MovieChat Forums > The Magnificent Seven (1960) Discussion > the knife-throwing incident

the knife-throwing incident

posted 12 years ago by denham
17 replies | jump to latest

Clearly Wallace, the Robert Wilke character, lacks something in his top storey. Still, it’s curious he’s so happy to stand smack next to the target post when Britt bids him to. This is when it’s just a test and no-one’s intended to get hurt. He’s placing a lot of faith in the throwing accuracy of Britt, a man he doesn’t know, hasn’t seen throw, and has no special reason to trust. (In ‘The Seven Samurai’ in the test stage of the corresponding duel, bamboo weapons are used and there’s little risk of death or serious injury to either party.) When it’s for real, Wallace is struck before he can fire, but he’s struck between the ribs well away from the heart, probably puncturing his right lung. In the film he sinks to the ground and promptly expires. In reality he wouldn’t have died quickly, if at all, and would have been capable of firing. He’d already fired three times, so assuming he started with a fully loaded six-shooter he’d have three shots left. Suppose he didn’t drop and instead tried shooting Britt. Would Britt have used his gun? Would he think a duelling code applied and he’d have to face one shot in reply, War and Peace style? Or would he think the hell with that and finish off Wallace ASAP? Even if (hard to imagine, I know) he'd missed with the knife?

PS Who is the actor who loudly haw-haws at Wallace in this scene? It seems a familiar face.

"I beseech ye in the bowels of Christ, think that ye may be mistaken."

[–] capo_bastone1 12 years ago

All very good points, I have seen this movie many times over the years and its still one of my favorites. Here's a few more things on the knife throwing scene: Italian style switchblades like Britt carried weren't around back then, AND, they have rotten balance for throwing. I stuck one in a dartboard at a bar years ago throwing it by the blade, but I think it was a once in a lifetime lucky throw. Slinging it underhand off his palm like he did, I don't think the knife would have enough velocity to penetrate the guy deep enough to kill him. It would be like sticking a guy with a Chinese throwing star and expecting it to kill him, lol...

[–] Blakefield 12 years ago

Yeah. I'd like to know who the "Haw Haw Haw" guy is as well. There's a bit of as Lee J. Cobb look about him.

[–] meLazlo1953 11 years ago

Bing Russell?

**** --------------- ****
It's all in the reflexes!

[–] Blakefield 11 years ago

I dunno, I always thought Bing Russell was one of the salesmen who wanted the indian buried on Boot Hill

[–] Gaslight1888 11 years ago

"Hauwww-hauwww-hauwww!"

That's a fine lookin' fricassee, ma'am

[–] wtl471629 11 years ago

I also wonder who played Haw Haw Haw. Can anyone help.

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

"All very good points, I have seen this movie many times over the years and its still one of my favorites."

Same here!

But I do think James Coburn was underused in the film. Of all the Seven he has the least lines and arguably the least to do, yet manages to exert a significant presence on the film.

I would have liked more Britt and less Chico.

Still James Coburn did get a good leg up from John Sturges with this film and the following The Great Escape, which together gave him a much higher profile.

[–] thbryn 11 years ago

The speed had to be in the hand. If it was bullet to knife, Britt loses. The knife has to hit it's target an instant before Wilke can accurately aim his shot at Britt.

Kisskiss, Bangbang

[–] rready4198-693-489748 10 years ago

Have you seen the three movies he made as the star: "Dead Heat On A Merry-Go-Round" and "Our Man Flint" made in 1966 and "In Like Flint" made in 1967. All three of these were very good films for the time period.

[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

Yes, they were pretty much his first starring vehicles from memory. He did a pretty good, quirky kind of Bond-take in the Flints.

[–] liscarkat (18393) 3 years ago

"very good films for the time period"

As if very good films were in short supply until just recently.

[–] PillowRock 10 years ago

Slinging it underhand off his palm like he did, I don't think the knife would have enough velocity to penetrate the guy deep enough to kill him.

Actually, I don't doubt that someone could get enough velocity on it to penetrate deeply enough to kill ........

IF

They got it to hit point first (that's where your "rotten balance for throwing" really causes problems).

AND

It doesn't hit a rib too directly and get stopped by the bone.

[–] silverr8c 10 years ago

A fully loaded 6 shooter safely holds 5 rounds. Putting in 6 rounds is unsafe and almost never done. I have a Colt SAA revolver and it came in the box with a warning to not load 6 rounds

[–] liscarkat (18393) 3 years ago

Putting six rounds in a six-shooter is perfectly safe if you know how to handle the gun properly. If the manufacturer didn't want people to put in six rounds, they wouldn't provide a six-holed cylinder.

[–] pjwoodall1 10 years ago

The knife throwing bit also turns up in Yojimbo which was remade, of course, as A Fistful of Dollars. It reappears in Walter Hill's The Warriors.

[–] dadoo4050 9 years ago

Vic Tayback (later Mel on TV's "Alice") did the guffawing.

"And me? I go on to become a big star in Italian Westerns."

[–] liscarkat (18393) 3 years ago

Wallace is hit by Britt's knife, collapses, a few guys run over to help him, and he's still alive the last time we see him. His wound would be survivable.