August 01, 2022
'Unforgiven'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey have killed everything that walks or crawls at one time or another, and now it's time to rewatch Clint Eastwood's Academy Award-winning classic 'Unforgiven', starring Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, and Morgan Freeman.
Cast
Clint Eastwood as William Munny
Gene Hackman as Little Bill Daggett
Morgan Freeman as Ned Logan
Richard Harris as English Bob
Jaimz Woolvett as The Schofield Kid
Saul Rubinek as W.W. Beauchamp
Frances Fisher as Strawberry Alice
Anna Thomson as Delilah Fitzgerald
Anthony James as Skinny Dubois
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Written by: David Webb Peoples
Notes
- Dedicated to Sergio Leone and Don Siegel, the two directors most responsible for making Clint a Western icon.
- The script was originally written in 1976 under the titles 'The William Munny Killings' and 'The Cut-Whore Killings.'
- Clint famously said he'd never win an Oscar, citing three reasons: 'First, I'm not Jewish. Secondly, I make too much money. Third, most importantly, because I don't give a fuck.'
- $14.4 million budget; grossed $159.2 million.
- Clint's 16th directed film; he vowed it would be his last Western (though he later made Cry Macho at age 90).
- Gene Hackman agreed to do the film only if there was thought behind the violence, not just mindless gunning people down.
- Clint composed part of the score himself (the 'Claudia's Theme' guitar part).
- 45 million people watched the 1993 Oscars ceremony. Best Supporting Actor category had Hackman, Jaye Davidson, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, and David Paymer.
Categories
Roger Ebert's review
Quote from Rog's review:
“Unforgiven is a Western that develops stealthily, pulling us into its moods of repressed anguish and barely suppressed rage.”
- Bill: Ebert gave it 2.5 stars, called it 'a kind of meandering picture' with 'a few too many characters.' One of his biggest misses.
- Sean: Ebert's reading was just wrong – he didn't understand what they were trying to say.
- Chris: Ebert later added it to his 'Great Movies' list – legitimately went back and realized he was wrong.
Most re-watchable scene
- All three: The ending / final 15 minutes when Will Munny enters Greely's saloon and kills everyone.
- Bill: The second campfire scene with Munny and Ned – 'We ain't bad men no more, shit. We're farmers.'
- Chris: The moment when Munny starts drinking whiskey again after learning Ned has been killed.
What aged the best?
- Bill: Westerns as a genre (frozen in time, never feel dated). The leanness of the premise. The name 'Big Whiskey.'
- Sean: The title 'Unforgiven' – one of the great movie titles of all time; sells against the image of Clint Eastwood perfectly.
- Chris: The Hackman performance has grown in his estimation – says the film is now a Gene Hackman movie for him.
Most cinematic shot
Chris: The deep focus / split diopter shot of Delilah in the foreground and Munny in the background. Cinematographer is Jack Green.
Weak link of the movie
Bill: The Schofield Kid actor (Jaimz Woolvett). With Eastwood, Hackman, Freeman, and Harris, the casting of that role stands out as insufficient.
What aged the worst?
- Bill: Jaimz Woolvett's IMDb page. Ebert's review. Ned leaving his wingman and giving up Munny's identity under torture.
- Chris: Will Munny leaving his young kids alone for weeks.
The hottest take award
- Bill: Defends Little Bill's philosophy as sheriff – no firearms, no vigilantes, no assassins. He at least had ideas behind the rules.
- Chris: There's a version of this movie that's the Little Bill story – just trying to build a house and run a town, then some crazy dying guy shows up and kills him.
- Sean: This is the one Clint actually deserved the Oscar for – genuinely his best or near-best film.
Casting what-ifs
- Coppola had the script in the early 80s and met with Malkovich about William Munny.
- For Schofield Kid recasting: River Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, Leonardo DiCaprio. Worst case: Keanu Reeves.
- Jeremy Irons was considered for English Bob. Clint essentially just called Richard Harris directly.
Over-acting award
Sean: Richard Harris as English Bob – three scenes, steals every one of them.
Best "that guy"
- Bill: Anna Thomson (Delilah) – had 'Unforgiven', 'True Romance', The Crow, and 'Bad Boys' in a four-year run.
- Chris: Anthony James as Skinny – played Skinny-type roles for 25 years across multiple Clint movies.
Re-casting couch
- Bill: River Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, or Leo DiCaprio for the Schofield Kid.
- Chris: Sam Rockwell (too young at the time).
- Sean: Mark Wahlberg – the overconfident, full-of-shit energy fits.
Half-assed (internet) research
- Remade as a 2013 Japanese film called 'Unforgiven' starring Ken Watanabe.
- Clint changed the script by replacing an opening voiceover with text cards.
- Production designer Henry Bumstead built the Big Whiskey set in 32 days.
- Saul Rubinek got the part by making a video audition on Jack Nicholson's advice. After that, Clint only looked at actors on video.
Apex Mountain
- Post-prime Clint Eastwood: Yes – directed, acted, won Best Director and Best Picture.
- Post-prime Gene Hackman: Could be this or 'Crimson Tide'. This for apex, 'Crimson Tide' for more fun.
- Morgan Freeman apex: Shawshank (not close).
- Saul Rubinek: This plus 'True Romance' same year.
Picking nits
- Bill: Delilah's facial scars weren't severe enough – she doesn't look that bad.
- Bill: How did Munny just become a good guy if he was killing men, women, and children?
- Chris: Munny leaving his young kids alone for weeks.
Sequel, prequel, prestige TV or untouchable?
- Bill: Prequel – 'The Will Munny Killings,' young Will Munny drinking and killing.
- Bill: A 'Last Dance'-style documentary: 10 parts, all building to the killing at Greely's.
Best double feature for this movie
- Bill: The Outlaw Josey Wales.
- Chris: High Plains Drifter.
What memorabilia would you want (or not want!) from the movie?
- Chris: The 'Duke of Death' book (Beauchamp's biography of English Bob).
- Sean: Ned's Spencer rifle.
- Bill: The rifle Munny uses in the final killing scene.
Best (or worst!) life lessons from the movie
- Sean: Don't fuck with murderers. Some people never change.
- Chris: 'Deserves got nothing to do with it' – bad shit just happens.
(Probably) unanswerable questions
Bill: Is this the greatest Gene Hackman role ever? (French Connection, 'Crimson Tide', The Conversation, and 'Hoosiers' all in the mix.)
Who won the movie?
- Bill: Clint wins because of the Oscars and cementing his legacy, but there's a fun Hackman case.
- Chris: This time around, it was Hackman for him.
- Sean: The Hackman idea grows the more you watch it; first time you watch, it's Clint.