Head-to-Head: 'Seven Samurai' vs 'The Magnificent Seven' (1960)

Pretty straightforward comparison I'd say. In terms of re-makes this year, I was planning on seeing if I could muster up courage to see the new 'Ben-Hur' and compare it with the original, but in the words of Weasel from Deadpool...I don't wanna. The new version of 'The Magnificent Seven' is coming out later on in the year though, and it has Denzel Washington so I'm probably going to see it regardless of the reception.

Direction

Akira Kurosawa for Seven Samurai vs John Sturges for The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven is a finely directed Western, with a classic sense of adventure mixed with the right amount of action, and tension. I will say though, that the comedic and the serious sides don't always come together perfectly, and there's an occasional instance where I feel one section is rushed over to get to the other, leaving either the laughs or action sequences occasionally feeling a bit inadequate. It's still a very well-made film, though with its own set of flaws, and though I enjoy it, its direction certainly can't quite compare to that of the greatest director of all-time, Akira Kurosawa, and his flawless handling of the standard for all 'action squad' movies in the future, everything from The Guns of Navarone to Apocalypse Now to A Bug's Life. Kurosawa never sets a wrong foot in his handling of this tale of seven samurai out to save a village from a bunch of bandits. The story itself may actually be simpler than that of The Magnificent Seven, but it has so much more depth to its storytelling and hooks you in from start to finish. It's not his greatest film, but that's not saying much for Kurosawa; it perfectly brings out his trademark knack for reflecting the human condition through exciting sequences, and not just the action ones, but all scenes are made utterly engrossing by the personal stamp Kurosawa places on them. The ending in particular is one of the high points of his career, and that's saying something (SPOILERS).

Winner: Akira Kurosawa for Seven Samurai

I used this format to arrange the Head-to-Heads for the cast, as well as little additions of my own: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheMagnificentSevenSamurai

The Hero: 

Takeshi Shimura as Kambei Shimada 

vs 

Yul Brynner as Chris Adams 

Yul Brynner is actually perfectly adept in the straightforward role of the veteran gunman Chris Adams. Brynner was, like Charlton Heston, one of those actors who had a very specific range that they played into as leading men, though in supporting roles they would often be more daring and find more variation, sometimes to exceptional effect. Nothing wrong with that, and Brynner is probably one of the most consistent actors in The Magnificent Seven as his stoicism and conviction as the Nick Fury of this ragtag group is entirely convincing. He's unlucky enough here, though, to be going up against one of the all-time great actors Takashi Shimura. Shimura just two years previously gave one of the all-time greatest performances as the meek, mild mannered old man Mr Watanabe dying from cancer in Ikiru. In this film he does a complete 180 degree turn as the strong, assertive leader of the seven samurai. Like Brynner, he does the stoicism and resigned nature of the leader character perfectly, and goes even further by giving it a bit of a comedic edge in scenes where he drops it slightly for an amiable, kindlier approach with his fellow samurai and the village people, outside conflict. He establishes the intelligence and selflessness of the character with little to no exposition, each death of each character imprints itself perfectly on Shimura's subtly expressive eyes, and makes Kambei a truly inspiring leader to look up to despite his understated nature. 

Winner: Takashi Shimura, Seven Samurai

The Lancer: 

Yoshio Inaba as Gorōbei Katayama

vs 

Steve McQueen as Vin Tanner

Gorōbei as a character is rather limited; he's the archery expert and the second-in-command to Kambei, and one of the most astute and masterful samurai in battle tactics. However, he exits the film very soon, and though I like his initial scenes of bantering with Heiachi while the latter is chopping wood, and his death does have an appropriate impact, he's really one of the more paper-thin characters in the ensemble. Inaba does well with his performance, but I'll to give this one to the Cooler King himself, Steve McQueen in one of his most prominent early roles.

Probably best known before this film as the star of guilty pleasure horror film The Blob, one could argue that McQueen steals each scene he's in too obviously, from the twirls of the hat to the cocking of pistol to his conviction in turning every line he has, no matter how cornily written, into something that sounds quite badass. Well I personally don't have a problem with it, even though I'm sure it caused problems with Brynner on set at the time (the two apparently made up later on). McQueen shows completely why he became such a huge star after this film with his incredible screen presence and aptitude for looking cool without even trying.

