i would bet a month salary the magnificent seven return ( msr ) be make for tv . other reviewer attest that msr be a theatrical movie and and i will take their word for it . the logical answer must assume it be originally shoot for tv and and after a change of studio heart and it be release theatrically instead . every actor be primarily a tv actor represent mariette hartley and michael callen and ralfe waite and stephanie power . tv performer all . lee van cleef split his time between tv and theater screen . stephanie power have only make 3 or 4 real movie appearance in the last thirty year of a very prolific television career proof positive this be shoot for tv . minor player be veteran small screen actor who can be see on old rerun of gunsmoke and wild wild west and street of san francisco and and so on . the ho hum set be identical to the universal studio tour set and often see in old episodic tv . and the editing betray the one or two take hurriedness of tv and with limited camera movement and positioning and cutting and and light . the sound track and exclusive of the original berstein theme and be straight from seventy television . yep and i would bet money it be shoot for tv . that an important point in evaluate msr . initially i watch msr on cable assume it be an old theatrical release . in comparison to the original magnificent seven and it a joke and a cartoon and an amateurish attempt at movie making . acting and lighting and writing and setting and action and cinematography and music ( exempt the berstein theme ) and edit and pace and . on and on . all pale in comparison to the classic magnificent seven which be close to the perfect 60 western and and one of the great action movie of all time . however and view a an early 70 make for tv movie and a i suspect and the film be actually good than average . those unfortunate enough to live through the 70 a an adult and know what i be talk about . msr would have compete against alias smith and jones and similarly bland network show . during the seventy and gunsmoke be a quality show and concentrate on character development rather than action and deemphasizing gun play to two shootout a week . the first shooting and usually a murder and set the hour plot into motion the second shootout climax the episode by kill the guest star and his nemesis and or otherwise resolve the conflict with marshal matt dillon . msr have more action than a whole season of gunsmoke . in this light in this frame of reference msr be passable entertainment and a cut above the tv fare from that decade .