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All Movie Info
Starring:
Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek, Frances Fisher, Anna Thomson, David Mucci, Rob Campbell, Anthony James
Directed By:
Clint Eastwood
Written By:
David Peoples
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Unforgiven (1992)
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Movie Review by Jarrod 
July 17th, 2007
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'Unforgiven' is a throwback to the classic Westerns of the past, when released, it represented a genre that was very much dying, revived only briefly by Dances with Wolves, which won many Oscars, but was distinctly modern in its style and structure, an epic set in the days of the West when much of it was yet unsettled, no saloons, no railroads, just Indians, desert, and a few soldiers at remote posts to keep order and protect any homesteaders who may show up. 'Unforgiven' reminds us that Clint Eastwood based his career on the Western, before he took on the iconic role of Dirty Harry, he worked with Sergio Leone, and Don Siegel, in movies like A Fistful of Dollars and Two Mules for Sister Sara. Now, Eastwood, inspired by these men, has made a Western that can compete with most any that has preceded it, even those by Howard Hawks and John Ford, though 'Unforgiven' is entirely different, darker and more violent, but, still touching on common themes of vengeance and redemption. Eastwood is Will Munny, a former outlaw who has since married and had a family, though his wife is now dead and he raises his two children through hog farming. His wife tamed him, and perhaps even introduced him to religion, though that certainly does not nullify one's sadistic impulses, in some ways, it exaggerates them. He is approached one day by the Schofield Kid, who tells him of a bounty, and seeks to enlist his help. The Kid has heard, as has most everyone, of Munny's horrific past and reputation. Munny eventually agrees, and recruits his old friend Ned (Freeman), whose lawless days are also far behind him, but the three join forces to track down the targets, two cowboys who brutally assaulted a prostitute. The bounty comes from her friends and colleagues, led by Alice (Frances Fisher), a strong-willed woman who refuses to be intimidated by either Skinny, the owner of the brothel, or the sheriff Little Bill (Hackman), a nasty piece of work who rules the town with fearful tyranny, in the sense that everyone is afraid of him, and he has experience dealing with the worst the West has to offer. Gunslingers start to show up to pursue the bounty, including English Bob (Richard Harris), well past his prime, but basking in own glory, followed around by a journalist named Beauchamp (Saul Rubinek), who is more than content to engage in idol worship and record stories of Bob's past escapades.
Bob receives quite a beating at Bill's hands, and Bill also seeks to protect the two men now hunted by Munny and his posse. Bill's actions lead to a fateful showdown with Will, which is incredibly satisfying, and shows that Eastwood's badass factor is still high, even after four decades. Eastwood is perfect, haggard and rough-hewn, gray stubble on his face, raspy voice announcing death to all who have wronged him. Will is a complex hero, a fundamentally decent man who loves his children and desires a normal life, but finds himself confronted with a situation that can only be solved by again embracing all that he renounced. Freeman is phenomenal, as is Hackman, in what proved to be his second Oscar-winning performance. Little Bill is indeed a villain, but his extreme methods may be what are necessary to face the challenge of maintaining law in an otherwise lawless environment. But he is also corrupt and brutal, and it is these qualities that bring about his downfall. The rich supporting cast, including Fisher and Harris, offers characters that are well-defined and compelling, never relegated to the back burner and forgotten, they leave an impression. I would argue that this is some of the finest work Harris has ever done. There is a sense of rustic nostalgia, superb cinematography, all in this compelling and elegiac study of human nature, channeled through what is also a magnificent, old-fashioned Western. Arguably Eastwood's greatest directorial feat.
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 | Tim
Jul 17, 2007 7:02 PM
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| This is one of the greatest westerns ever made! Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood is magic on screen together.....Wish they would do another together sometime soon! |
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