This is still a book blog, it's just a book blog on vacation.
I watched this movie last week. It's probably the sixth or seventh time I've seen it and I love it every time. It is based on the Japanese movie The Seven Samurai, which I have never seen and probably will never see. Subtitles just kill a movie for me. But it would have to be good if it's anything like The Magnificent Seven. Here's the basic plot: Little Mexican village is being terrorized by a bandit and his gang who take all their food and keep them scared and in poverty. The men of this village decide they need to do something about it. They cross the border to buy guns but after seeing Yul Brynner's character, Chris, win a showdown against several men, they
change their mind and with Chris' help advertise for gunmen to help them free their village. So this group of heartless, care-for-no-one gunmen help save the village. But of course they do end up caring and that's the point.The casting was great!!! Each actor is perfect for their part, even though at the time some of them didn't thin
k so. Love Brynner, of course, but Steve McQueen is great playing second fiddle with a pink shirt. : ) Every character is interesting, with their own storyline and "moment". One of the funny things about the casting in this movie is the choice of actor for the character Chico. The character is suppose to be Mexican but is played by a young German actor. : ) Yeah.....funny. But it works well.
The dialogue is great! Very brief, no long speeches or scenes just a lot of action and great one liners. I don't usually like western but I love this movie. Great music, great casting, great plot, great dialogue and filmed on location in Mexico. Highly recommended.
One of my favorite parts is Chico playing at bullfighting with a cow that doesn't want to fight. : )
