The last great action Western Hollywood would ever produce, with a star-studded roster the caliber of which wouldn't be seen again until IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD. Everyone can usually name five of the seven actors, but draw a blank at naming the last two (kinda like The Seven Dwarves): Steve McQueen (in his defining role), Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson, Jim Coburn, Bob Vaughn, Brad Dexter, and Horst Bucholz. They're all hired to "shoo some flies away from a little village down South", with the lead horsefly being the unctuously rat-like Eli Wallach. Shot in Mexico, the Sturges direction makes the change from samurai to cowboy seamless and natural, and when Elmer's score chimes in, you can feel the swell of adventure in your collarbone. Barely a thing wrong with this classic (lingers on a message or two, then snaps back to the job at hand). Skip the afternoon broadcasts and opt for the DVD, as Letterbox is the ONLY way to take everything in. A grand end to a beloved era.