The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Howdy!

It's been a while since I have posted here on Take a Seat and Watch. My life has been pretty busy, but I'm back on the wagon and ready to discuss some films. So put on your boots, grab your saddle, and get ready to gallop into this week's review of the 1960s classic The Magnificent Seven. 

Movie Poster for The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Now I'm aware that this movie has been out for over half a century, but I just watched it this past week. After viewing it I can see how it's maintained a classic western film over the decades. Even prompting a remake in 2016, The Magnificent Seven still holds its own, even with a modern take on a movie from the mid 1900s. I will say that this review is not a comparison of the 2016 version, as it's unfair to compare an original that came out over fifty years prior.

Plot

The Magnificent Seven is a western following seven men (wow) set to save a Mexican town from bandits. Starting with Chris Adams (Yul Brynner), you watch the party grow in size and bravery as the story gallops along. Overall, the scenes are pretty rough-looking, which I think is great for a novel western. Whether this is due to 1960s cinematography, or intent from Sturges (director), it definitely works in the films favor to give the audience the feel of being in the hot sun in a small Mexican town with bullets whizzing by. There is a brief stage of romance in the film (an almost guarantee in the top western classics), however it doesn't damn the film's intensity. Overall the movie is 90% action, adventure, and suspense, with good flicks of humor tosses in. 

Characters

The characters in The Magnificent Seven are rather static throughout the film. You see that each of the men are perfect in all their glory, but each have their own flaws, albeit briefly shown for most. However, even with the short backstories they are still given unique identities separate from each of the party. As far as other characters in the film, they act as backdrops to remind the audience why the seven are there, and ties them into the scenery quite well. Though not entirely useless in plot, the villagers and bandits serve well as supporting roles.

Soundtrack

Probably the backbone of the film is the score. If you haven't heard the theme of The Magnificent Seven, then you're truly missing out. Even days after watching it, I still find myself whistling the chorus. The soundtrack carries so much high energy, while still giving that western vibe throughout the whole film. Though it sounds great, I did find times where it didn't match well with what was happening on screen, such as playing upbeat tunes when waiting for a gunfight. I personally don't feel as hyped before I go into my local town shootout, but the score really makes it seem that the seven do.

Overall, The Magnificent Seven holds its own after sixty years as a classic western film. If you aren't interested in westerns, or slightly cheesy acting based on modern day standards, I would advise skipping this. However, full of action and cowboy hats (and sombreros), with a great score to accompany both, I recommend you take a seat and watch when you have the itch to watch a classic.