Starring - Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris
Quite simply Eastwood's best western, winner of 4 Academy Awards in 1992 (including Best Director for Eastwood and Best Supporting Actor for Hackman). It tells the story of William Munny, an ageing former outlaw who finds himself penniless and in charge of two small children after the death of his wife.
Munny is tempted to return to his former ways by a young gunslinger with a promise of a large bounty for the apprehension of two cowboys who assaulted a woman in the town of Big Whiskey, run by the despotic Sheriff Bill Daggett (Hackman). The two enlist the services of Munny's former partner-in-crime (Freeman) and journey to Big Whiskey, only to find things are not quite so straightforward as they seem.
Unforgiven is a masterful film. Eastwood's direction is the equal of anything his mentor Don Segal could have acchieved and his character displays real human follys (he bought the rights to the movie in the 1970s but waited until he felt aged enough to play the lead character). The supporting cast are well-drawn and likeable, even the 'bad guy' played with gusto by Gene Hackman.
In many ways Unforgiven was Eastwood's (and Hollywood's) swansong to the Western. A film where the heroes are flawed and the Lawmakers as ruthless as the outlaws they despise. It's violent, but we get to see the results of the violence and how futile it ultimately is. I've just bought the 10th anniversary DVD which includes a film commentary and four documentaries - well worth buying.
I heartily recommend Unforgiven to anyone with a love of cinema. It's a landmark movie and I'd put it right up there with John Ford's The Searchers as the very best in it's (and any) genre.
