Unforgiven Directed By Clint Eastwood Film Studies Essay

Unforgiven range By Clint Eastwood Film Studies EssayUnforgiven is a dark and haunting assume in what sens be considered Clint Eastwoods finest hour. A revisionist horse opera, set in the 1880s that serves as the final culmination of Eastwoods revisionist western trilogy, follows the journey of William Munny (Eastwood), a struggling pig farmer and widower with two young children with a dark past as a violent killer. After two cowboys scar a prostitute a reward is offered by her fellow whores for the death of the two men. Soon Munny is on the hunt and is later joined by Ned (Morgan free human) and the young, wile Schofield Kid (Jaimz Woolvett). The stage is set for what is perhaps the most gritty, realistic and best of Eastwoods westerns.The skilled acting performances by the cast of brilliant actors along with the directing, that only of man of Eastwoods caliber can provide, make Unforgiven arise emerge as the finest of Eastwood revisionist westerns (Pale Rider, The Outlaw J osey Wales). We atomic number 18 confronted with characters who are both capable of the kindest, and at the same time vilest, of deeds. The forbidding hat, white hat distinction of the characters of western genres of old are thrown out the window in favor of gritty, violent, mor whollyy ambiguous characters that are much more in line with the realities of the human condition. agent Hickman gives a superb performance as Sheriff Little Bill Dagert, both champion of law and order in his town as well as a violent sadist. William Munny provides the image of a changed man, a man who has redeemed himself. However as the ingest progresses the faade of a changed man is lifted in a violent manner with the murder of one of the wanted men. The film carefully reveals the true genius of Munny in layers until we are confronted with the true nature of his past Ive killed woman, children and just about anything that moved at more or less point. He is perhaps the hardest protagonist, to warm t o, and Eastwood does a great job at challenging our perspectives on film heroes.The supporting cast do a good job of adding extra weight to the film. There are no meaningless throw away characters that exist only as target practice. They all redeem a point and Eastwood fits them together in the story like a master watchmaker. Notable performances allow Richard Harris as English shilling, a gun fighter and fierce monarchist who worked for the railroad shooting Chinamen. Bob travels with his biographer W.W Beauchamp (Saul Rubineck). Bob along with his biographer act as an amusing comment of the creation and permeation of the western myth. Morgan Freeman lends his heavyweight reputation as Williamss old gunfighter comrade Ned. Freeman does an admirable job as delineation Ned as a man past his prime and serves as an excellent reminder to William that they are not getting younger. James Woolvelt as the Schofield Kid holds up well, his character being both physically cover as well as blind to the realities of cleaning a man (Munny)You ever killed a man before?(Kid) wickedness Ive killed at least 50 guys. He serves as a reminder of how receiving the Mark of Cain can change and destroy a man.Clint Eastwoods goal with Unforgiven was to expose the myth of the western genre the westerns of John Wayne, downwind Marvin and even himself and to show how the west was really won. There are no fair quick put across stand offs (A man is killed while taking a crap) and killing is often a slow (and for the audience) torturous experience. Perhaps one of the most amusing and memorable moments comes when Munny shoots the unarmed Pimp, much to Little Bills disgust Hell you just killed an unarmed manWell he should have armed himself.Eastwood rams home the realities of killing further, a young cowboy dies slowly begging for water, he doesnt fly off his horse like so many a man in Eastwoods older westerns. Perhaps the most memorable quotes on killing come from Eastwoods characte r himself Its a helluva thing killing a manYou take away all hes had and all hes ever gonna have. In exposing the western myth Eastwood excels par excellence.The technical aspect of the film adds to the western experience in a way one would expect of an Eastwood film. The dark moody lighting note with the open sweeping landscapes under a brilliant blue sky. The sets and costumes are authentic and familiar to any western film buff which adds an interesting contrasts to the revisionist context of the film. All the technical brilliance comes together to suction the audience into a believable looking film. The lighting itself is well used, especially in the way that it darkens with the darken of Eastwoods character. Music is kept to a minimal, no spaghetti style pieces blare at us during a stand off, the rain provides a much better musical score to the films finale.For the audience this film forces us to weigh on ourselves and the realities of the darkness of our souls. We are all n aturally violent the film just highlights this fact with a blow from a slug of a .44. Perhaps Eastwood is asking for forgiveness not as a character but as a director. Go ahead punk make my day has been replaced sooner with a whimpering, bleeding young man begging for water. If I can think of one flush about the film it is perhaps that it takes a little too long at making its point.Unforgiven is a brilliant film. It caters to Eastwoods core fans while at the same time attracting the more intelligent and reflective film goer. Those who enjoyed the Good the Bad and the Ugly will enjoy this film as much as the filmgoer who enjoys a serious crafted experience.