With Unforgiven we’re
dealing with our eventual best picture winner. And of all the movies we’ve
taken a look at so far, this one feels “movie-est”. It feels the least like a
great screenplay screaming out from a good movie. Which isn’t to say the other
movies were lesser, just that this one needs that big screen, that big sound.
When people think of movies, they don’t think of chatty relationship comedies
or character studies, they think of Clint Eastwood. And, damn, does Unforgiven have some Clint Eastwood.
Of course,
we’re taking a look at screenplays here. And there’s an element to this project
that feels a little disingenuous since we’re not actually reading the
screenplays. With this approach, it’s nearly impossible not to take the whole
movie into consideration. But, scripts are meant to be movies, right? So what
better way to evaluate them? I guess? Self-justification complete.
With that
in mind, I think David Webb Peoples delivers something special here. I’d seen
this move before, and only remembered two things: Gene Hackman is a monster and
Clint Eastwood. But I’d forgotten how the movie takes time to really develop
this small town. In my memory, this is a movie about Eastwood on the prowl. But
it’s really not. I mean, it’s about that, sure. But it’s also about this town
and the people in it. And the screenplay splits its time accordingly.
Like Passion Fish, you get the feeling that each of these characters
leads full, rich lives. And if you ask, I’m sure English Bob or Little Bill
would be more than happy to elaborate. Only the backstories aren’t limited to
the gunslingers, Strawberry Alice possesses an inner-strength that clearly has
history. Ned Logan married a native, and based on the look she gives Eastwood,
I’d watch a comedy where Ned invites Eastwood to Christmas dinner. Even the
cowboy who cuts up the girl has friends who care about him. And while what he
did was horrific, the movie goes on to justify it – reputation is everything in
this world.
And for
proof, here’s how we’re introduced to Eastwood: “You don’t look like no rootin’
tootin’ son of a bitch cold blooded assassin.” Okay, so, he’s awesome, right?
Not awesome enough, because that quote is followed by a list of all the bad ass
shit Eastwood’s done. And it’s a long list. English Bob hires a biographer to
secure his legacy. And Little Bill’s reputation is so fearsome he can govern an
entire town based on it. Scofield kid has no past, so he just makes one up.
And, holy shit, does every character like to talk about the past. They
absolutely revel in it. Stories of a bygone error, tall tales and on and on…
Initially,
this bothered me. There’s just so much talking. It’s all these old guys telling
stories that sound so much more interesting than the movie we’re actually watching.
And Eastwood’s character can be an absolute drag. I tried to count the number
of times he uttered a variation on “I’m a changed man”, but my pen ran out of
ink. And my hand got tired. And somewhere, a man died. We get it, Clint, you’ve
changed. Yes, Little Bill, you’re a tough son of a bitch.
But about
two-thirds in, I realized what was going on. These men weren’t telling the
audience anything we didn’t already know. This wasn’t exposition being poured
on. They were talking to themselves.
Eastwood needed to believe he’d changed, so he just kept saying it,
hoping it’d be true. Little Bill needed to know he was the meanest there ever
was, so he just says it. In that context, I think the characters really reveal
themselves. They’re just men living on words now. Their days of action are
behind them.
Until they
aren’t, of course. Which brings us to the absolutely masterful final scene.
We’ve built these two men, Eastwood and Little Bill into legends. We’ve seen
what Bill can do. We’ve heard of Eastwood’s deeds. Now, he’s hitting the bottle
again, reverting to some dark past. Bill’s putting together a posse. We’re in
for a showdown. Figure we settle in for chase. A gunfight. Some posturing.
Nope. Cause Eastwood just fucking shows up! And KILLS EVERYONE. And it’s so
great. It’s the perfect payoff for all the stories, all the chattering about
the past. Eastwood was never gonna call Bill out. Have a gunfight at noon. Be
on the run from some dumb posse. He was going to ride into town and fucking
blow everyone away. And when he does, it’s the best. And it’s so, so earned.
Which
brings us to the movie’s central question – did Eastwood ever change? While I
find those title cards that bookend the movie an odd touch, they provide a
glimpse into the answer. He loved his wife. That’s clear. And it seems no one
understands why she loved him. But in Eastwood’s relationship with Ned and the
brief conversation with the cut up prostitute, we’re given a few pieces to the
puzzle that is Eastwood (listen, I know the character has a name, but, it’s
Clint Eastwood). He’s unbelievably loyal. Probably to a fault. He’s tuned into
emotions and feels deeply. He just lives in harsh times. Times when loyalty to
the wrong men lead to evil, and feeling deeply can get you killed. I think his
wife saw he was a fundamentally good person, and was able to channel his innate
qualities into very different type of man. One she could love. But those same
qualities can shoot up an entire saloon. Or sell dry goods in San Francisco,
apparently. Hey, he’s a complicated man.
He’s Clint Eastwood.
SIDE NOTE: I loved the brief English Bob interlude. He was
such a fun character. With a nice build up. I understand, for this movie’s
purposes, why Little Bill had to crush him so quickly, but I wanted more Bob. I
wanted to see him do cool shit. And I can’t help but feel Sam Raimi felt the
same way. He must have thought, “What if there was a whole fucking town of
English Bob’s”? Then he made The Quick
and the Dead. And he figured no one could be Gene Hackman better than Gene
Hackman, so fuck it, and cast him. I guess what I’m saying is, The Quick and the Dead is sweet.
Finally, my list!
1. Unforgiven
2. Husbands and Wives
3. Lorenzo's Oil
4. Passion Fish
Finally, my list!
1. Unforgiven
2. Husbands and Wives
3. Lorenzo's Oil
4. Passion Fish
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