La Chevauchée des 7 mercenaires

The final chapter of the original series (as there was a short-lived TV series that came out decades later), but despite the recurring Chris character (this time portrayed by the steely Lee Van Cleef) and the Mexican bandits. "The Magnificent Seven Ride!" didn't feel like a magnificent seven film but more a western take on "The Dirty Dozen". Well when it starts it plays on a more personal, if adventurous note (Chris now a town Marshall seeking vengeance on a couple of bank robbers) before settling on the winsome, but safe story mechanics of the previous entries. A village (of women) in need of rescue from Mexican bandits. After chasing one of the bank robbers over the border, he finds himself accidentally getting involved as originally he knocked down the offer from an old friend to help in some shape. "He did my job. I'll do his." A team is hand-picked by Chris… this time it's criminals not bounty hunters. The same shtick, but still rather diverting. Arthur Rowe's story moves by quick enough, never becoming overly preachy but held together by some engaging dialogue passages and solid performances (Michael Callan, Luke Askew, Stefanie Powers, Pedro Armendáriz Jr. and Ralph Waite) that share a good rapport on screen. Also some familiar faces (James Sikking, Ed Lauter and Gary Busey) show up. Director George McCowan takes time to set it up with moments of reflection and humour, but there are well pieced shootouts with violence bursts and red sauce going around. The efficient direction stays grounded, even though it had that made for TV back-lot feel. The music score is recycled but still feels at home with the action. "Ride" won't blow you away, but I found it a slightly better effort over the last two instalments; "Return" and "Guns".

Just when you think they're releasing more and always inferior "Magnificent Seven" sequels solely because people can't get enough of Elmer Bernstein's legendary musical score, comes the final and (in)arguably best follow-up of the whole franchise. John Sturges' 1960 original, although merely just a blatant imitation of the Japanese milestone "Seven Samurai", can righteously be considered as a true American western classic, but parts II and III are downright shameless, uninspired and totally redundant rehashes without any entertainment value whatsoever. The character of Chris Adams, twice depicted by Yul Brunner and once by George Kennedy, grew out to become some sort of philosophical prophet who always does the right thing and the rare highlights of the sequels were just vague copies of similar moments featuring in the original. With this fourth and final installment, we arrived in the decade of 70's cinema and is this ever noticeable or what? What the Italian directors already knew throughout the entire 1960's had now suddenly become clear in the USA as well: westerns need to be mean and dirty, with despicable characters (even the heroes!), graphic violence and plenty of sleaze and smut! Even the traditional goody-two-shoes Marshall Chris Adams has suddenly become an embittered and narcissistic persona, though admittedly the performance and natural charisma of Lee "the Bad" Van Cleef adds a great deal to this transformation. Not once but twice Chris rejects the cry for help of an old pal, who begs him to come and fight an unfair battle against a Mexican posse that terrorizes a small little town near the American border. Instead of that, he chooses to go after one sole juvenile delinquent who raped and murdered his own wife. Only when Chris discovers that his pal killed off the youthful thug because he joined the posse, he feels responsible to take over the good cause and defend the remaining widows of the little community. Chris' six "noble" helpers aren't heroic lonesome cowboys, but convicted criminals who only participate because it's their only chance for parole. This minor chance in the formula actually makes this final entry more like a crossover between "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Dirty Dozen". And last but not least, the allegedly poor and defenseless town women are actually more like luscious and horny widows. They don't exactly appear mournful over their brutally slaughter farmer husbands and pretty much throw themselves at the robust macho thugs. It also has to be said that they don't really look like Mexican farmer women, but more like the ensemble staff of a luxury brothel. All this is perhaps a bit of an abrupt alternation of the franchise, but it's the best damn thing that could have happened to it! The gunfights are quite nasty, with lots of blood spurting out of people's stomachs and heads, and the climax is short but exhilarating. Van Cleef is awesome as always (by God, I love that guy) and there are terrific supportive roles for Luke Askew, Ed Lauter and William Lucking. And, not to forget, a modest but memorable cameo appearance of a still very young Gary Busey.

Taking more of its plot from The Dirty Dozen than from the previous Magnificent Seven movies, The Magnificent Seven Ride! finds Lee Van Cleef in the role of Chris the leader, previously filled by Yul Brynner and George Kennedy.

There's a bandit named DeToro (Ron Stein) who apparently took over the role from Rudolfo Acosta mid point in the filming who's a really nasty devil, raping the women of a given place after the men have been killed is an avocation of his. When he rapes and kills Van Cleef's woman, it's time for Van Cleef and writer friend Michael Callan to find five more to make another seven.

Good men are hard to find so when you can't find good ones, get bad ones. Which Van Cleef does by going to the nearest prison and getting five specimens, William Lucking, Luke Askew, Pedro Armendariz, Jr., James Sikking, and Ed Lauter.

Obviously this part of the plot is completely ripped off from The Dirty Dozen. And Van Cleef does have an interesting way in both insuring his parolees don't desert him and guarantees that the bandit chief will meet him on ground of his own choosing. That's the big surprise of the plot and I won't reveal it.

Some surviving women of another town, Stefanie Powers, Mariette Hartley, Allyn Ann McLerie, and Melissa Murphy join up with the Dirty Seven knowing full well, it's either their protection or their open targets any time the bandits are having a booty call. This is the only Magnificent Seven film with any real women participation in it.

Still it doesn't quite come up to the standards of that first film. None of the successors do.

Despite sporting "The Magnificent Seven" in it's title, this is basically a B-movie with a budget, albeit a very good B-movie. This throws in revenge elements and a little Dirty Dozen style criminal recruitment to spice up the usual heroics of the title protectors.

After seven or so years of mainly spaghetti westerns, it's nice to see Lee Van Cleef (taking over hosting duties from Yul Brynner and George Kennedy) headlining a major American western.

It's also a lot of fun to see a slew of familiar faces sharing the screen with Van Cleef, like Gary Busy, Luke Askew, Ed Lauter, and William Lucking (who's finally getting some recognition as a co-star on "The Sons Of Anarchy") among others.

It's too bad that second-billed Stefanie Powers isn't given anything much to do besides looking good and kissing Lee Van Cleef, who's wife has been dead less than a week!

Another Dirty Dozen western knock-off, this one being Italian, is Massacre At Fort Holman, also known as A Reason To Live, A Reason To Die, starring James Coburn, Telly Savalas, and Bud Spencer. If you liked this, then that one is highly recommended too.

This next chapter of "The Magnificent Seven" stars Ralph Waite, Lee VanCleef, Michael Callan, and two recognizable young faces, Stefanie Powers and Mariette Hartley. Marshall borrows prisoners to help him go after mexican bandits. they take over the mostly empty house pretty easily, but then go after the larger gang, which will be more difficult. although even more interesting than the plot of M.S.R... i highly recommend reading the Trivia section regarding the Battle of the Adobe Walls. (there were actually TWO battles at that spot. and some great details on the battles found in wikipedia dot com). pretty cool history, although it is only mentioned briefly in the film. Directed by George McCowan, who also directed the 1979 version of H.G. Wells' (remake) Shape of Things to Come. Written by Arthur Rowe, who did mostly television. Attentive viewers will see the famous Vasquez Rocks area, northeast of LA, used for so many films over the years.