CMT - The Magnificent Seven

If you were asked to define a character, where would you begin? Perhaps it's best to start with a name, and to identify the gender. Age is important to acknowledge, as is a person's height and weight, their hair color, and their racial and ethnic identities. The manner of dress might also be notable and an indicator of personality.

Well you might be surprised to learn, that none of those things are very important. In fact, if we were to depend on those characteristics, we would never come close to understanding who people are, and that's whether they're real or imagined. A lot of moviegoers focus on dialogue, and there have been some memorable lines delivered, during Hollywood's long history. If we are to examine character however, quotes are insufficient; the heart of the character lies not in what they say, but in what they do.

Classic Movie Trailers: The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Words are cheap and it's easy to get caught up in them. Let's note some famous one-liners, like "I'll be back" and "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn". As memorable as those are, they don't say very much about the characters behind them. It's also worth recognizing, that a person is capable of saying something and then acting in a way, that contradicts that statement. Meanwhile, those actions are the keys that we've been looking for, this entire time.

While watching "The Magnificent Seven", I was only able to pick up the names, of a fifth of the cast. When you're dealing with an ensemble, it's difficult to hold onto that information; there's a plot that's unfolding and the other dialogue is important, for exposition. Fast forward to a few weeks later, and I could only recall the handle of the protagonist. If you were to ask me about the coward of the gang though, I'd instantly know who you were referring to.

The other characters in the film, defined themselves in a myriad of different ways. The tall and skinny guy is adept with a knife. The young and inexperienced hand drinks when he's upset, and he doesn't take "no" for an answer. The antagonist is boastful and talkative. The sidelkick is always ready for battle and the hero is amazingly restraint, merciful and compassionate.

It is how those qualities are revealed, with actions, that stay with us after the film's running time. Names, places and numbers all fade away, and rightfully so; they're not nearly as important. Even what is said is normally forgotten, but how it is reacted to, remains significant, With every movement a character makes, they communicate who they are, from simple acts like lighting a cigarette, to the firing of a gun.

So remember that an honest man is a liar, until proven otherwise. A pious man is a blasphemer, and a skilled doctor is an untrained hack. No name, or title is valid until confirmed, and nothing is confirmed until the audience sees it for themselves. In life, as in fiction, we are not correctly defined by words or physical traits; we are defined by the choices we make.

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