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Unforgiven

For the 1960 Western directed by John Huston and starring Audrey Hepburn, see The Unforgiven (1960 film).

Unforgiven is a 1992 Western film which tells the story of a retired gunslinger who takes on one more job for the money. It stars Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek and Frances Fisher.

The movie was written by David Webb Peoples and directed by Eastwood.

It won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Gene Hackman), Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Picture. It was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Clint Eastwood), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.

It was dedicated to Eastwood's former directors and mentors, Don Siegel and Sergio Leone.

Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

After a prostitute is brutally slashed in the face by two customers, her co-workers offer a $1000 reward to anyone who kills them. William Munny (Eastwood), a retired gunfighter and now a widowed pig farmer with children whose stock is dying of swine fever and whose prospects are bleak, recruits a former associate Ned Logan (Freeman) to hunt down the two men responsible for the attack on the prostitute.

On their way, they pick up the Schofield Kid (Woolvett), who had told Munny about the reward and had boasted of his own trigger-happiness. After reaching town on a cold, rainy night, they enter a saloon for a drink and inquire about the reward. Munny remains at a table while Logan and the Kid go upstairs for some bedroom fun with the ladies. While waiting for his friends to return, Little Bill Daggett, the local sheriff, discovers Munny is wearing a gun (a town ordinance prohibits guns — Upon their arrival one stormy night, Munny failed to (or chose not to) see the sign stating such). Little Bill beats up Munny and Munny manages to drag himself out out of the saloon. Logan and the Kid manage to get Munny out of town to high country above the town.

Once Munny has recovered sufficiently from his injuries, the three men ambush and kill one of the two cowboys in a canyon. It is at that point that Logan realizes he no can no longer stomach murder, and decides to head home. Munny and the Kid find and kill the other cowboy in a latrine outside the isolated cabinwhere he had been holed up, guarded by several associates.

Meanwhile, Logan is captured and brought back to Little Bill, who beats all the information he can out of him, killing him in the process. Logan's corpse is put on display in an open coffin outside the saloon. The next day, one of the prostitutes brings the reward money to Munny and the Kid and tells him of the death of Logan. This angers Munny and he begins drinking again and goes into town to confront the sheriff. Munny walks into the saloon where Little Bill has assembled a posse. A gun battle ensues where Munny kills five men and seriously wounds Little Bill. While Munny is reloading his rifle, he hears Little Bill reach for his gun and kicks it out of his hand. Little Bill realizes what follows and says "See you in Hell, William Munny", to which Munny replies "Yeah" and kills Little Bill.

Theme

For a genre film, Unforgiven is unusally thematically rich. The film's major theme appears to the nature of violence, and the discrepancies between actual and fictional violence. While most Western films glorify violence as a justifiable means to an end, Unforgiven self-conciously tries to depict violence more realistically as something that harms everyone around it. Many critics and viewers tend to consider the film emphatically anti-violence. However, David Webb Peoples has stated in interviews that this was not his intention, and that he wished to present violence as morally complex, as opposed to simply "wrong".

While Clint Eastwood's earlier roles often featured a "Man with No Name", an anonymous stranger who wanders in to town to set things right, William Munney can be seen as a man who is trying to escape his past identity as the Man With No Name.

Trivia

  • Eastwood told Gene Hackman to model his character on the then LA Police Chief Daryl Gates.
  • Most of the rain in the film was artificially created, because Calgary was experiencing a dry spell. However, the snowfall when William Munny was recovering was both unexpected and unscripted.
  • When Eastwood phoned him about the film, Richard Harris was watching High Plains Drifter on TV.
  • The film has several allusions to earlier Westerns. The opening scene, where Eastwood stands at the grave of his dead wife, is an allusion to John Ford's She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. The scene in which Eastwood tells Rubinek to pick up the rifle in the bar is an allusion to Once Upon a Time in the West, which has a similar scene in a bar. Also, Rubinek asks Eastwood how he chose the order in which to kill six men. Eastwood responds that he "got lucky". This is an allusion to The Outlaw Josey Wales, in which Eastwood, in response to a similar question, gives a detailed reponse about their various holders and demeanors.

