Unforgiven

Watched Unforgiven last night. I had seen it in the theater when it came out, but I had forgotten how good it was and how much I enjoyed it.


Although I'm, if anything an anti-triumphalist, I've always liked westerns. Naturally, then, I've always loved the anti-westerns (if that's the right term). The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is my favorite (Eli Wallach steals the show).


Unforgiven is a classic. There are, unbelievably for Clint Eastwood, elements of feminism in it, as well as derision and mocking of the masculine character Eastwood has played in so many movies.


Unlike what we've been shown in westerns before, the guns don't work well (sorry HDPM), the "heros" are anything but heroic, Eastwood has trouble mounting and riding his horse, the "kid" has bad eyesight, Morgan Freeman loses his nerve, Eastwood only gets his when he drinks, and people are, well, just people, not larger than life figures.


Gene Hackman's performance is electrifying. He won the Best Supporting Oscar over Jack Nicholson's performance in A Few Good Men. IMO, Hackman deserved it.


A great movie. If you haven't ever seen it, do. If you haven't seen it in a while, see it again.

Why be sorry? When it comes to guns modern technology is great. Some of the old boys could really shoot their single action Colts though and some were very good gunfighters. But a lot of guys got shot in the back with shotguns too. Game selection is very important in gunfights.

This reminds me that the Unforgiven led directly to a "silly" game we play during our regular poker sessions. (We usually play a whole round of a "normal" game such as Hold'em followed by a single hand of a "silly" game.)


The game was inspired by a line in the movie having to do with the Duke of Death which I believe is jokingly referred to as the "Duck of Death" (someone correct me if I'm wrong.)


The game is too complicated to explain here, but once all the cards are out and you've made your high/low hand a single card (the "duck") is turned over and all cards of the same rank in your hand must be replaced.


We play this pot-limit.


Chuck


(Oh yes, almost forgot...we also have a game we call "the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly".)

The Duck of Death, you're right. After the writer corrects Hackman, telling him it is the "Duke of Death," Hackman again says Duck, and when the writer again corrects him, Hackman gives him dagger eyes and says, "Duck, I says." The writer doesn't correct him again.

Andy,


I enjoyed Unforgiven, but I also think it's overrated. On the other hand, The Outlaw Josie Wales is underrated. I can't quite put my finger on what's missing in Unforgiven--for me anyway--but I think it tries too hard to aspire to mythic status. Watched My Darling Clementine for about the hundreth time the other night. When Victor Mature, as the tubercular Doc Holiday, finishes Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy, my jaw drops every time and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I guess that's what's missing in Unforgiven, for me anyway.


John

I was less impressed with Unforgiven than some of Eastwood's other films. Not sure why.

gets my vote as the best western ever made.


The exchange between Wales and the southern leader after his wife and kid was killed: "Redlegs? (nod) We're going to Kansas to set things right. I guess I'll be going with you." Gives me chills every time, even now as I type it.

Wales is simply a helluva lot more fun to watch. The Missouri Boat ride, Granny, Seinfeld's Uncle Leo, Lone Waitie and John Vernon make Wales a truly enjoyable education about our country's west after the civil war. I have no idea what Wales would have done if Ten Bears didn't speak English as well as he did, it would have been a waste of a good speech, but I can overlook that.

Yep, I reckon so.

Do you find yourself saying "I reckon" a lot after seeing that movie.


I really liked it if for no reason then it really blurred the lines between right and wrong, good and evil...just like real life.


Who won - the good guys or the bad guys...and which was which?


RB