Produced in 1992 Unforgiven is a revisionist film that re-examines the western sidekick and the role of the alpha-male cowboy. This western film breaks the trend of the standard alpha-male cowboy when Clint Eastwood is shown as a more flawed and vulnerable man than cowboys, like John Wayne. Clint Eastwood plays Bill Money, who upon returning to his life of murdering and drinking becomes affected by the environment and catches the flu, which then allows him to be beaten by the hard sheriff Bill Daggett. To have an alpha-male cowboy affected by the environment is to have a cowboy who is not master of the land, this is not the standard alpha-male cowboy seen in the 1950’s and 60’s. Bill is also less honorable than normal alpha-male cowboys as he shoots the shore owner who owns no gun. Alpha-male cowboys always do what is right, they tend to follow a moral code; however, this film’s alpha-male cowboy followed no such code and even pointed out to the sheriff when he was killing him that “it’s not about what you deserve”. This means that while a character may be the better man or even the righteous one that does not determine whether they live or die. The Unforgiven was also full of moral grey’s, the actions of the antagonist Bill Daggett and the murder Bill Money commits put both men in question of their morality. To the audience Both Bills are morally questionable and flawed but in different ways, there is not clear righteous person in this film. To see an alpha-male cowboy whose morality is questionable is a part of the revisionist westerns. Changing what it means to be a cowboy and also who is respected.
Another feature of this revisionist film is the addition of an African American sidekick who fits the role of alpha-male cowboy better than the white man. Ned, played by Morgan Freeman, refuses to kill those kids for money, and is unaffected by the harsh environment. Ned, being an African American shows the ideals of the new American culture in that people of all races are respected and considered equals, while Ned does not survive or even win the day, his is shown as the true alpha-male cowboy of the film with this morally right actions, his loyalty to his friends and the refusal to give into the enemy.
Produced in 1992, Unforgiven is a revisionist film that re-examines the western sidekick and the role of the alpha-male cowboy. This western film breaks the trend of the standard alpha-male cowboy when Clint Eastwood is presented as a flawed and vulnerable man. Clint Eastwood plays Bill Money, who after venturing into the environment becomes sickly and weak, ultimately he catches the flu. To portray an alpha-male cowboy who is affected by the environment, is to show a cowboy who is not master of the land. Being master of the land is an essential part of being the alpha-male cowboy of the 50’s and 60’s. Bill is also less honorable than cowboys in classic westerns. To provide an example, in the final fight scene, Bill shoots the store owner in cold blood. Bill kills the store owner who has no weapon or means of defending himself from the attack. This is not the way classical alpha-male cowboys would dispense of an enemy.
ReplyDeleteAlpha-male cowboys always do what is right, they tend to follow a moral code; however, this film’s alpha-male cowboy followed no such code and even told the sheriff before killing him that “it’s not about what you deserve”. This means that while a character may be the better man or even the righteous one that does not determine whether they live or die in the West. Unforgiven was also full of moral grey’s, the actions of the antagonist, Bob Daggett and the murder Bill Money commits, put both men in question of their morality. To the audience Both Bills are morally questionable and flawed but in different ways, there is no clear righteous person in this film. To see a western film which contains no clear cut alpha-male cowboy in his quest to do right is what makes this film a “revisionist” film.
Another feature of this revisionist film is the addition of an African American sidekick. The unique fact about Ned, the sidekick is that he fits the role of alpha-male cowboy better than the hero Bill. Ned is honorable as he refuses to kill the young kid for money, something Bill has no problem doing. Ned is stronger than Bill since he is unaffected by the harsh environment, the same one that weakened Bill to nothing. Since Ned is an African American, he represents the fact that the new American culture allows all people of all races and color to be respected and considered equals. Ned does not survive nor does he win the day; however, his is shown as the true alpha-male cowboy of the film with his morally right actions, his loyalty to his friends and his raw strength.