Unforgiven LJ

Unforgiven hosts a familiar face, Morgan Freeman. His signature tone of voice and strong performance in allows him to dominate even today. That a black actor would take on a central role in a Western is certainly indicative of the revisionist nature of Unforgiven. I believe that it also makes a statement about the rights of black people because it is significant that of the four main cowboys Logan is the one that is tortured to death, by none other than Gene Hackman, who is also later portrayed in other notable films as the conservative, stubborn old man. He in many ways represents the villian and sociopath, despite his intentions of keeping the town safe. He does so by his means, his rules; "rule of the gun". His method of keeping the peace is through brutality and violence, and that he would torture and kill the cowboy that showed remorse (God forbid such unspeakable heresy) shows that Gene Hackman was chosen to play the stubborn duty driven cowboy in a negative light. The film is interesting in how it portrays the good and the bad, since "Munny" the protagonist is widely known to have a terrible past, marked with the death of even women and children (innocents are usually spared by the alpha male cowboy). His motives are for his family, which is personal, but the climax and resolution of the film lies in a cold-hearted act of vengeance. Who is the better person? The brutally pragmatic and ultimately selfish Munny or violent Little Bill. It is implied that both had gained what they had by violence, and thus are not morally righteous at all. I believe that this conflict only highlights the victim; the black man.