Rating: 
Summary: One of my favorite westerns of all time!
Review: I remeber watching this movie as a little kid, and I thought it was really cool! A story where mexican villagers are in danger of the ruthless Calvara! Their only hope is a group of mercenary gun-fighters to come to their rescue! This was a true proto-type for other action movies to come! Yul Bryner is outstanding as the gun-fighter Chris! Great scenes between him and Eli Wallach's Calvera! An excellent movie!
Rating: 
Summary: They are Magnificent
Review: This is one of the best westerns ever made. Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen lead an all-star cast to a showdown in the old west. Director John Sturges makes this western the way they are suppose to be made: lots of tough guys; lots of shooting; and not too much talking. Brynner and McQueen meet in a small town, they are both drifters and hired guns, they team up to drive a hearse to a graveyard. The catch is the dead guy they are driving is an indian and the locals don't want him burried in their cemetary. Witnessing their display of heroism is a group of farmers from a nearby village. They are being annually robbed by the same man and are looking to find help to stand up to him. They hire Brynner who signs on McQueen and eventaully five other guys to make up the Magnificent Seven. Once assembled they travel to the village and make plans to put up a fight when he arrives. This turns out great and is a must see for any western fan. With all the stars turning in excellent performances it is worth a look if you like just one of them. But the chemistry is great, and so is the direction, and the story, and of coarse it has that classic score.
Rating:
Summary: The Magnificent Western
Review: During each decade,there were 2 or 3 westerns that stood above all the rest.In the 1950s,there was "Shane" and "High noon".In the 1960s came "The wild bunch" and this film,"The magnificent seven". During the later 1950s,the comedy western (as popularized by John Wayne,who went on to make dozens more comedy westerns in the 1960s and 1970s) and the 'broad scope' western (i.e. the normal western subjects were buried beneath other stories - a good example being "The big country").By 1960,what was needed was a good oldstyle classic western."The magnificent seven" gave us that - and more.It revitalized the whole western film theory. The story,like that of "Shane",is about farmers versus bad guys who want to rob them of their land,food and village.The village asks Chris (Yul Brynner) to help them and he then goes out to locate 6 good men to help.Many shootouts follow and 4 of the 7 die in a brave climatic fight that rids the village of the bandits who want to take it over.1 of the 7 remains in the village,while 2 ride away (and would later return with a new magnificent 7 for a sequel). An adaptation from a Japanese film ("The seven Samurai"),this proved how well this worked and was thus repeated for another classic western,"Fistful of dollars". While the film nodded towards previous classic westerns like "Shane",it also created a new dimension to the western and no doubt classics like "Fistful of dollars","The wild bunch", "The revengers" and many others were inspired by it. If you are new to westerns,this would be a great introduction
Rating:
Summary: The Magnificent western
Review: The Magnificent Seven , is filmaking in the grand tradition. Yul Brynner stars as Chris 'the man in black' a tough as nails gunfighter who is recruited by the farmers of a mexican village who a continously being terrorized by Calvara ( a wonderfully delisously bad Eli Wallach) Chris must recruit ginfighters to hel[p him on this mission the first is Vin played by Steve Mcqueen ,who out right steals the film from Brynner . Vin a very sarcastic , wise craking sharp shooter helps Chris as they recruit the remaining members of the 7 who are Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn , Brad Dexter and then unknown Horst Bucholz as 'chico' Director John Sturges americanization of Kursowas 'The seven samuri' hits the mark in all accounts of character developement and action sequences, and presents a traditional good guys vs the bad guys storytelling. you care what happens to these characters and want to see them victorious over the ruthless, cruel Calvara. 'The Magnificent Seven ' is a must see for action & Western fans an outright classic film.
Rating:
Summary: The magnificent one!
