Unforgiven is—surprise!—a very violent film.
While there are only a handful of violent scenes ( two savage beatings, two small shootouts, one big shootout), they are so visceral, infused with so much cruelty, that we can't help wincing just a little bit.
The films really does a good job of making a case against violence by showing how brutal it is (remember English Bob's face in the jail cell?) and how ethically complicated killing somebody is. The death scenes of Davey and Quick Mike are especially relentless: one is an exercise in slow death, and the other is cheap and honorless.
Questions about Violence
- Gene Hackman initially didn't want to do Unforgiven because of its violence. Is the film too violent? Disconcertingly violent? Violent to make a point?
- Does it seem like Little Bill actually enjoys violence, even though he pretends otherwise?
- Why do you think Will Munny seems unaffected, for the most part, by violence? Remember, he's stone cold until the bitter end.
- What's up with Ned? He used to be Will's partner but then decides he can't handle the violence anymore. Why do you think this is?
Chew on This
While we hate Quick Mike, Davey, and Little Bill, their violent and pitiful deaths make us question whether or not Will Munny & Co. are guys we should admire, despite the fact that they mete out justice.
Violence isn't the way to defeat violence. This is the lesson of Little Bill, whose violent beatings of Bob, Will, and Ned only bring more violence to Big Whiskey.