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Return of the Seven

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Return of the Seven
Directed byBurt Kennedy
Written byLarry Cohen
Produced byTed Richmond
StarringYul Brynner
Robert Fuller
Warren Oates
Claude Akins
Julián Mateos
Virgilio Teixeira
Jordan Christopher
CinematographyPaul Vogel
Edited byBert Bates
Music byElmer Bernstein
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • 1966 (1966)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Return of the Seven (1966) (also called Return of the Magnificent Seven, and The Magnificent Seven 2) is the first sequel to the western, The Magnificent Seven (1960). 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.

The film was written by Larry Cohen and directed by Burt Kennedy, and features Warren Oates, Claude Akins, Jordan Christopher, Virgilio Teixeira 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.

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 hired gunslingers responsible for ridding the village of a tyrannical bandit, Calvera. 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 (a taciturn gunman) and Luis (a famous bandit), held in the local jail and recruits Colbee, a ladies' man and deadly gunman, and Manuel, a young cockfighter.

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 gunmen force Lorca's men to leave, and prepare for a counterattack with Chico. The cowed farmers offer no assistance, but the seven defenders successfully repulse Lorca's initial attack. Lorca, the rancher, then gathers all of the men on his land to rout the seven men.

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; he also plans to pursue the available women. Chris and Vin once more ride off together.

Reception

The film was critically panned. Industry journal Variety called it "unsatisfactory... plodding, cliche-ridden".[1] Composer Elmer Bernstein received an Academy Award nomination for his score, a re-recorded version of his score for The Magnificent Seven (1960).

The film earned an estimated $1.6 million in rentals during its initial release.[2]

The movie was re-released in 1969 and earned rentals of $1.3 million.[3]

Cast

The Seven

Others

See also

References

  1. ^ Reviews - Return of the Seven, Variety, retrieved 2007-05-30.
  2. ^ "Big Rental Pictures of 1966", Variety, 4 January 1967 p 8
  3. ^ "Big Rental Films of 1969", Variety, 7 January 1970 p 15
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