Notable lines

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations by or about: Unforgiven
  • "Hell of a thing killing a man... you take away all he has and all he's ever gonna have." (Munny)..."I guess they had it comin'" (Schofield Kid)..."We all have it comin', kid." (Munny)
  • "You just shot an unarmed man" (Little Bill) ... "Then he should have armed himself if he's gonna decorate his saloon with my friend" (Munny).
  • "All right now, I'm comin' out. Any man I see out there, I'm gonna shoot him. Any sumbitch takes a shot at me, I'm not only gonna kill him, but I'm gonna kill his wife. All his friends. Burn his damn house down." - Munny

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While Clint Eastwood's earlier roles often featured a "Man with No Name", an anonymous stranger who wanders in to town to set things right, William Munney can be seen as a man who is trying to escape his past identity as the Man With No Name. Many non-manufactured restaurants (including franchises like Denny's) have copied the look of 1950s diners for nostalgic appeal, while Waffle House uses an interior layout derived from the diner. However, David Webb Peoples has stated in interviews that this was not his intention, and that he wished to present violence as morally complex, as opposed to simply "wrong". The diner's cultural influence continues today. Many critics and viewers tend to consider the film emphatically anti-violence. In movies and television, diners (along with soda fountains) symbolize the period of prosperity and optimism in the United States of the 1950s. They are shown as the place where teenagers meet after school, and an essential part of a date. While most Western films glorify violence as a justifiable means to an end, Unforgiven self-conciously tries to depict violence more realistically as something that harms everyone around it. Those of the 1950s use stainless steel panels and glass block trim.

The film's major theme appears to the nature of violence, and the discrepancies between actual and fictional violence. Diners of the 1920s–1940s feature Art Deco elements or copy the appearance of rail dining cars (Some are, in fact, refurbished rail cars). For a genre film, Unforgiven is unusally thematically rich. The decor varied over time. Little Bill realizes what follows and says "See you in Hell, William Munny", to which Munny replies "Yeah" and kills Little Bill. Larger models may have a row of booths against the front wall and at the ends. While Munny is reloading his rifle, he hears Little Bill reach for his gun and kicks it out of his hand. A service counter dominates the interior, with a preparation area against the back wall and floor-mounted stools for the customers in front.

A gun battle ensues where Munny kills five men and seriously wounds Little Bill. Like a mobile home, a diner is narrow and elongated to allow transportation on a flatbed trailer. Munny walks into the saloon where Little Bill has assembled a posse. During this period diners spread beyond their original market to the Midwest. This angers Munny and he begins drinking again and goes into town to confront the sheriff. After World War II, as the economy returned to civilian production and the suburbs boomed, diners were an attractive self-employment opportunity. The next day, one of the prostitutes brings the reward money to Munny and the Kid and tells him of the death of Logan. Diner manufacturing suffered with other industries in the Depression.

Logan's corpse is put on display in an open coffin outside the saloon. With the rise of the automobile, diner manufacturers produced more fixed-foundation buildings. Meanwhile, Logan is captured and brought back to Little Bill, who beats all the information he can out of him, killing him in the process. Until the Great Depression, most diner manufacturers and their customers were located in the Northeast. Munny and the Kid find and kill the other cowboy in a latrine outside the isolated cabinwhere he had been holed up, guarded by several associates. The first manufactured dining wagons with seating appeared in the late 19th century, serving busy downtown locations without the need to buy expensive real estate. It is at that point that Logan realizes he no can no longer stomach murder, and decides to head home. Like the catering wagon, a diner allowed one to set up a food service business quickly using preassembled equipment.

