A village are fed up with being attacked by pillagers, so hire seven street brawler, knife throwing, thug types from a local village to give their enemies hell. The poor villagers have little money with which to pay the men, only $20 each, so they are appealing to the men to do what is right.

Classic movie with a message. Stars: Yul Brenner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughan, Brad Dexter, James Coburn.

"Oh for that time in movie history when all you needed to shoot someone was to have a revolver, a loud bang and some smoke and whoever was standing within 5 feet would fall all dramatically to the floor..."

"This movie reminded me of that time at school when we were all told to go do something nice for our neighbors. It all ended badly then too if memory serves, although I don't remember the shooting bit."

"A triumph of good honest guys doing what is right. How dated this movie is now. Are they all dead yet in real life?"

"How dippy those villagers are. As my grandmother once told me: Never help the weak, they always stab you in the back in the end."

"Charles Bronson gets shot? A disgrace! I want my money back. Never to be seen without a mustache again!"

"Dir dir, dee der dur da. Dur da, dee der do dar, dum dum der dar dee dar dar dar, dum dum dum dum di dum dar darghhh.. I hate that darn theme music."

The initial attack is repelled by the Seven, but the bad guys come back again. The villagers have second thoughts about defending the village and decide to negotiate with the bad guy's, betraying our heroes who have to negotiate for their lives.

Robert Vaughn and Charles Bronson both get killed, one leaves on hearing the villagers have had second thoughts. After a final fight, Brenner and McQueen both survive.

One of those must see movies, unfortunately it has dated a little now. It is the western remake of Seven Samurai, a movie I had to stop watching as I became explicably depressed while watching it. (At least in this Westernized version, the villagers aren't rolling about in the mud like their Japanese cousins, sticking bamboo shoots up each other's bottoms!)

The movie serves as a reminder of human nature. Beware those cowardly types who always strive for the easy way, changing their minds like the wind and really f-wording the good guys over badly.

One point of critical annoyance is the Charles Bronson speech in which he defends the cowardly fathers to their children who call them as they are. He is so wrong it does not surprise when he is shot dead within the hour. Did he think he was doing a good deed? Thankfully, he died soon after so we didn't have to suffer any more of his ridiculous good guy philosophizing; a philosophical nature thankfully soon replaced by a fetching mustache set to change the world of fashion in the 1970's forever.

Anyway. Once sat through you can always say you have seen this movie.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time"

Steak and beans and seven day old bread.

This would undoubtedly make the middle boring bit of this movie slightly more interesting. A missed opportunity, although 10 out of 10 for political correctness in a 1960's movie.

None whatsoever. The women are hidden away for most of the first half of the conflict, and then busy themselves with washing and cooking, clothed to the eyebrows to stop any prospect of titilation in these pre porn channel times.

This movie is deeply dark. It is peppered with betrayal and bullets. Could give you indigestion and a nasty squint.

The strategy yes, but the shootings don't look very realistic. Lots of bangs, smoke and people holding their bodies and falling to the ground shouting argh!

Watch out, also, for the orchestra which attempts to scare the willies out of you with occasional loud burst of music in the quiet bits.

Dogs could very well take the shooting scenes to heart and perform spectacular dead dog tricks on hearing a loud bang for the next 7 weeks - walk behind the mutt at your peril.

Cats will see the ending coming a mile off and sit crossed legged tapping their paws on the chair rests until the end.

Horses and antelope will find the movie very exciting. However, ensure they are able to make a quick exit from your living room in the event of over excitement.

This is not a movie to have on when you are attempting to fold paper into intricate shapes - the movie is very loud and bangy in places.

A cowboy hat with at least six bullet holes.

OK, the message is useful in life, but do you really have to sit through the movie to get the message?

Just read this: "Never help the cowardly." Move on.