The Unforgiven (1960)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Alan Le May (novel)
Ben Maddow (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 April 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Western

Plot:

The neighbors of a frontier family turn on them when it is suspected that their adopted daughter was stolen from the local Kiawa tribe.

Plot Keywords:

Male Female Relationship | Horse Killed | Family Relationships | Texas | Ethnic Slur

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Ben Zachary
Audrey Hepburn	...	Rachel Zachary
Audie Murphy	...	Cash Zachary
John Saxon	...	Johnny Portugal
Charles Bickford	...	Zeb Rawlins
Lillian Gish	...	Mattilda Zachary
Albert Salmi	...	Charlie Rawlins
Joseph Wiseman	...	Abe Kelsey
June Walker	...	Hagar Rawlins
Kipp Hamilton	...	Georgia Rawlins
Arnold Merritt	...	Jude Rawlins
Doug McClure	...	Andy Zachary
Carlos Rivas	...	Lost Bird

Runtime:

125 min | USA:121 min (Turner library print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | West Germany:12 (f) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Durango, Mexico

Company:

James Productions

Trivia:

Audrey Hepburn was seriously injured when she was thrown by a horse between scenes. Hepburn, who was several months pregnant, spent six weeks in the hospital and completed her role wearing a back brace, which her wardrobe had to be redesigned to hide. Sadly, she suffered a miscarriage a few months later, which some blamed on her injury from this movie. John Huston blamed himself for the mishap and hated this movie. Hepburn, however, bore no ill will towards the director. While Hepburn was in hospital, Huston filmed scenes using a double.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ben goes out with his brother Cash to find Abe Kelsey, he is not wearing neckerchief. Later in the country, when he dismounts, he is using a neckerchief.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[yelling at a cow eating grass growing on the Zachary family's roof]
Rachel Zachary: Shoo now! Shoo! Ain't you got no better manners than to eat at the top of a house?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lo chiamavano Trinità (1970)

Audrey Hepburn, from the indian tribe from south of london.

I am in no way criticizing the film by saying this, but what kind of accent is that by Audrey Hepburn. It's not that her performance is bad, no, it's great. But Audrey Hepburn could never sound like she should be in a western. She does seem to try hard at it, but she can't shake away the French/Posh English/Cockney accent. But who really cares in the end. It must be really difficult for an actress to look really good on the set of a western, with all that dust and everything, but she looks real good.

Another reason why I like this movie is because of Audie Murphy. Sure, ol' Burt is a pro at this kind of thing, but he'll never be as cool as Audie Murphy. He's the one with the most conflicts, "My sister, an injian!?!?!", then he goes off drunk to his girlfriend Georgia. When she begs him to marry her, "I'm Drunk, but I not THAT drunk." Ha! Ha!

The film also has genuinely tense and frightening moments, and we owe most of these moments to Joseph Wiseman, playing Abe, the guy with the sword. He didn't even blink, and that eye just stares right at you, but seems to be out of focus at the same time like it's looking right through you. It wouldn't be that surprising to see something like that in recent films, because they've done psychos and demon-possessed aplenty since the seventies. But in 1960, it probably was real scary.

Saying it like the 'injians': FILM GOOD, YOU GO, SEE FILM.