Return of the Seven

Return of the Seven
Directed by	Burt Kennedy
Produced by	Ted Richmond
Written by	Larry Cohen
Starring	Yul Brynner Robert Fuller Warren Oates Claude Akins
Music by	Elmer Bernstein
Cinematography	Paul Vogel
Editing by	Bert Bates
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date(s)	1966 (1966)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Return of the Seven (also called Return of the Magnificent Seven), is the first sequel to the 1960 western, The Magnificent Seven. Made in 1966, Yul Brynner is the sole returning cast member from the first film, portraying Chris Adams.

Robert Fuller assumes the role of Vin from Steve McQueen. Various stories say that McQueen was either too busy a star in 1966, that Brynner wanted him back but McQueen hated the script, or that Brynner disliked him and refused to have him in the film.^{[citation needed]}

The film was written by Larry Cohen and directed by Burt Kennedy, and features Warren Oates, Claude Akins, Jordan Christopher, and Julian Mateos (as Chico, replacing Horst Buchholz). Emilio Fernández is the villain. Fernando Rey portrays a priest. Rey was in the next film, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, as a different character.

Since the movie was filmed in Spain, this film may be considered, along with Guns of the Magnificent Seven, as a European or spaghetti western.

Plot

Fifty gunmen force all of the men in a small Mexican village to ride off with them into the desert. Among the captured farmers is Chico, who years before was one of seven men responsible for ridding the village of a tyrannical bandit. Chico's wife, Petra, seeks out the other members of the band of whom only two, Chris and Vin, survive. She begs them to save the village once more. To replace the deceased members of the group, Chris buys the release of Frank and Luis, held in the local jail, and also recruits Colbee, a ladies' man and deadly gunman, and Manuel, a young bullfighter.

The six men discover that the missing villagers are being used as slave labor to rebuild a desert village and church as a memorial to the dead sons of wealthy rancher Lorca. In a surprise attack, the six force Lorca's men to leave, and, with Chico, prepare for a counterattack. The cowed farmers offer no assistance, but the seven defenders successfully repulse Lorca's initial attack. The rancher then gathers all of the men on his land to rout the seven.

The situation seems bleak until Manuel discovers a supply of dynamite which the seven use in a counteroffensive. They are eventually overrun, but Chris emerges victorious from a shootout with Lorca. The rancher's gang flee, leaving Frank, Luis, and Manuel dead in the fighting. Chico plans to resettle the village on Lorca's fertile land, and Colbee remains to help teach the villagers how to defend themselves against future attacks - and pursue the available women. Chris and Vin once more ride off as the church bell rings seven times.

Reception

The film was critically panned, with industry journal Variety calling it "unsatisfactory ... plodding, cliche-ridden". However, composer Elmer Bernstein received an Academy Award nomination for his score.

Cast

• Yul Brynner ... Chris Adams
• Robert Fuller ... Vin
• Julián Mateos ... Chico
• Warren Oates ... Colbee
• Claude Akins ... Frank
• Elisa Montés ... Petra, Chico's Wife
• Fernando Rey ... Priest
• Emilio Fernández ... Francisco Lorca
• Virgilio Teixeira ... Luis Emilio Delgado
• Rodolfo Acosta ... Lopez
• Jordan Christopher ... Manuel
• Gracita Sacromonte ... Flamenco Dancer
• Carlos Casaravilla ... First Peon
• Ricardo Palacios ... Jailer
• Felisa Jiminez ... Female Prisoner

External links

• Return of the Seven at the Internet Movie Database
• Return of the Seven at AllRovi
• Return of the Seven at Rotten Tomatoes