MovieChat Forums > The Dirty Dozen (1967) Discussion > My only issue with this movie.

My only issue with this movie.

posted 5 years ago by whynotwriteme (7743)
3 replies | jump to latest

4 or 5 of the Dozen had no personalities and were played by anonymous, no-name actors. Trini Lopez was a singer and reasonably well known, but his character didn't have that much to do so I have to include him in this. The characters Vladek, Gilpin, Sawyer and Bravos were almost totally anonymous cannon fodder.

If only they could have gotten guys like Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Clint Eastwood, James Garner and fleshed out the roles. Even second-stringers like Neville Brand would have been better than those no-name guys. The Magnificent Seven (1960) holds the title of best 60s tough guy ensemble.

[–] Wuchak (8830) 5 years ago

No, beyond the great score, cast and locations, "The Magnificent Seven" is almost unwatchable due to outrageously lame story flaws. For instance Chico is able to effortlessly infiltrate Calvera's bandits, utterly fooling them, even though there were only 32 of them by this point (rolling my eyes). Even if Calvera & his brigands failed to make out Chico's face, which is a big IF, his dialogue & accent would've given him away. Keep in mind that he was just an unseasoned teen.

Another prime example is the village leaders' sudden cowardly turnaround (i.e. betrayal), which totally contradicts their earlier resolve. Yes, I realize they learned that the bandits weren't run off and that they were going to return to the village out of desperation, but there were only like 30-32 bandits left at this juncture and the combined forces of the gunmen and the fighting villagers now had the opportunity to annihilate the thugs for good; problem solved. The sad thing is that both of these script hitches could've easily been fixed.

"The Dirty Dozen" lacks this kind of godawful 'script-writing.'

[–] whynotwriteme (7743) 5 years ago

Your first complaint is from a scene straight from the original 'Seven Samurai' by Kurosawa. And as for the second issue, I could see the peasants reacting that way. Right from the start we saw how timid they were.

The characters of The Seven are much more fleshed out and likable than the Dirty Dozen and there is more action.

But this is hijacking the thread and should be discussed on the Magnificent Seven board.

[–] Wuchak (8830) 5 years ago

I realize that "The Magnificent Seven" borrowed it's story from "Seven Samurai," but that doesn't mean the writer had to rigidly follow that text, particularly when those story elements are grossly idiotic. In other words, no one put a gun to his temple. Besides, one of the main purposes of a re-do is to make it better, not repeat the same mistakes. The writers of the 2016 remake had enough smarts to omit both of those hitches.

I could see the peasants reacting that way. Right from the start we saw how timid they were.

You forget that they were trained by the seven gunmen in the meantime and had successfully dwindled the outlaws down to about 30. Confidence & momentum were on their side. So their cowardly turnaround (betrayal) was thoroughly unconvincing.

Except for the score, cast, locations & action, the 1960 film is outrageously lame. It's Exhibit A on why quality writers are absolutely strategic to great filmmaking.