IMDb RATING
7.4/10
6.2K
YOUR RATING
A former sheriff blames himself for his wife's death during a Wells Fargo robbery and vows to track down and kill the seven men responsible.A former sheriff blames himself for his wife's death during a Wells Fargo robbery and vows to track down and kill the seven men responsible.A former sheriff blames himself for his wife's death during a Wells Fargo robbery and vows to track down and kill the seven men responsible.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Don 'Red' Barry
- Clete
- (as Donald Barry)
Benjie Bancroft
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Chet Brandenburg
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Chick Hannan
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJohn Wayne, a producer on the film, gave the female lead to Gail Russell, his co-star from Angel and the Badman (1947) and Wake of the Red Witch (1948), despite being warned that she looked 20 years too old to play a character in her mid-20s. Russell had not made a film in five years and had a serious drinking problem which would later end her life at age 36.
- GoofsWhen Randolph Scott's character says goodbye to Mrs Greer at the end, he stands facing her with the horse on his left side. In the next shot, a closeup, the horse is on his right side.
- Quotes
Jed: You must've rode a long way.
Ben Stride: I walked.
Jed: Ain't you got no horse?
Ben Stride: Did have. Chirichua jumped me about ten mile back.
Jed: They stole 'em?
Ben Stride: They ate him.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Budd Boetticher: A Man Can Do That (2005)
- SoundtracksSeven Men From Now
by 'By' Dunham (as By Dunham) and Henry Vars
Featured review
Underrated entry in Boetticher-Scott cycle of Westerns. Maybe it's because this was the first collaboration between the two that has kept it overshadowed by better-known entries like The Tall T or Decision at Sundown. Nonetheless, the essential elements are already present: a laconic, embittered Scott, the neolithic Alabama Hills, a villain with some scruples (Lee Marvin), and an excellent script (Burt Kennedy). There's also a couple of neat surprises that make sense.
Note how well that first scene is both conceived and staged. Stranger Scott rides up to campfire where two other strangers sit cozily, drinking coffee. It's cold and Scott wants to sit awhile. Naturally, there's some wariness since these are strangers meeting in a hostile environment. But soon Scott and one stranger (John Beradino) start sounding friendly. Now, Boetticher could have cut between close-ups of the two conversing. But he doesn't. Instead he keeps the silent cowboy in the same frame as Beradino and cuts between them and Scott. This keeps a certain tension alive in the scene because the second stranger looks worried even while Scott and Beradino begin to warm up, and we're reminded of that every time the camera switches to Beradino. Thus, the undercurrent of unexplained unease never leaves the scene, until events climax. It's a brilliantly executed passage that hooks the audience for the remainder. It's also touches like this that lifted the cycle to classic status.
Then too, there's a chance to scope out a young Lee Marvin, about as good an actor as there was at the time. You never know what his talkative villain will do next. Pitting him against the sternly taciturn Scott makes for marvelously contrasting styles. Scott's ongoing role in these movies is a role he apparently was born to play, after starting his career in sappy male leads. Then too, there's the gorgeous and doggedly loyal Gale Russell as the pale-eyed wife. Her scenes with Scott amount to little gems of suppressed desire. But especially qualifying as a classic is the stormy night in the wagon. The tension there builds as Marvin tries to rile Russell's mild-mannered husband (Walter Reed), while Scott and Russell look on. The scene is beautifully played and fairly crackles with cross-currents of emotion as Marvin exploits the growing attraction between the married Russell and the conflicted Scott. My only complaint is the very last scene where the usually sure-handed Kennedy flounders and Russell looks like she just stepped out of a Hollywood beauty salon. Just goes to show, I suppose, the difficulty Westerns traditionally have when deciding on romantic commitment.
Another characteristic in this initial entry is Scott's clear code of honor. It's macho-based but also notable for its gallantry. Scott's not too proud to help Russell hang out the wash, nor will he get overt as long as Russell's married. But just listen when Russell strays into his private concerns, such as that of his dead wife. His voice turns suddenly cold and hard, and you know this is a man with a firm code of honor that will not be compromised, even by an appealing woman. He may not be as personable as villains like Marvin, but there's always that strict code that commands respect and guides his actions.That's the kind of character Scott portrays throughout the cycle, and is a major reason why little gems like Seven Men from Now endure.
----------------------
Note how well that first scene is both conceived and staged. Stranger Scott rides up to campfire where two other strangers sit cozily, drinking coffee. It's cold and Scott wants to sit awhile. Naturally, there's some wariness since these are strangers meeting in a hostile environment. But soon Scott and one stranger (John Beradino) start sounding friendly. Now, Boetticher could have cut between close-ups of the two conversing. But he doesn't. Instead he keeps the silent cowboy in the same frame as Beradino and cuts between them and Scott. This keeps a certain tension alive in the scene because the second stranger looks worried even while Scott and Beradino begin to warm up, and we're reminded of that every time the camera switches to Beradino. Thus, the undercurrent of unexplained unease never leaves the scene, until events climax. It's a brilliantly executed passage that hooks the audience for the remainder. It's also touches like this that lifted the cycle to classic status.
Then too, there's a chance to scope out a young Lee Marvin, about as good an actor as there was at the time. You never know what his talkative villain will do next. Pitting him against the sternly taciturn Scott makes for marvelously contrasting styles. Scott's ongoing role in these movies is a role he apparently was born to play, after starting his career in sappy male leads. Then too, there's the gorgeous and doggedly loyal Gale Russell as the pale-eyed wife. Her scenes with Scott amount to little gems of suppressed desire. But especially qualifying as a classic is the stormy night in the wagon. The tension there builds as Marvin tries to rile Russell's mild-mannered husband (Walter Reed), while Scott and Russell look on. The scene is beautifully played and fairly crackles with cross-currents of emotion as Marvin exploits the growing attraction between the married Russell and the conflicted Scott. My only complaint is the very last scene where the usually sure-handed Kennedy flounders and Russell looks like she just stepped out of a Hollywood beauty salon. Just goes to show, I suppose, the difficulty Westerns traditionally have when deciding on romantic commitment.
Another characteristic in this initial entry is Scott's clear code of honor. It's macho-based but also notable for its gallantry. Scott's not too proud to help Russell hang out the wash, nor will he get overt as long as Russell's married. But just listen when Russell strays into his private concerns, such as that of his dead wife. His voice turns suddenly cold and hard, and you know this is a man with a firm code of honor that will not be compromised, even by an appealing woman. He may not be as personable as villains like Marvin, but there's always that strict code that commands respect and guides his actions.That's the kind of character Scott portrays throughout the cycle, and is a major reason why little gems like Seven Men from Now endure.
----------------------
- dougdoepke
- Jan 17, 2008
- Permalink
- How long is 7 Men from Now?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 18 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content