Seven Men from Now main backdrop
Seven Men from Now main poster

Seven Men from Now

Visit website

6.8/10 • 113

1956-07-241h 18m

Western

A former sheriff relentlessly pursuing the 7 men who murdered his wife in Arizona crosses paths with a couple heading to California.

Directors
Budd Boetticher
Editors
Everett Sutherland

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Randolph Scott

    Randolph Scott

    Ben Stride

  2. Gail Russell

    Gail Russell

    Annie Greer

  3. Lee Marvin

    Lee Marvin

    Bill Masters

  4. Walter Reed

    Walter Reed

    John Greer

  5. John Larch

    John Larch

    Payte Bodeen

  6. Don 'Red' Barry

    Don 'Red' Barry

    Clete

  7. Fred Graham

    Fred Graham

    Henchman

  8. John Beradino

    John Beradino

    Clint

  9. John Phillips

    John Phillips

    Jed

Reviews1

View Reviews
John Chard Avatar

John Chard

Mar 21, 2017

8/10

Another expertly crafted Western from Boetticher and Scott. Seven Men from Now is directed by Budd Boetticher and produced by John Wayne's Batjac Productions. Written by Burt Kennedy it stars Randolph Scott, Gail Russell & Lee Marvin. Music is by Henry Vars & William H. Clothier photographs out of Alabama Hills and Lone Pine, California. Former Sheriff Ben Stride is on the trail of the seven men - who whilst robbing a Wells Fargo office - killed his wife in the process. Mentally tortured by having lost his job that resulted in his wife having to work at Wells Fargo, Stride is totally driven by hurt and anger. But along the way he helps a married couple who are stuck in the mud, who persuade Stride to ride West with them in case of further problems. They are then joined by a couple of suspect characters who have their own private agenda for tagging along with Stride - all parties seemingly heading for the day when the truth will out. Director Budd Boetticher and leading Western star Randolph Scott made between 1956 and 1960, seven intoxicating and genre bending films. This was the first of their collaborations, and although it can be said they were merely honing their "Adult Western" bent here, all the traits that would make the upcoming The Tall T, Ride Lonesome and Comanche Station so worthy of genre classic status is evident here in this film. Though simple in plot - I mean man on a mission movies are not exactly rare are they? - Seven Men From Now is boosted by a smartly ambiguous turn from Lee Marvin as Bill Masters, while Boetticher's ability to raise his complex and hungry characters above and beyond the standard tale further gives the piece some kudos. Incidents dot themselves throughout the story to keep the film from ever drifting to the mundane, while the location captures are gorgeous, and this is where we should be thankful to cinematographer William H. Clothier for realising that Boetticher needs his vista to be another character in his play. Originally intended as a vehicle for John Wayne, who took producing duties instead when his schedule wouldn't allow him the time to star, Seven Men From Now gave Randolph Scott a chance to show just what a fine actor he was. As the troubled Ben Stride he could so easily have played him as corny and grumpy, but Scott gives him the emotional depth that Burt Kennedy's script demands. Gail Russell (Annie Greer) is the lady of the piece, she ultimately led a sad real life, but at least here as the woman caught between two men, we get to see that she did have the ability when called upon - even if this didn't relaunch her career in the way that her friend John Wayne had originally hoped for. In fact Gail was to sadly succumb to the alcoholism that blighted her life just five years later, aged just 36. Thankfully this film stands up as a fine way to remember her beauty and for the efforts that she put into the Western genre. Lacking the heavy cloud of doom of Boetticher & Scott's best collaborations, this one, however, boasts richly interesting characters that are telling a cunning moral allegory tale. It be an Oater for those who like intelligence over yee-haw like histrionics. 8/10

Media

  • Seven Men from Now poster
  • Seven Men from Now poster
  • Seven Men from Now poster
  • Seven Men from Now poster
  • Seven Men from Now poster
  • Seven Men from Now poster
  • Seven Men from Now poster
  • Seven Men from Now poster
  • Seven Men from Now poster

Recommendations

  • The Hidden main backdrop

    The Hidden

    6.9

  • Vampyr main backdrop

    Vampyr

    7.3

  • Seven Days main backdrop

    Seven Days

    6.3

  • Ride the High Country main backdrop

    Ride the High Country

    7.0

  • My Darling Clementine main backdrop

    My Darling Clementine

    7.4

  • Duel in the Sun main backdrop

    Duel in the Sun

    6.3

  • Bandolero! main backdrop

    Bandolero!

    6.5

  • 7 Women main backdrop

    7 Women

    6.5

  • Ride Lonesome main backdrop

    Ride Lonesome

    6.6

  • The Mortal Storm main backdrop

    The Mortal Storm

    7.2

  • Dodge City main backdrop

    Dodge City

    6.9

  • The Brothers Rico main backdrop

    The Brothers Rico

    6.2

  • Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At! main backdrop

    Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!

    7.9

  • Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation main backdrop

    Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

    7.2

  • Civil War main backdrop

    Civil War

    6.9

  • Three Floors main backdrop

    Three Floors

    6.3

  • Nomadland main backdrop

    Nomadland

    7.2

  • Oppenheimer main backdrop

    Oppenheimer

    8.1

  • The Beyond main backdrop

    The Beyond

    6.9

  • Thelma & Louise main backdrop

    Thelma & Louise

    7.6

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
sheriffoutlawwells fargo