Return of the Seven

1966  NR  WESTERN  1h 35min

CAST— Yul Brynner, Robert Fuller, Warren Oates, Claude Akins, Julián Mateos, Virgilio Teixeira, Jordan Christopher

MUSIC— Elmer Bernstein  DIRECTOR— Burt Kennedy

     Actually, the title is misleading since the Magnificent Seven can’t technically return due to several of the original seven being killed off the first time around. But Yul Brynner has returned as Chris and he’s again trying to gather a tough crew to go up against insurmountable odds. Several Mexican villages have been raided, the spoils taken not gold or jewels but men, Chris’ pal Chico among them. It seems a tyrannical Mexican despot is trying to rebuild a church as a monument to his sons. Or himself. Or something. Anyway, he’s using the strong backs of hapless farmers to obtain his misguided objective. The new seven must take a stand if they’re to win the battles ahead. Never reaches the height that the first film made but adequate entertainment is to be had, especially in the final third of the film. Suffers, though, when it comes to star power. Average. AKA Return of the Magnificent Seven, The Magnificent Seven 2.

OUR RATING— **

PRECEDED BY— The Magnificent Seven (1960)

FOLLOWED BY— Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969), The Magnificent Seven Ride (1972)