The 1992 film Unforgiven does not follow the template of classic western movies – making it a revisionist western. It questions the ideals of the classic films, with a large cynicism of the violence that is portrayed in them. It also has a new type of alpha male in William Munny. This alpha is very different from the traditional image.
Will Munny, having a vicious past, is seen as a reformed man in the film. His deceased wife rid him of his drinking habit, and taught him to see the error of his violent ways. He lives peacefully, farming (though not very well) with his two children. When he tries to go back to his old gun-slinging ways, it is difficult; he is older, out of practice, and harboring new moral ideals. The same can be said of his sidekick Ned Logan, who settled down with an Indian wife. Will is not the typical alpha in this film for many reasons. He has to re-learn how to shoot, and can’t even get on his horse without a struggle. Will is deeply ashamed of his past, simply saying “I don’t remember” or “I guess so” whenever it is referenced. He is weak, almost dying at one point. When Little Bill first beats him, he doesn’t even put up a fight, only crawls out of the door. He doesn’t live a cowboy life – no guns, no whiskey, and no women. Also not a typical cowboy, Ned is not able to shoot a man in the movie. There’s too much grief in his past. Both men are not accustomed to the rough terrain, expressing desire for home and bed. None of this matches the typical alpha male. At the very end Will takes back his old violent ways, but this is only in reaction to Ned’s cruel death – in an act of revenge.
In its revisionist state, Unforgiven makes a serious commentary on how violence does not prove manhood. It shows the brutal acts of men as cruel, sadistic, and unnecessary. Each time Little Bill beats a man (English Bob, Will, and finally Ned), the townspeople look away and cringe. The way the prostitutes are treated, and Delilah’s face is cut, is not acceptable. It is painful to see. Will and Ned both show serious hesitation when aiming a gun at another man, as does The Schofield Kid. The Kid’s eagerness for killing in the beginning made him seem annoying and inexperienced. When he did finally shoot a man, he said “I won’t kill nobody no more”. Solving problems through killing is not an easy or good thing in this film. Drawing a gun is a grave action that has serious consequences. As Will put it, “Killing a man is a hell of a thing”.
The 1992 film Unforgiven does not follow the template of classic western movies – making it a revisionist western. It questions the ideals of the classic films, with a large cynicism of the violence that is portrayed in them. It also has a new type of alpha male in William Munny. This alpha is very different from the traditional image.
ReplyDeleteWill Munny, having a vicious past, is seen as a reformed man in the film. His deceased wife rid him of his drinking habit, and taught him to see the error of his violent ways. He lives peacefully, farming (though not very well) with his two children. When he tries to go back to his old gun-slinging ways, it is difficult; he is older, out of practice, and harboring new moral ideals. The same can be said of his friend Ned Logan, who settled down with an Indian wife. Ned remember a lot of the things that will forgets how to do, and is a very independent character as a black man. Will is not the typical alpha in this film for many reasons. He has to re-learn how to shoot, and can’t even get on his horse without a struggle. Will is deeply ashamed of his past, simply saying “I don’t remember” or “I guess so” whenever it is referenced. He is weak, almost dying at one point. When Little Bill first beats him, he doesn’t even put up a fight, only crawls out of the door. He doesn’t live a cowboy life – no guns, no whiskey, and no women. Also not a typical cowboy, Ned is not able to shoot a man in the movie. There’s too much grief in his past. Both men are not accustomed to the rough terrain, expressing desire for home and bed. None of this matches the typical alpha male. At the very end Will takes back his old violent ways, but this is only in reaction to Ned’s cruel death – in an act of revenge.
In its revisionist state, Unforgiven makes a serious commentary on how violence does not prove manhood. It shows the brutal acts of men as cruel, sadistic, and unnecessary. Each time Little Bill beats a man (English Bob, Will, and finally Ned), the townspeople look away and cringe. The way the prostitutes are treated, and Delilah’s face is cut, is not acceptable. It is painful to see. Will and Ned both show serious hesitation when aiming a gun at another man, as does The Schofield Kid. The Kid’s eagerness for killing in the beginning made him seem annoying and inexperienced. When he did finally shoot a man, he said “I won’t kill nobody no more”. Solving problems through killing is not an easy or good thing in this film. Drawing a gun is a grave action that has serious consequences. As Will put it, “Killing a man is a hell of a thing”. This was a serious criticism on the violence of the gulf war that was going on at the time this film was made.