Winner: Steve McQueen, The Magnificent Seven

The Old Friend:

Daisuke Katō as Shichirōji 

vs

Brad Dexter as Harry Luck

Both characters are actually thinly written, especially Shichirōji, so I have to give a lot of credit to the two actors for filling in for a bit of the spaces left by the relatively underwritten natures of their roles. Katō has a very naturalistically engaging presence as the old friend to Shimura's Kambei, and provides quite a nice, amiable presence in scenes as the stabilising, calm and always upbeat samurai who doesn't do much, but you're happy to see last all the way to the end. He has good chemistry with Shimura and I liked any scene which featured the two of them, as together they suggested the history of their characters in a very natural fashion.

Dexter actually has a bit of a problematic role in that his character is the most opportunistic and initially, selfish, of the seven, compelled to joined because he thinks Chris is looking for treasure, and I will admit in some of his initial scenes the character comes across as off-putting in a way that might not have been entirely intended. Dexter does his best though, and is quite good at gradually showing a bit of a character arc for Harry Luck as he grows a bond with the townspeople. He's then fed with the 'changed my mind, kid' card for the final act as he leaves the squad before returning for the grand finale. Dexter does this sudden change very well, and his last scene I'd say is actually quite great as he makes his character's redemption quite affecting even though the film doesn't dwell on it too much.

Winner: Brad Dexter, The Magnificent Seven

The Quiet One: 

Seiji Miyaguchi as Kyūzō 

vs 

James Coburn as Britt 

Ah, the quiet men. This isn't a case of underwriting for either character as the way they're written is to be rather silent, impassive to an extent in their dispositions, yet when it comes to blows they're probably the most skilled members of either squad. Miyaguchi had apparently never ridden a horse or wielded a sword before the filming of this, and to Kurosawa's credit the direction around him makes it seem like he was born to be the greatest samurai alive, to credit to Kurosawa, but also to Miyaguchi for perfectly presenting it through his intense, brooding expression. He's believable as the badass Kyūzō should be, but I'd say Coburn has the edge slightly by just seemingly inhabiting the role of Britt the quiet but deadly knife thrower completely.

The character as written has little to no depth, but Coburn makes every little movement, every glance, and the way he just carries himself has so much character in itself. He communicates a lot without saying anything at all, and I'd have liked to see how he'd have handled a completely silent character as I think he'd be well up to task. It's no wonder Coburn became such a big deal after this film as he entirely warranted it, and I'm glad this provided a springboard to a terrific career as it's very well-deserved.

Winner: James Coburn, The Magnificent Seven

The Funny Guy: 

Minoru Chiaki as Heihachi Hayashida

vs 

Charles Bronson as Bernardo O'Reilly

Hm. This one is tricky. Both characters are technically the 'comedic relief' characters in their films, but I suppose Chiaki has a slight disadvantage in that his role as comic relief is also somewhat taken over by another character I'll get onto in a bit. To Chiaki's credit, he's normally an exceptional scene-stealing presence in Kurosawa's films, and here he does a particularly fine job of adding to each scene through his always slightly comedic delivery. Even in serious moments it never feels out of place, as he strikes up a particularly interesting dynamic with Toshiro Mifune's Kikuchiyo as a verbal sparring pair, and his character helps to provide a bit of a blunt and brutally honest figure to play against. He exits the soonest out of the samurai, though, and it's a shame because he does add a lot to the film with very little material. Bronson, on the other hand, actually has a lot of material to work with. Which isn't to say, however, he has the easier job as his subplot as a mentor to the village children is actually quite cheesy and corny, and not particularly well-acted by the other actors he's sharing scenes with.

Well it's interesting to see Bronson playing into both the 'type' of character he'd become best known for in the years to come, while also playing 'against' that type. Bronson's one of those actors who just inherently exuded a badass vibe, you just look at him and go, yep, not messing with that guy. Bronson adds to this hardened edge with a bit of levity and good-natured humour that's quite fun to watch. His subplot doesn't really add up to much in terms of adding to the village dynamic, but Bronson plays it well, and his final scene is rather affecting as a result. This is far from Bronson's best role, and most certainly not his greatest Western role as he'd give the greatest all-time performance as a gunslinger in Once Upon a Time in the West some eight years later. Still, a sign of things to come.

