TALK ABOUT MOVIES
2002 Talk About Movies
December
November
October
September
July/August
June
May
April
March
February
January
ARTICLES
Little Notes
Letters
Confessions
Roamin' Catholic
Follow Me
Contents © 2002
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
TALK ABOUT MOVIES
December 2002
UNFORGIVEN
Directed by Clint Eastwood. Starring Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman. 1992, 131 minutes, color, English, USA. Available at Blockbuster Video.
Ernie: I think Munny's wife symbolizes the life-changing power of virtue. Her basic goodness turned him from his drunkenness and murderous ways to an almost respectable father. When he backslides, Ned tells him, "You wouldn't be doing this if Claudia were still alive."
Matthew: I looked at the film as being against the Protestant notion of salvation. I think she was the snow covering the dung heap, Munny. She was his grace. When he says, "I ain't like that no more," he always adds "She cured me of my wickedness. She showed me the error of my ways." It was because of her presence that he could be good. And once that was withdrawn it was a matter of time and opportunity. When temptation came calling, he had nothing with which to counter it. And then it was a gradual slide from there.
* * *
Ernie: If the two cowboys have suffered some legitimate punishment under law, it wouldn't have healed the woman's scars, but there would have been some sense that justice had been done. Instead the sheriff reaches a property-restitution deal with the brothel owner.
Matthew: The whores seek justice outside the law.
Ernie: And murder and chaos ensue.