Directed, produced and starring Clint Eastwood, Unforgiven tells the story of William Munny (Eastwood), once the most fearsome outlaw in the Wild West, now an ageing pig farmer. He's brought out of retirement by young upstart "The Schofield Kid" (Jaimz Woolvett) who wants to partner with Munny, so that they can kill two cowboys who slashed a prostitute's face, within the town of Big Whiskey, Wyoming. Munny agrees, and he, the Schofield Kid, and Munny's old partner, Ned Logan, (Morgan Freeman) go to exact vengeance. It also co-stars the late Gene Hackman as villainous, corrupt sheriff Little Bill. RIP.
When making this film, Eastwood wanted to honour the likes of legendary directors, such as John Ford and Sergio Leone, who of course, launched Eastwood's career, within the Dollar's trilogy. The first way Eastwood succeeded in his mission was through his superb cinematography.
There were many camera shots that reminded me of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. There were sweeping master shots of the desert landscape, but also plenty of tight close-ups, especially within the initial sequence, where the poor prostitute has her face cut up. And there was also a great shot of Munny and Logan, silhouetted, as they rode past a gorgeous sunset.
Eastwood also captured the tension that was present within the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Some of the best scenes including the film's concluding and opening scenes, were shot with low lighting and tight camera angles. This kept the tension high by keeping the audience guessing.
To keep comparing Unforgiven to Leone's work might imply that it isn't a good film in its own right, which would be a terrible disservices. Eastwood is great in the lead role, as well as within the director's seat. Beginning as a reluctant antihero, struggling to escape the demons of his past, his gradual transition back into his old ways was compelling to watch. And it is a transition and not a devolution, as Unforgiven does explore themes of morality and vigilante justice. Is Munny a hero because he kills men worse than him or is he an antihero because he is a killer?
His tipping point is when *SPOILERS* Ned Logan is captured by Sheriff Little Bill of Big Whiskey, and kills him, as a warning to any other would-be assassins. This is enough to push Munny completely over the edge and to massacre a good portion of the town's police force. To see him become so ruthless after so much indecision was great to watch. Although a small criticism would be how they didn't show Logan's death on-screen. I think it would have been much more powerful if we had seen how Denny had died.
Unforgiven earnt Eastwood the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars which were well-deserved. It's probably quite telling that he won for producing and directing and NOT acting. In this film, like many of his films, he plays his usual grumpy old man with gravelly voice character. Gene Hackman was far more deserving of his Best Supporting Actor Oscar win. He was a great actor.
All in all, this was a great homage to the Western genre, one Sergio Leone or John Ford would have been proud to have watched.