Review: Reviewing The Wild Bunch made me want to see this movie again. Along with that Peckinpaugh classic, this in my opinion is the best western, and one of the best movies ever made.The story is well told via the synopses, so there is no need to re-hash that. The characters are great, and portrayed by Brynner, McQueen, Coburn, Bronson and the rest in arguably their seminal roles. They must be bad guys, because they are gunslingers for a living, right? But how can you explain their seeing to it that an old Indian gets a decent burial? Coburn kills a man with a knife just to prove he is faster, but refuses to be told what to do by Calvera, with the classic macho line: "Nobody throws me my guns and says 'run'. Nobody!" They sure know Good from Evil, though. Bronson lectures the village boys and sets them straight on their fathers' unseen courage. Perhaps the best line comes during the argument as to whether or not to fight on after some of the villagers betray them: When McQueen opines that no Court would ever enforce the contract they made with the villagers, Brynner ends the discussion with a simple sentence: "That is exactly the kind of contract you have got to keep." Bullys lose in the end. Sometimes we are called upon to make an extreme sacrifice to do the right thing. Adversity can help restore ones honor. Corny as it may sound, this is the kind of movie I want my sons to watch.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Western with samurai roots.
Review: An effective blend of professionalism, courage in adversity, and the heroism of common people distinguish this classic Western. There is a subtle irony in this film that elevates it above the typical action-adventure movie. The wise old man of the village is right when he asserts, after the gunfire subsides and the dead are buried, that only the farmers won. The farmers symbolize the timeless struggle of daily life. The commitment to domestic responsibility and the work ethic of parents as they strive to provide for a family is recognized as heroic and enduring. The vaunted freedom and machismo of the wandering gunfighter is exposed as myth. To each perceived advantage of living by the gunman's code there is a counter-point of a lonely life with no focal point. The gunfighters are compared to a great wind that rids the farmers of a locust plague, but is unwelcome when its task is done. Violence is anathema to raising crops, increasing herds, and nurturing children. Subtlety aside, the surface appeal of the movie is its exciting tale of the seven hired guns that help a Mexican village battle a ruthless bandit gang. Yul Brynner does well as the stoic leader of the Seven. His "gunfighter in black" image has become a minor icon of American film lore. At the time, the casting of obscure young actors as the rest of the Seven was brilliantly done. Steve McQueen's too cool performance is especially effective. James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, and Charles Bronson are great as the smooth professionals calmly confronting arrogant amateurs. Eli Wallach as the strutting bandit chief is simultaneously sinister and comic. His pontificating on the decline of religion and the shameless women's fashions of the day while his gang openly steal from the village is hiliarious dark comedy. The film is ably directed by John Sturges. The movie mixes the familiar Western elements with a dash of Ernest Hemingway's concept of courage in adversity and Howard Hawks' philosophy of professionalism. Its quiet tribute to the daily heroism of common people is unusual and commendable for its insight. A legendary film score adds to the excitement. The enjoyment of this movie increases with each viewing. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent and Memorable Western
Review: There's something romantic, even heroic, in the notion of taking a stand against overwhelming odds for the sake of an ideal, or a principle; in "The Magnificent Seven," directed by John Sturges, it's to save a poor Mexican village from a small army of bandits. Every year, as soon as the crops are in, Calvera (Eli Wallach) and his men raid the village for the food that will sustain them as they winter in the mountains. And every year they take a little more, leaving the villagers near to starvation. They want to fight back, but they are simple farmers; no match for the likes of Calvera. When they fear they cannot survive another winter on the pittance he leaves them, they decide to take action. If they are unable to defend themselves, they will hire men to do it for them. Men with guns. And toward that end, everything of value in the village is collected (not much more than a watch and some trinkets) to be offered as payment to anyone who will champion their cause. Three men from the village set out to find the men they need, and after witnessing an altercation in a small Texas border town, they think they have the man they want. Chris (Yul Brynner) is a drifter, a man who lives by his wits. And by his gun. They approach him, and when he hears what they have to offer, he accepts. "I've been paid a lot for my work," he tells them, "But never everything." Now he must find other men, like himself, to stand with him against Calvera. The first is Vin (Steve McQueen), also a drifter, and looking for work. Chris knows what he can do, how he handles a gun; Vin sided with him during the incident in town. Bernardo (Charles Bronson), is good with a rifle. Fallen on hard times, the pay offered (the cost of bullets, and meals) "Right now, sounds like a lot." The