Western Wednesdays: Unforgiven (1992)

It's been a while, but Western Wednesdays are back...

     The opening shot of Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, a minute long wide shot of William Munny's (Eastwood) home at sunset, displays a simplicity and elegance which is so often lacking in modern cinema. Consequently, from the very beginning of the film I knew I was in for something special. Most modern westerns either feel like nostalgic throwbacks (Silverado, Tombstone) or subversive reinventions of the genre (Dances With Wolves, 3:10 to Yuma). Unforgiven, in contrast, feels like an authentic entry into the genre while still having something new and fresh to bring to the table, namely, a sobering portrayal of violence.

      The film is more than half way through when we get to the first killing but rather then feeling cathartic, the scene is drawn out, awkward, and off-putting. Though the subsequent action becomes increasingly more intense and over-the-top, this sequence creates a precedent. We, as an audience, see the violence for the ugly, and often, pointless thing it is. As Munny tells the Schofield Kid (Jaimz Woolvett),"It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have."

     Violence hangs like a specter over all the main characters. Munny is haunted by his past, literally claiming to see the angel of death at one point in his stupor. Ned (Morgan Freeman), though he seems more confident outwardly, ultimately shows himself to be no longer capable of killing. The Schofield Kid idealizes Munny's violent reputation early on, but is in for a rude awaking once the killing starts. Finally, Daggett (Gene Hackman) sees himself as having moved above his former low life as he now uses his violent tendencies, ostensibly, in defense of civilization but its only a sham, a thin veneer masking his cruelty and sadism.

     David People's script imbues all these characters, along with the supporting players, with real humanity and pathos. Munny, Logan, and Daggett are all shown to be more human and vulnerable then their legendary reputations would seem to suggest. The performances all bring this out beautifully, and Eastwood effortlessly channels Munny's regret and the subsequent releasing of his inner demons with panache. The strong script and performances are also greatly enhanced by the films visuals. Under Eastwood'd direction, cinematographer Jack N. Green imbues the film with a stark and moody feel.

     I'd never seen a western made after the 1970's that I considered to be in the top-tier of the genre. I've seen some great one's, but nothing that could compare to the best works of John Ford, Sergio Leone, or Sam Peckinpah. Unforgiven, I think, may be the one exception. At one point in the picture Delilah, the prostitute whose disfigurement by two cowboys is the source of the film's central conflict, tell's a delirious Munny, "You ain't dead." This echoes an earlier statement by Little Bill, "I even thought I was dead til I found out it was just I was in Nebraska." Munny and Dagget are broken down gunfighters whose glory days, though they might not have been all they were cracked up to be, are behind them. In many ways they can be seen as being representative of the genre itself. The genre, like them, may seem like it's been dead since 1976, but movies like this make me think otherwise.

Score: 10/10