholz overacts feverishly as a determined, but inexperienced youth. Vaughn seems a tad out of place and has one major ham moment during a nightmare.
  • DrZeek
    May 30, 2010
    DrZeek
    Vin: You know the first time I took a job as a hired gun, fellow told me, "Vin, you can't afford to care." There's your problem.
    Chris: One thing I don't need is somebody telling me my problem.
    Vin: Like I said before, that's your problem. You got involved in this village and the... read more people in it.
    Chris: Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?

    A solid Western remake of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. It takes, for its time, a big name cast and put them all together for a movie about codes of honor, reflection, as well as gunfights and macho coolness. Strong chemistry from within the cast, some solid gunplay, and a good amount of fun.

    A bandit, played by Eli Wallach, terrorizes a small Mexican farming village each year. Several of the village elders send three of the farmers into the United States to search for gunmen to defend them. They end up with seven, each of whom comes for a different reason. They must prepare the town to repulse an army of over 100 bandits who will arrive wanting food.

    The seven includes: Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, James Coburn, Brad Dexter, Charles Bronson, and a new kid who really wants to be a good cowboy.

    The film does a good job at taking on the challenge of competing with a film as legendary as Seven Samurai and making it its own. While it follows most of the same beats, this is still a good western take on that story.

    It helps that the cast is great. Brynner and McQueen fighting for lead status. James Coburn being incredibly cool. And particular notice from me goes to Charles Bronson, who is really effective at imbuing his character with pathos.

    As this is a Hollywood western, there's no Ennio Morricone to be found this time around, but the legendary score by Elmer Bernstein is more than enough to satisfy me. It all goes really well with a lot of very good filmmaking at play here.

    Great film all around.

    Calvera: What I don't understand is why a man like you took the job in the first place, hmm? Why, huh?
    Chris: I wonder myself.
    Calvera: No, come on, come on, tell me why.
    Vin: It's like a fellow I once knew in El Paso. One day, he just took all his clothes off and jumped in a mess of cactus. I asked him that same question, "Why?"
    Calvera: And?
    Vin: He said, "It seemed to be a good idea at the time."
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    April 29, 2010
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "They were seven - And they fought like seven hundred!"

    An oppressed Mexican peasant village assembles seven gunfighters to help defend their homes.

    REVIEW

    You cannot consider "The Magnficent S... read moreeven" to be an entirely original production on account of the fact that it's simply a remake of Akira Kurosawa's epic "Seven Samurai" just set in 19th century North America. But you cannot consider it to be a rip-off either, for it is it's own film in its own right. Yul Brynner was definitely not the first choice of any Western film producer, and in this case, he was a very unique choice for the leading role. This does not make him ill-suited for the part, though. He's cast along with other famous names such as Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn. "The Magnificent Seven" is also noteworthy for its unusually intense, and sometimes bloody, battle sequences. All Westerns feature gunfights to some degree, but "Seven" has fights that are grittier, more unpredictable, and more violent. And they still hold out well today as entertaining to state the very least.
  • hobster1
    March 26, 2010
    hobster1
    Gripping epic western of mercenaries hired for protection by a Mexican village terrorized by a gang of outlaws. Despite being "merely" a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and borrowing themes from the westerns of John Ford, this action film remains one of the most ... read moreriveting of all time. Director John Sturges has a remarkable rapport with his actors. Indeed he would successfully reteam with Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Charles Bronson 3 years later in The Great Escape. Creative casting also includes Yul Brynner off his success in The King and I and Jewish actor Eli Wallach as Mexican bandit, Calvera. This brilliant ensemble cast highlight a perfectly realized tale of good vs. evil.
  • FilmFanatik
    March 2, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    I know people love this movie, but I'm not all that crazy about it. I prefer Kurosawa's original.
  • garyX
    February 16, 2010
    garyX
    Based on a story by Akira Kurosawa, starring Yul Brinner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn and Eli Wallach, directed by John (The Gunfight At The OK Corral/The Great Escape) Sturges and accompanied by one of the best musical scores ever written, and you... read more have the ingredients for possibly the perfect old school western. Poor old Brad Dexter didn't stand much of a chance up against an ensemble cast of this quality, but he makes a decent fist of a character who is essentially an amalgam of two characters from Seven Samurai, which makes way for Vaughn's gunslinger who has lost his nerve and slots seamlessly into the action. It does take a more popular culture slant on the original's more arthouse sensibilities, but it works perfectly. Brinner and McQueen make a brilliant double act and it even adds a more upbeat ending without failing to retain the spirit of the source material. One of the very few examples of a remake that is almost as worthwhile as the original.
  • ythelastman89
    January 19, 2010
    ythelastman89
    While it isn't the masterpiece that Seven Samurai is, it's still a great western and a well translated story. Somehow it manages to relate gunslingers to Samurai quite easily. The characters are all there, even though they are a little different. Kikuchiyo's character was essenti... read moreally split up into three chatacter's: Vin, Bernardo and Chico. I find it amazing that such a rich character had to be taken down in order to make the movie work as well as it did. My only real complaint with the film is Yul Brynner who just never seemed to fit. He expresses almost none of the wisdom that Kambei had, but it doesn't ruin the overall experience. I actually find it to be a very different movie than Seven Samurai, especially when you compare them side by side. The same basic concept is there, but it really is a completely different feeling and tone.
  • ScoopOnline
    December 13, 2009
    ScoopOnline
    They were seven - And they fought like seven hundred!
  • Deano78
    September 2, 2008
    Deano78
    One of the best older westerns. Has an impressive cast as the best guns of the west come to the aid of a Mexican village.

View All The Magnificent Seven Reviews

Critic Reviews

James Plath
December 29, 2011
James Plath, Movie Metropolis

One of the most iconic Westerns. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
August 8, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

John Sturges remake of Kurosawa's masterpiece, Seven Samurai, is enjoyable on its own terms due to the stellar cast, not to mention Elmer Bernstein's score, but it helps to know the Japansese classic. Full Review

Carly Kocurek
January 1, 2011
Carly Kocurek, Common Sense Media

Classic shoot-'em-up not for young viewers. Full Review

Christopher Smith
February 3, 2006
Christopher Smith, Bangor Daily News (Maine)

Overly celebrated, but the gun fights are among the best ever in a Western.

Dennis Schwartz
December 7, 2005
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

An inferior remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 action classic The Seven Samurai, though worth seeing because of the star performances. Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
November 12, 2005
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

A classic that's never been one of my favorite Westerns.

Pete Vonder Haar
October 10, 2005
Pete Vonder Haar, Film Threat

If you're going to rip someone off, may as well rip off the best

Pete Croatto
April 20, 2005
Pete Croatto, Filmcritic.com

Get the Pringles ready. Full Review

Steve Crum
January 3, 2005
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan

A classic western, a stellar cast.

Larry Carroll
September 27, 2002
Larry Carroll, Countingdown.com

If it's not the greatest Western ever made, it's certainly in the top three. This is the movie that made Steve McQueen a star.

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    • Vin: It seemed like a good idea at the time. So far so good.
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The Magnificent Seven Trivia

  • The Magnificent Seven is the remake of what japanese film? (english title)  Answer »
  • What western film is based off the Japanese film Seven Samurai?  Answer »
  • Match the movie to the quote: O'Reilly: "Don't you ever say that again about your fathers, because they are not cowards. You think I am brave because I carry a gun? Well, your fathers are much braver because they carry responsibility, for you, your brothers, your sisters and your mothers."   Answer »
  • Which movie was remade as The Magnificent Seven?  Answer »
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