The 1960s were arguably the best years for the Western genre. The decade was defined by the rise of the twisty Spaghetti Westerns like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars, as well as darker traditional American flicks like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, El Dorado, True Grit, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
Kickstarting the boom was The Magnificent Seven, released in 1960. Directed by John Sturges, the film transports us to a small Mexican village where residents are fed up after constantly losing their meager food supplies to a deadly group of bandits led by Calvera (Eli Wallach). Desperate, they hire seven renowned gunslingers to defend them. As they wait for the bandits, the gunslingers train the villagers in basic defense strategies while sharpening their own shooting skills, laying the path for a bloody showdown.
‘The Magnificent Seven’ Mines From Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Seven Samurai’
With The Magnificent Seven, John Sturges transplants the save-the-weak tale from feudal Japan to the American Old West, maintaining the core arcs, plot structure, and several thematic elements. The ronin (masterless samurai) became gunslingers, with swords and spears being replaced by revolvers and rifles. The action thus changes from close-quarters combat and intense swordplay to gunfights.
The film’s title itself is inspired by the American localized title of Seven Samurai, which was initially released as The Magnificent Seven in the United States in 1955. However, there are a few notable differences. To avoid making audiences yawn and check their watches, Sturges molded the story to fit into a 120-minute running time. Seven Samurai runs for 207 minutes (a rumored longer cut exists) and features more dialogue.
Also, in the Kurosawa film, the bandits don’t have distinct personalities. They all operate as a single ruthless unit. Contrarily, the Sturges film has Calvera conducting the evil orchestra, an approach that keeps the film on the same wavelength as others of its kind. Most Westerns at the time were required to have a standout villain.
Kurosawa Loved and Hated ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ Equally
An interview by R.B. Gadi, published by the University Press of Mississippi in 2008, reveals that Akira Kurosawa was so impressed by the film that he presented John Sturges with a samurai sword. It appears this was just him being nice. Apparently, he was displeased with some aspects, referring to the American film as a “disappointment” that soiled his work. Although entertaining, it is not a version of Seven Samurai, he claimed.
Well, Kurosawa is wrong. The Magnificent Seven is the closest thing to Seven Samurai, especially when compared to the samurai movie’s several other adaptations. Roger Corman’s Battle Beyond the Stars, which took the story to space, is quite laughable, despite paying homage by naming a planet Akir and its inhabitants the Akira. Director Zack Snyder also credited Seven Samurai as being an inspiration for Rebel Moon, but that space opera film isn’t good either.
Kurosawa’s reaction is understandable. Imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, and the Japanese legend might have been pleased by the fact that someone from the West felt his work was superior. That’s why he handed out the sword. However, he might have also gone home to his wife and told her how Sturges was a “son of b- – -“ How dare he? They might not say it, but most filmmakers prefer that their work not be copied.
Sincerely, both films are wonderful and worth watching. The Magnificent Seven thrives from wonderful performances from an ensemble cast that includes Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson. And Wallach plays a villain as convincingly as you’d want anyone to. Elmer Bernstein also made one of the best film scores of all time and earned an Oscar nomination for his work.
Seven Samurai is flawless, featuring some of the best action and camera techniques, and has been voted the best foreign film of all time by numerous outlets, including the BBC. Beyond that, it was revolutionary, credited with popularizing the “assembling a hero team” trope that became popular in movies.
Don’t choose. Make time for both.