Curiously, this legendary western from 1961, is not the best for me to John Sturges , far away, I much prefer Last Train From Gun Hill with Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn ! So why is it that film became a cult? Because it was the American adaptation of a masterpiece of Japanese Kurosawa, The 7 Samurai ? ... Maybe there is something very Judeo-Christian in this story, a quest for redemption, the 7 mercenaries, for purely greedy, originally will immolate on the altar of good, to save the farming community by Racketeer outlwas lawless.
But more than a narrative drama, the genius of Sturges was the film's cast. Led by Yul Brynner already Hollywood star after turning The 10 commandments of Cecil B.deMille , young first promised a great future will be the success of this western . Steve McQueen just emerging from the series On behalf of the law , which made him famous and started his film career at 31 years in the role of wine . James Coburn as McQueen, has almost never turned to the cinema and also comes from television. Physical strange that this Coburn there, while length and nonchalance, which will delight Leone, a little later and Peckinpah. Charles Bronson if he has already played the Stooges in films such as Vera Cruz , of Aldrich in 1955, is not yet the character enigmatic face etched it later became. Robert Vaughn , thirties like others, has him shot some B-movie and unlike the others, will conduct a television career after this film, as a very special agent . He will find McQueen in the famous Bullitt, a few years later. In these 5 is the first enlisted a young German, Horst Buchholz , trying a career in America, after the small fiance Romy Schneider in Monpti and very sturdy Brax Dexter, solid supporting actor who has shot many films.
Genius Cast was therefore first to add 5 young, little known to the general public confirmed that two players would face a Mexican band led by future Tuco, Eli Wallach .
What else does the 7 mercenaries today? McQueen left 1, 1980, victim of a generalized cancer, 50 years Yul Brynner was followed 5 years later, another victim of lung cancer. The great Coburn left in 2002 at the age of 74 years, followed closely by Brad Dexter . Charles Bronson, the mythical Harmonica, which increased thereafter, the roles of judge, went in 2003. The young Chico, Horst Buchholz left the same year, he must see the beautiful tribute to him by his son, Christopher in a beautiful documentary, Mein Papa !
This leaves more than Robert Vaughn, who is 75 years old, no longer turns as for television, the last of seven mercenaries, all alone in front of the stainless Eli Wallach who just turned 93 years old!
