Unforgiven (1992)

Film: Unforgiven

Director: Clint Eastwood

Country: USA

Released: August 1992

Runtime: 131 minutes

Genre: Western

Studio: Malpaso / Warner Bros

Influenced: Jane Campion, Coen Brothers, Andrew Dominik, Ed Harris, Kelly Reichardt

Clint Eastwood's interest in directing began in the 1960s while working as an actor under the likes of Sergio Leone and Don Siegel, and he would go on to make his directorial debut with Play Misty for Me (1971). During the 70s, Eastwood continued to direct westerns such as High Plains Drifter (1973) and The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), but it was his biographical film about jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker, Bird (1988), that first won him real critical acclaim for his directing, including an Oscar for Best Sound. But it was Unforgiven that marked the true turning point in Eastwood's directorial career, a huge success both critically and at the box office. The film was conceived as a deconstruction of the traditional western genre, with William Munny (played by Eastwood in the lead role) forced to make the sort of complex moral decisions often glossed over in classic westerns. For example, he declines a "free one" from the scarred member of the sorority of sex workers out of loyalty to his dead wife.

Unforgiven's screenplay had been in development for several years before Eastwood decided to make it into a film, working with screenwriter David Webb Peoples to knock it into shape. The film presents a gritty portrayal of the Wild West, exploring themes such as violence, justice and the consequences of one's actions. The film was shot in Alberta, Canada, not in the American West, out of cost considerations. Set in the late 19th century, the plot follows the story of Munny, a retired outlaw and widower struggling to make ends meet on a failing farm. Munny is drawn back into a life of violence when he's offered a bounty to kill two cowboys who disfigured a "whore" in the town of Big Whiskey, Wyoming. He teams up with his old partner Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) and a young, enthusiastic gunslinger named The Schofield Kid (Jaimz Woolvett), who provides some comic relief.

As Munny and his companions track down the cowboys, they confront the harsh realities of their past and the toll that violence takes on a person's soul. It's a film about redemption and the blurred lines between heroism and villainy. The film subverts the traditional western trope of clear-cut heroes and villains, instead portraying characters faced with complex moral dilemmas and forcing the viewer to question the ethics of the characters' actions. Many characters in Unforgiven undergo significant development throughout the film, particularly Munny, who evolves into a more complex and sympathetic figure. The magnificent Richard Harris played the role of English Bob, a boastful gunslinger fond of advocating for the monarchy, and there's a memorable scene in which he demonstrates his shooting skills. Harris reportedly took lessons from an expert marksman to prepare for the role.

Unforgiven received widespread critical acclaim and was a commercial success, winning four Oscars in 1993, including Best Picture and Best Director for Clint Eastwood. Gene Hackman, who played the ruthless Sheriff Little Bill Daggett, won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and David Webb Peoples received a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The film's critical success has solidified its place as one of the greatest and most influential films in cinematic history, especially within the western genre. It remains a classic example of a western that challenges conventions and delves into the complexities of morality and violence in the Old West. The film doesn't glorify violence but instead portrays it as brutal and unforgiving, in line with the film's title.