Winner: Charles Bronson, The Magnificent Seven

The Young Guy/the Wild Card: 

Isao Kimura as Katsushirō Okamoto and Toshiro Mifune as Kikuchiyo 

vs

Horst Buchholz as Chico and Robert Vaughn as Lee

Now here's where things start to get a bit convoluted in terms of comparisons, so bear with me. The characters of Kikuchiyo and Katsushirō were merged into one character for The Magnificent Seven. In the form of Chico, thus, Horst Buchholz was given both the enviable and unenviable task, of having a lot to do and too much to do within the confines of one character. He's required to be the smart-aleck youngter, the youthful romantic hero, the manic comic relief, and the heart and soul of the film all in one go. I actually don't have any major problems with Buchholz's performance, he's endearing in a way, and is clearly having fun in the role, some of which comes through in a positive way. The problem with the performance is as I've stated, it simply doesn't cohere perfectly into one character since too much is expected of it. It would require an incredibly gifted actor to try to bring all the sides of the character gogether, plus make the rather dull and standard romantic subplot work, and in the end though still a likable character, Chico remains a bit of a missed opportunity for the film as they could've easily just given Buchholz the role of the young romantic, and given his manic qualities to another member of the seven, maybe Bronson (would've been interesting to see how he'd handle that). 

In Seven Samurai, the character of Katsushirō is a more than serviceable element to the film. Isao Kimura does nothing wrong in his portrayal of the youthful, exuberant wealthy young man who wants to put his life on the line for others and is mentored by Kambei. He gives a rather affecting portryal of the character's growing disillusionment, is sweetly charming in the romantic scenes and gives it more meaning than Buchholz. I'd still say it's far from his best Kurosawa role, he was far more memorable in actually less substantial roles in Stray Dog and High and Low, but he does well. 

Mifune on the other hand, is the highlight of this film, and I'm kind of embarassed to admit the first time I watched the film (one of the first Kurosawas I saw), I found him good but nothing exceptional. With time I've come to appreciate how brilliant his performance is as the odd man out of the seven, a rambling, maniacal drunkard whose presence isn't particularly desired by most of the group initially, who causes a great deal of trouble for them, and who ends up being the most heroic of them all. Mifune's whole performance is one daring, daring form of characterization as he goes very hammy and over-the-top to make the stray man Kikuchiyo the most entertaining character in the whole film. I love every moment of Kikcuchiyo onscreen because Mifune energizes it with such amazing comedic fervour, and in each of the fight scenes, despite playing the 'samurai' as technically unskilled, by his pure energy makes him such a threatening figure. Add to that his subtle suggestions and allusions to his character's haunting past, unleashed in one heartbreaking rescue scene, and his breathtaking final scene, and you have one of Mifune's greatest performances, which is really saying something. 

Vaughan's Lee carries some elements of Mifune's Kikuchiyo in that he's a character with a dark past too, although in his case he's been traumatized by too many years of gunfighting, and is losing faith in his abilities. Vaughn's an actor has a naturally quite likable presence, but in this film he nullifies it a bit by playing Lee as a polite but somewhat distant figure who's always got something on his mind. A lot of his character's actions in the film verge upon 'cowardice', although I don't like that term, but Lee gives a pretty good portrayal of the skittish uncomfortable nature of his character throughout the film's initial stages. His big breakdown scene is actually well performed, in my opinion, but unlike say his performance in The Young Philadelphians where he also had similarly emotional breakdowns, it doesn't feel quite as well-earnt by the script or his performance. Certainly not bad though. His performance certainly has good moments, he creates the character effectively enough and has some memorable scenes, but I'm not sure the performance overall builds up to each of them perfectly. I will say though that based on the work he did before and after this, that I would have loved to see a film that focused solely on this character. It's an interesting character, and I think Vaughan would be talented enough to hold a whole film together about Lee. He gives a good performance that unfortunately, in this head-to-head, most certainly loses out to Mifune's great and more substantial performance. 

Winner (s): Toshiro Mifune and Isao Kimura, Seven Samurai (+2)

The Villain

Shinpei Takagi as the bandit chief

vs

Eli Wallach as Calvera

Well this was easy. The bandits are barely characters in the original Seven Samurai, they're mostly their to provide people for the samurai to cut down, or shoot/cut down the samurai themselves. They lack characterization, and it doesn't really affect the film. Now Wallach's Calvera, head of the bandits in The Magnificent Seven, is an entirely different matter. The review here best explains it (http://actoroscar.blogspot.hk/2012/10/alternate-best-supporting-actor-1960_14.html) but in short, you won't forget Wallach walking out of the film. He leaves an indelible impression as a roguish gentleman of ill-gains who carries a certain smug pompousness and yet, also charm, with his whole manner, a menacing villain but also, in his final scene, a somewhat tragic one.

