"The Seven Samurai" (1954) was an excellent and highly influential film from Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. It was adapted into a western by producer/director John Sturges, who specialized in action movies. The result was "The Magnificent Seven", a film so successful that it would spawn three lesser sequels, a television series, and even parodies (e.g. "The Three Amigos").
Many elements were changed from "The Seven Samurai". The setting was changed from feudal Japan to a circa 1875 Mexican village, and the samurai were turned into gunslingers. The character of the bandit leader (here played by Eli Wallach) was built up. Bronson's character was given children sidekicks; perhaps to increase appeal across demographics, or perhaps to create an audience for Sturges to moralize about courage and responsibility.
Yul Brynner was, at the time of release, by far the biggest name in the film. This was due to the popularity of "The King and I". However, three of his compatriot gunslingers would later become major Hollywood stars: Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn. Another, Robert Vaughn, would became famous as "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."
Most of "The Magnificent Seven" have character counterparts from "The Seven Samurai". The exceptions are Lee (Robert Vaughn), an insecure gunslinger past his glory years, and Harry Luck (Brad Dexter), a comic relief mercenary. Lee's character is similar to that played by Dean Martin in "Rio Bravo" (1959). I have to say that Martin did the better job of it.
The character of Chico (Horst Buchholz) combines two of the samurai, the young love interest and the reckless wild man. Buchholz has the biggest shoes to fill, those of Toshiro Mifune. Buchholz's performance is embarrassing when compared to Mifune. The original is still the best, and the same can also be said of the movie as a whole.
The story has a Mexican village plagued by a gang of bandits. The local storekeeps and farmers ask the town elder for advice. He recommends buying guns and fighting the bandits. The villagers manage to enlist fiery-eyed Brynner, who assembles the rest of the 'Magnificent Seven'. Their first encounter with the bandits goes well, but the villagers become fearful and betray the gunslingers. Wallace cuts a deal with Brynner, which (amazingly) Wallace honors while Brynner does not.
R.J. Reynolds bought the rights to Elmer Bernstein's memorable score for only $5,000. They would use it in television commercials for Marlboro, until such ads were banned. Brynner's character is often seen smoking a cigarette. In 1985, Brynner would die from lung cancer.
McQueen and Bronson had supporting roles in Sturges' "Never So Few" from the year before. McQueen would also be in Sturges' "The Great Escape" (1963), another important film (along with "Bullitt" from 1968) in making him one of Hollywood's biggest stars. (67/100)
John Sturges's remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 classic THE SEVEN SAMURAI has become an influential film in its own right. A small Mexican village that...More at Family Video
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