’Unforgiven’

A heroic yet darkly melancholic western that is deeply provocative as retired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job.

A sizeable reward is offered for retribution of a violent and disfiguring attack on sex workers in the 1880s Wyoming town of Big Whiskey. It’s the women themselves who have posted the reward, tired of the lack of justice meted out by the bullying local sheriff, Little Bill Daggett (Gene Hackman). An infamous former outlaw, Dunny (Eastwood) retired for love to a Kansas farm – but, almost destitute, now needs to raise his kids without their mother. The arrival of the strutting Schofield Kid (Jaimz Woolvett) sees Dunny and former partner Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) rise to the temptation. But the sheriff has no intention of letting anyone simply ride into town and claim the reward: brutality is the name of the game for Little Bill Daggett and his deputies.

Elegiac and elegant, the desolation of location and the complexity of an intense, sweeping narrative exploring the effects of violence is perfectly captured by Eastwood in this sombre, restrained tale.

Nominated for 9 Oscars in 1993 including best actor, original screenplay, cinematography, won 4 – best film, director, supporting actor (Gene Hackman), editing

Rating: 80%

Director: Clint Eastwood (Mystic River, Gran Torino)

Writer: David Webb Peoples (Blade Runner, 12 Monkeys)

Main cast: Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby, Play Misty For Me), Gene Hackman (The French Connection, The Royal Tenenbaums), Morgan Freeman (The Dark Knight, The Shawshank Redemption)