7 Thoughts on The Magnificent Seven (1960)

 

Howdy, ya'll! 

Today I will be talking about one of my favorite movies, The Magnificent Seven (1960). 

My family's been doing this thing where we are re-watching all the films we own (that we want to) while we are in between TV shows. It's been really neat to see movies you grew up with in a whole new light as an adult and The Magnificent Seven is no exception! 

Note: If ya'll have not seen this here motion picture, hold up your horses, turn around, and head Bessy towards your local cinema.  

Pay the two bits and settle in for the ride of your life, because if you ain't seen this picture, a lot of what I'm goin to write here won't make that much sense and THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!  Now let's get on with this here post!

1) THE MUSIC IS SO EPIC AND PERFECT!!! As the opening theme was playing I felt SO nostalgic and just sat there grinning like an idiot! Give it a listen and see if you don't agree with me; it's quintessential western music!

2) I found the different reactions of the villagers to the crisis at hand very interesting. They all agreed that they must do something, but while some suggested appealing to Calvera for more food or hiding some food for themselves, others are too afraid to rock the boat. In the end only a few are brave enough to lead the move toward fighting for their freedom. 

3) The introductions to each of the Seven are really neat, but Chris and Vin's is especially good! They are the first we meet and I love how they both so casually take a stand and do what's right while the townsfolk, lack the courage to take the same action.  The entire carriage ride with all the small talk between Chris and Vin gives you an important glimpse into their characters and begins one of the best friendships ever.

4) A note about Vin: Vin is my favorite character, partly because it's Steve McQueen, whom I also love as Hilts in The Great Escape, and partly for his personality!

His dry wit and humor, facial expressions and his simple-but-firm-stand-by-you-to-the-death friendship and loyalty with Chris is just so endearing!

 I love how Vin fits so well into the village life, serving out beans to the kids, tipping his hat to the girls, and letting Chris know he's not the only sucker in town who let the village weedle it's way into his heart. I can totally see him heading up to Texas one day, joining up with a wagon train and falling for a girl and them settling down on a cattle ranch raising a pack of kids. Yep, that's where he is in my mind's eye.

5) Bernardo O'Reilly's story line really stood out to me this time around. He is introduced as O'Reilly, known for his illustrious career as a gun for hire.  He's fallen on hard times, so he takes the job to defeat Calvera, never guessing he'll be adopted by three villager boys who will look up to and adore him. 

I think he saw himself as a child reflected in the boys' admiration and hopes for the future. I love how he turns the boys' admiration back around to glorify their parents who are doing the hard thing in standing their ground and fighting for their land, their families and their very lives. I think he really yearns for a family, but as he himself admits, he's not brave enough to even think about the possibility. 

 O'Reilly says his father was Irish and his mother was Mexican. In the end when he gets shot protecting the boys, I never noticed before how he proudly reclaimed his Mexican heritage. He asks the boys what his name is and when they reply "Bernardo", he affirms it with a 'Darn right'.

6) I've never really liked Lee, but this time around I observed something new while comparing him and Chico. Chico is a young man at the beginning of his life/journey as a gunslinger while Lee is at the end. Lee has spent the majority of his life killing others and staying just ahead of anyone interested in vengeance. When we meet him, he is tired and slow and though he fears his death, he is waiting for it's freeing power. 

Katherine kept commenting during the movie, 'He's not doing anything!', and I agreed with her, until I saw the end when the Seven return to finish the job. I honestly believe he knew it was a suicide mission and that was why he went. Here he can use his talents for a good cause and have a chance to stand and die for something worthwhile, instead of running scared. He even has fun with it, going so far during the fight to run twice into a building full of men with his gun holstered, challenging himself to be the fastest draw. And then the end does come when he least expects it and his running is over. As two of the villagers remarked 'Only the dead are really free.'

7) The whole driving force behind Chico is interesting in that he has made himself into the thing he fears/hates in order to never be that frightened villager boy again.

 

 In a sense the bullied has become the bully. In the end he matures with the help of the other 6 pulling the rug of his grand and lofty visions out from under him and taking him down a peg or two. He decides to return to the land and choose a different path from those he looks up to. In a way he makes the brave and hard choice to risk his heart and stay and deal with any problems or challenges that may arise; working hard to carve out a life for himself and his family-to-be. I think both Chris and Vin envy him. He makes his choice now before going too far down the road as they have.

Phew, I actually did it! I did not think I was going to be able to narrow that done to only 7 points!

There is much more I could say, but you'll have to come watch the movie with me to hear it all! 

What are your thoughts about The Magnificent Seven? Who is your favorite character? What stands out to you? I look forward to a good long chat with you in the comments! 

Your welcome at my campfire anytime,

Grace

P.S Don't forget to check out all the other posts for the Legends of Western Cinema over at Hamlette, Hedi and Olivia's blogs!