Winner: Eli Wallach, The Magnificent Seven

The Villagers

Another easy one. The ensemble of villagers in Seven Samurai are all perfectly fine. Yoshio Tsuchiya as Rikichi is properly hotheaded and eventually quite moving in the darker revelations of his character. The rest of them don't have much depth but are never quite distracting in their roles, and Bokuzen Hidari as Yohei, a timid old man, has some great scenes with Mifune as the two play off each other's opposing natures so entertainingly. The villagers in The Magnificent Seven aren't really actively bad, but they're just not very memorable, and also have some odd line-readings and expressions that distract from some of the more crucial scenes of the film. 

Winner: Seven Samurai

Screenplay

This is definitely where Seven Samurai trumps The Magnificent Seven the most. The Magnificent Seven doesn't have a bad script, but it's most certainly iffy in parts. For every pretty cool line there's a pretty lame line, and as I've mentioned before many of the characters' paper-thin natures require more heavy lifting by the actors than should be required. Seven Samurai, on the other hand, has just about the perfect script. The set-up, the team-building, and climax of the film all perfectly fit in one after the other. In addition it's so innovative for its time through combining various tropes of romance, comedy, and social commentary into one boiling pot and making it all so seamless, is so remarkable.

Winner: Seven Samurai

Cinematography

Again, not that The Magnificent Seven is filmed badly, it's filmed wonderfully especially in the action scenes. Seven Samurai goes one step further though in that not only the action scenes are amazing (which they most certainly are, the rain-drenched finale and the burning hideout of the bandits are incredibly well-done), but also the quieter scenes have such a power. I'll always love any shot of the samurais' flag as through a few silent seconds, each shot of the skin gives the film such rousing power.

Winner: Seven Samurai

Editing

I'll have to grant this to Seven Samurai purely on behalf of how tautly made it feels for such a long three hour film. Also, the above video from Phil Baumhardt's channe perfectly exemplifies the strengths of both cinematography and editing for the grand finale.

Winner: Seven Samurai

Sound

The Magnificent Seven makes every gunshot resonate beautifully, but I'll have to give the honour to Seven Samurai in this regard. The sparse but extremely effective gunshot effects are terrifically haunting, the clashing of sorts vividly felt, and again that amazing finale in the rain makes you feel like you're in there fighting with them.

Winner: Seven Samurai

Costumes

The costumes to Seven Samurai are uniformly solid, and Kikuchiyo's armour in the grand finale is particularly memorable. That said I'll give the win to The Magnificent Seven in this regard if only for the costumes of Eli Wallach and Robert Vaughan, which add so much to their respective characters just by the way they look (very good blog post on this by the way, http://objectsinfilm.blogspot.hk/2015/05/object-26-lees-gloves-magnificent-seven.html)

Winner: The Magnificent Seven

Set Design

The Magnificent Seven has a solid set design in a very conventional Western sort of way. Seven Samurai's village, though is an incredibly built piece of design. It provides this little world for the characters to inhabit and transitions into an extremely effective setting for action setpieces, without ever feeling out of place, so to speak.

Winner: Seven Samurai

Soundtrack

Oh, a tough call. The soundtrack to Seven Samurai is appropriately atmospheric and makes the ending of the film incredibly powerful through its intensity of emotion. I will however admit the great Elmer Bernstein's score for The Magnificent Seven is a true classic, that's instantly recognizable even to people who haven't seen the film; it's that good.

Winner: The Magnificent Seven


Final Result: Seven Samurai 10, The Magnificent Seven 6


Surprisingly, in terms of the overall ensemble The Magnificent Seven has the slight edge, which may be due to the fact that Kurosawa's film works with a more unifying dynamic with less opportunities by some of the supporting players to stand out. Nevertheless, in the most crucial areas I feel Seven Samurai easily trumps The Magnificent Seven, particularly with Mifune and the screenplay, and though I really enjoy The Magnificent Seven I absolutely love Seven Samurai, so no contest.