UNFORGIVEN
Stars - Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris
Director - Clint Eastwood
Memorable Quote - 'Maybe we ain't nothing but whores, but by God, we ain't horses.' and, 'You ain't ugly like me. It's just that we both got scars.' and, 'It's a hell of a thing, killing a man.'
Review - Even from the very first scene, there is something quite pretty about this movie, along with something a little sinister. The long shots, a Western tradition, are here combined with beautiful skylines. The first action sequence is worthy of any horror flick worth its salts, and is summed up quite neatly by Will's one-word reaction: 'Jesus!'. The two kids are the cutest little things, and a real humour comes in while Will tries to catch the pigs and get on his horse. However, there is still a sense of wrong in the way that he rides out, leaving his kids alone while moralising to them even as he leaves. Kind of like one rule for him, one rule for them, and plus he's leaving them defenceless... but anyway. Eastwood movies aren't particularly known for their moral uprightness, I suppose.
Morgan Freeman is always a welcome sight in any movie, and he's also known for his subtle humour, which he again displays well alongside Eastwood's small touches. We then get some lovely travel montage scenes, all in the orange of sunset (how long did this sunset last for, exactly?). The fireside scene gives us the biggest character development we've had so far, giving both characters a little depth.
The next sequence is suitably comic, as English Bob carries out his continued routine of Queen versus President. However, this is again juxtaposed with the very serious Western business of Little Bill's attack, leading the film through a string of highs and lows in a way that actually comes across as quite sophisticated in this genre.
One thing that strikes me very much about this movie is the realism. When Will falls off his horse, instead of leaping back up he bloodies his nose. The Schofield Kid is short-sighted, and the hardened killers complain about sleeping on the ground in bad weather. Then of course there's the repeated theme of Will not being able to get on his horse. The feud between Bill and Bob is done well, with the tension as Bill offers him the gun in his jail cell again juxtaposed by the sudden downpour back with the three bounty hunters. I also adore the way that Bob suddenly becomes a Londoner after he has been beaten up, losing his posh English accent.
Round about this point we get into real Western territory. Bill is not all for show, like Bob - he's a real Western gunslinging killer, and we begin to worry a little - all the more so when we learn that Will has a fever. The next scene is tense, but the humour returns as Freeman falls through the window half-dressed - hardly the arrival of the cavalry! There's that realism again.
After Will's fever breaks, the scene out in the snow with the cut-up woman is about as touching as any you'll get in a Western, and almost heart-rendingly painful at points, as she misinterprets his chastity for disgust at her appearance, then uplifting. The next scene again goes back to the humour, as The Kid has to ask what's happening thanks to his eyesight (I know how he feels). I guess the place where this movie really shines out against its genre is the moral undertone - represented most strongly as Freeman's character walks away from the operation. And of course, there's the fact that they are on a mission of justice rather than of retribution for a slight to their pride.
The way the camera follows the gunfight out at the cabin is exceptional, followed by that dramatic wide shot. The dialogue throughout is pretty special. I love The Kid's admittance that he took his first kill at the cabin, the mix of pride and shame and sorrow. The ending, too, is perfect.
Also, the final bar shoot-out scene is absolutely EPIC.
'We all have it coming, Kid.' 5/5
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