“The Magnificent Seven” Is One of the Best Westerns of All Time, but It’s Not an Original

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Many film fans consider the 1960s the golden age of Westerns. The decade saw the emergence of exciting, unconventional “Spaghetti Westerns” such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars, alongside more serious and classic American Westerns like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, El Dorado, True Grit, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

The 1960 film The Magnificent Seven helped launch the Western boom. Directed by John Sturges, it tells the story of a small Mexican village terrorized by a band of bandits led by Calvera (played by Eli Wallach). Facing starvation and desperation, the villagers hire seven skilled gunslingers for protection. While waiting for the inevitable attack, the gunslingers prepare the villagers to fight back and hone their own skills, setting the stage for a violent confrontation.

‘The Magnificent Seven’ Mines From Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Seven Samurai’


United Artists

As a movie fan, I’ve always loved how John Sturges took the story of protecting the helpless – famously done in Akira Kurosawa’s films – and brilliantly reimagined it as The Magnificent Seven, setting it in the American Old West. He kept the heart of the original story and how it unfolds, but made it his own. Think of the samurai warriors becoming these cool gunslingers! Instead of incredible sword fights, we get classic Western gun battles. It’s the same story, just with a fantastic new look and feel.

The movie’s title comes from the American release of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, which was known as The Magnificent Seven in the US back in 1955. However, this version isn’t a direct copy. Director John Sturges shortened the story to a more fast-paced 120 minutes, while Seven Samurai is over three hours long (and some say there was even a longer version!). The original film also has a lot more dialogue.

In Kurosawa’s film, the bandits act as a faceless, unified force, lacking individual personalities. However, Sturges’ film features Calvera as a clearly defined villain, which was typical for Westerns of that era. Most Westerns at the time needed a strong, memorable antagonist, and Calvera fulfills that role, fitting the film within the genre’s conventions.

Kurosawa Loved and Hated ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ Equally


Toho

According to a 2008 interview with R.B. Gadi, Akira Kurosawa gifted director John Sturges a samurai sword after seeing his film, but this gesture didn’t reflect his true feelings. Kurosawa actually found the American film disappointing and believed it detracted from his own work, Seven Samurai. While he acknowledged it was enjoyable, he insisted it wasn’t a true adaptation of his film.

Kurosawa’s opinion is off base. The Magnificent Seven is the most faithful adaptation of Seven Samurai, far more so than other attempts. While Roger Corman’s Battle Beyond the Stars playfully references the original with names like the planet Akir and its people, the Akira, it doesn’t really capture the spirit of the film. Similarly, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon, though inspired by Seven Samurai, also falls short.

It’s easy to see why Kurosawa reacted as he did. People often say imitation is the best form of praise, and he might have initially been happy that a Western director admired his films enough to be inspired by them – that’s why he gifted the sword. However, he likely also felt frustrated, and perhaps even insulted, by the extent of the copying. Most directors, while they wouldn’t admit it, prefer that their work remains original and isn’t directly replicated.

Both films are truly excellent and I highly recommend seeing them. The Magnificent Seven features fantastic performances from its entire cast, including Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson. Eli Wallach is incredibly convincing as the villain, and Elmer Bernstein created one of the greatest film scores ever, earning an Oscar nomination for it.

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Considered a masterpiece, Seven Samurai boasts incredible action sequences and filmmaking. It’s frequently ranked as the greatest foreign film ever made, and it’s also known for pioneering the now-common plot device of bringing together a team of heroes.

Don’t choose. Make time for both.

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2025-12-22 16:21