Wolff rating: EXCELLENT
Plot summary: Seven gunmen take on a job to defend a Mexican village from bandits.
Biased, pithy comments: Amazing bad-asses with guns. Wow. After I recovered from the machismo and controlled cool of Brynner, McQueen, and Dexter, I had time to notice Kurosawa's classic peeking through the seams of the classic western backdrop, eventually infusing the entire film with a legendary quality. From the opening scene on a rocking hearse (ah, the death-obsessed Japanese heroes) to brave-men-filling-graveyards speeches to Bernstein's excellent score, this is quite the moody western. Though not quite as drenched in blood, the atmosphere is the same quiet, violent desperation found in John Woo classics like ``The Killer.'' Great stuff.
Other Notes: Based on ``The Seven Samurai.'' ``We deal in lead, friend.'' Upon seeing the Seven Samurai, I need to revise this. ``Samurai'' is clearly the better movie by a hundredfold, but Brynner and his colleagues have excellent style. Watch Kurosawa first, then watch this film after a few months go by.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, James Coburn, Horst Bucholz.
Directed by: John Sturges