dapper Lee (Robert Vaughn), is a fast gun, and currently on the run; Britt (James Coburn), the best anywhere with a gun or a knife; Harry (Brad Dexter), a good man, but always looking for an angle. He knows Chris, and takes the job convinced that there's more in it for them than he's letting on, probably gold; finally, there's Chico (Horst Buchholz), a young wanna-be gunslinger who refuses to leave Chris alone until he agrees to take him along. The all-star cast and outstanding performances highlight this film, most notably the iconoclastic McQueen, Wallach, Vaughn and especially Coburn, who brings a commanding presence to the screen with the cool, laconic Britt. One of the most memorable scenes involves Britt, when he is challenged to a mock duel (with targets) by a cowboy named Wallace (Robert J. Wilke); Wallace's gun against Britt's knife. When Wallace thinks he's won, Britt simply says, "You lost." And they do it again; this time, for real. The supporting cast includes Jorge Martinez de Hoyos (Hilario), Vladimir Sokoloff (Old Man), Rosenda Monteros (Petra) and Rico Alaniz (Sotero). An updated version of "The Seven Samurai," "The Magnificent Seven" has all the elements of the traditional western, but it is so much more. It's a character study of men as individuals; not outlaws, but hard men, drawn together by a common bond, and who live by a variation of the same code. Their first loyalty is to themselves, and to their word; and to the autonomy that ensures they will live, and die, on their own terms. This movie may lack the gritty realism of some of the more recent films, but with it's stellar cast, the instantly recognizable Elmer Bernstein theme, and the way it was packaged and delivered by Sturges, it will forever hold a place at the top in the history of the Western Film.
Rating:
Summary: Great action adventure with a moral
Review: I have seen The Magnificent Seven many times, and it stills makes the blood run cold with its stirring action and rousing score. The film not only has exciting action and an engaging story; it also teaches valuable moral lessons about justice and the use of force in a moral cause. John Sturges's direction is excellent, as usual. Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, and James Coburn are great. Charles Bronson gives an excellent performance that many of his later, shallow action roles would not allow. The film is packed with action, but with violence mild by today's standards. I would whole-heartedly recommend The Magnificent Seven for family viewing.
Rating:
Summary: The Magnificent Seven
Review: Slick , supercharged Western, with tremendous charismatic stars shooting up a storm. Unique blend of action, character and wit. The characters and subsequently the movie will stay with you forever. It is shame that there are not more special features with the impending DVD release- commentary from someone like Coburn or Bucholz would be sensational.
Rating:
Summary: This classic western movie has great action, humor and depth
Review: In my opinion, The Magnificent Seven is among the best movies of all time. It is made in the classic Western style, but perhaps due to the adaptation from the Seven Samaurai, it has a lot of the elements of modern movie characters: morally ambiguous anti-heroes who face a personal crossroads but ultimately choose the right path. This movie adds new angles to the conventional Western plot. A group of 40 bandits led by a robust but ruthless leader named Calvera (Eli Wallach)continously raids a poor farming village for food and other provisions. A group of villagers go north of the border to enlist hired guns to protect them. Eventually, a cool gunslinger by the name of Chris (Yul Brynner) organizes a team of seven able mercenaries to defend the village for a meager fee. The group works well together and inspires the villagers to join the fight to drive Calvera out. After some success, the group suffers some adversity against considerable odds. In the end, both the visitors and the villagers learn about the price -- and payoff -- of resisting injustice. This movie is truly driven by its great characters. Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen, who plays Brynner's de facto lieutenant Vin, could have likely done this movie by themselves. Their chemistry reminds me of Newman and Redford in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but with a drier humor. I would have loved to have seen them in more movies together. I liked all of the Seven, but two others really stood out. Charles Bronson was impressive as the hard-edged O'Reilly, and played the role with a sense of humor and warmth without losing his stoic demeanor. Horst Buchholz was extremely impressive as the young gun ("Chico") who goes through an identity crisis as he is torn between the romanticism of being a gunslinger and the contrasting ethics of his heritage. Why wasn't he in more movies? Eli Wallach is superb as the boisterous, scenery-chewing Calvera, and Wallach brings gives a sense of humor and empathy to the role which distinguishes it from most movie villains I've seen. The village leaders were also very good. The style and tone of this movie reminds me of the anti-hero type movies made in the late 60's and early 70's and the buddy/action-type movies of the current era. It also has two of the best cinematic gunfights I have ever seen. You owe it to yourself to at least see this one. I plan on adding The Magnificent Seven to my library and hopefully showing it to my kids someday.
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