Once Munny has recovered sufficiently from his injuries, the three men ambush and kill one of the two cowboys in a canyon. Diners developed from mobile catering wagons. Logan and the Kid manage to get Munny out of town to high country above the town. A diner is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America. Little Bill beats up Munny and Munny manages to drag himself out out of the saloon. ISBN 0760301107. While waiting for his friends to return, Little Bill Daggett, the local sheriff, discovers Munny is wearing a gun (a town ordinance prohibits guns — Upon their arrival one stormy night, Munny failed to (or chose not to) see the sign stating such). Michael Karl Witzel (1998) The American Diner MBI Publishing Company.

After reaching town on a cold, rainy night, they enter a saloon for a drink and inquire about the reward. Munny remains at a table while Logan and the Kid go upstairs for some bedroom fun with the ladies. Valiant Diners, Ormond Beach, Florida. On their way, they pick up the Schofield Kid (Woolvett), who had told Munny about the reward and had boasted of his own trigger-happiness. Valentine Manufacturing, Wichita, Kansas. William Munny (Eastwood), a retired gunfighter and now a widowed pig farmer with children whose stock is dying of swine fever and whose prospects are bleak, recruits a former associate Ned Logan (Freeman) to hunt down the two men responsible for the attack on the prostitute. Worcester Lunch Car Company, Worcester, Massachusetts. After a prostitute is brutally slashed in the face by two customers, her co-workers offer a $1000 reward to anyone who kills them. Ward & Dickinson, Silver Creek, New York.

It was dedicated to Eastwood's former directors and mentors, Don Siegel and Sergio Leone. Buckley Lunch Wagon Manufacturing and Catering, Worcester, Massachusetts. It was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Clint Eastwood), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. T.H. It won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Gene Hackman), Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Picture. Swingle Diners, Middlesex, New Jersey. The movie was written by David Webb Peoples and directed by Eastwood. Paterson Vehicle Company (Silk City), Paterson, New Jersey.

It stars Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek and Frances Fisher. Paramout Modular Concepts, Oakland, New Jersey. Unforgiven is a 1992 Western film which tells the story of a retired gunslinger who takes on one more job for the money. Mountain View Diners, Singac, New Jersey. Burn his damn house down." - Munny. Master Diners, Pequannock, New Jersey. All his friends. Kullman Industries, Lebanon, New Jersey.

Any sumbitch takes a shot at me, I'm not only gonna kill him, but I'm gonna kill his wife. Jerry O'Mahoney, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Any man I see out there, I'm gonna shoot him. Judkins (Sterling), Merrimac, Massachusetts. "All right now, I'm comin' out. B. "Then he should have armed himself if he's gonna decorate his saloon with my friend" (Munny). J.

"You just shot an unarmed man" (Little Bill) .. Fodero Dining Car Company, Newark, New Jersey. you take away all he has and all he's ever gonna have." (Munny)..."I guess they had it comin'" (Schofield Kid)..."We all have it comin', kid." (Munny). Diner-Mite, Atlanta, Georgia. "Hell of a thing killing a man.. DeRaffele Manufacturing, New Rochelle, New York. This is an allusion to The Outlaw Josey Wales, in which Eastwood, in response to a similar question, gives a detailed reponse about their various holders and demeanors. Comac, Irvington, New Jersey.

Eastwood responds that he "got lucky". Bixler Manufacturing Company, Norwalk, Ohio. Also, Rubinek asks Eastwood how he chose the order in which to kill six men. The scene in which Eastwood tells Rubinek to pick up the rifle in the bar is an allusion to Once Upon a Time in the West, which has a similar scene in a bar. The opening scene, where Eastwood stands at the grave of his dead wife, is an allusion to John Ford's She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

The film has several allusions to earlier Westerns. When Eastwood phoned him about the film, Richard Harris was watching High Plains Drifter on TV. However, the snowfall when William Munny was recovering was both unexpected and unscripted. Most of the rain in the film was artificially created, because Calgary was experiencing a dry spell.

Eastwood told Gene Hackman to model his character on the then LA Police Chief Daryl Gates.