Cheap The Unforgiven [Region 2] (DVD) (John Huston) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Unforgiven [Region 2]

One of my Favorite Films
THE UNFORGIVEN has always been one of my favorite films right up there with THE BIG COUNTRY and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. I have seen it many times. I love Dimitri Tiomkin's score and the photography. It is a very atmospheric and somewhat offbeat film. Tiomkin's score was recorded over in Italy giving it a very lyrical sound. It has always been an endearing film for me. The casting adds to the unusual mood of this film. Some character actors give some of their best performances in this film. John Saxon as Johnny Portugal, Audie Murphy as Cash Zachary and especially Joseph Wiseman as the mysterious and enigmatic Abe Kelsey add to the atmosphere and depth of this film. Abe Kelsey is such a ghostlike character coming into view and then quickly vanishing into the dustbowl moodily filmed by cinematographer Franz Planer. Some of the images are disturbing such as seeing Albert Salmi as suitor Charlie Rawlins meeting a rather grotesque and heartbreaking demise impaled with Kiawa arrows. The dramatics of this film are deep examining the nature of the human soul and seemingly unmotivated bigotry. Burt Lancaster as Ben Zachary and Audrey Hepburn as Rachel Zachary give gripping performances. Lillian Gish's performance as Mattilda Zachary is cruelly demented as juxtaposed against that Wiseman's non-malicious Abe Kelsey who holds a key to the truth behind the tale. There are hidden secrets and hatreds and loyalties that the entire cast of characters comes to grips with. This is a classic film from director John Huston whether recognized for that distinction or not. <
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Western drama starring Lancaster and Hepburn
The film "The Unforgiven" has some of the elements that make a nostalgic filled, classic western drama. We have the screen presences of two of Hollywood's finest at the time in Burt Lancaster and Audrey Hepburn. The cinematic appeal of sprawling sagebrush that is quickly woken by drama between ranch families and Indians, and a storyline that is intricate and stoic. Audie Murphy also is cast in this film. <
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>Hepburn stars as Rachel, a young woman whose family is ranching in the hot Texas heat. Working with a neighboring family, everything seems to be a simple, hard working set up of life on the range. All is quickly turned upside down when a crazy old man on horseback starts coming around. He bears a civil war saber and rants biblical diatribes from across the small river stream that separates the ranch house from the rest of the sprawling rangeland. The stranger is soon to be found out as a figure from the families past, who has a dire message to deliver about Rachel's very own real heritage. As tensions rise, lines will be drawn and words spoken that can never be taken back. <
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>Lancaster is cast as Rachel's brother, Ben. Ben will stop at nothing to keep his sister from harm, but when the truth comes out it also does not stop him from realizing other feelings he has that are shown in the end. <
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>This film takes some time for setup and I felt like if it has any negativity at all, it's mostly pacing. The film plods along slowly, introducing us to a cast of characters that suddenly towards the end are quickly thrown together for what seems like a rushed ending. Despite its flaws, it's still enjoyable for the grandiose acting scenes of emotion and drama that are played out by the likes of Lancaster and Hepburn. It also has a great standoff scene that happens at the ranch house over the course of an entire night. However, if you are looking to add this to a collection of the finest Western Classics of that era, this 1960 film by John Huston might get toggled down on the list a notch or two.