I love the shot of the writer's face when Munny delivers his line. He finally gets to witness a true legendary moment in the wild west he came to write about. He has his story, not tall tales.
I’ve always wondered what this scene would have been if the writer had remained silent and had observed the final moment between Little Bill and Munny. I guess he already had a lot to write about
And he also understands exactly how and why the reality is never as glamorous as the tall tales and stories he was told by English Bob and Little Bill.
The scene just prior to this, where he becomes William Munny after taking the whiskey bottle and drinking again is such an amazing turn for the character. He hardens to steel, he pushes the humanity out of himself one last time. It's somewhat understated in the film, but it's a powerful moment.
I love how this shootout shows how dammed hard it is to hit something at close range when you're hopped up on adrenaline and scared for your life. The difference between a trained and untrained shooter.
A number of factors add up: 1) most shooters back then weren't very proficient, as ammunition was expensive. The army at the time had soldiers fire three shots during basic training. That's it. Three shots, total. 2) the revolvers of the day had abysmal sights, many so tiny as to be almost useless. You might be able to see and aim with them decently in the daylight, but in a dark saloon, lit only by dim lanterns and the occasional flash of lightning? Good luck. I've held a Colt SAA, made in 1916; the sights are practically nonexistent, and they're an improvement over older revolvers like the Colt Navy. 3) there's a world of difference between target shooting and having someone shoot back at you. 4) adrenaline and lack of discipline; these guys are just cranking off shots without aiming, in a blind panic; Munny calmly aims each shot. There's a comment in the movie about the guy who gets off the fastest shot might not hit anything with it, and that's exactly what we see in this scene. Little Bill fires as he draws, but doesn't hit as he gets hit by the shotgun, then shot by Munny's slower, but accurate, shot. All the posse members and deputies are firing desperately in Munny's general direction, getting off multiple shots for every one of his, and he slowly and methodically picks them off one by one until they panic and run. At the end, he's out of ammo, but they're so scared that when he says to leave, they leave, rather than take the opportunity to shoot him while he's essentially helpless. It all adds up to show that Munny is skilled and coolheaded, even when drunk and murderous, whereas nobody else in the room was. Little Bill gets points for guts though, fully embracing the idea that he was about to take a shotgun blast to the chest and telling everyone else to gun down Munny before he could draw his revolver. Too bad for him that's not how it worked out.
@@Swindle1984 Totally agree and love everything you've written....just one thing I love adding.... Munny is a MONSTER...he spat out the last of whatever conscience he had when he spoke of his past....to him, that little explanation was all Bill was going to get as to why.... Otherwise, Munny kinda fades into a demon without conscience or second thought...I've been in the military and only at one point did I ever have to come close to pointing my rifle while on guard duty and it literally made me shake in my boots...like most humans, I shudder at the thought of taking another person's life. Munny doesn't comprehend that, he only calmly considers how many rounds he has left.
@@tombaker8481 Munny DOES comprehend that; he was drunk every single time he killed someone. He was struck by his conscience when they gut shot the one guy, he gave that speech to the kid when he shot the guy in the outhouse because he knew exactly what the kid was going through. He tells the kid "we all have it coming", and he replied "yep" when Little Bill said "I'll see you in hell", and he couldn't work up the nerve to shoot up the saloon until he'd got a bottle of whiskey in him. The whiskey is a metaphor for his internal demons. He loved his wife enough to change for her, to stop swearing, drinking, killing, etc. and did his best to stick to it. The whole movie, he's only going along with it out of desperation, because his farm is failing, and he doesn't have what it takes to do that kind of thing anymore. But then Little Bill kills Ned, and the second you see the empty bottle land in the mud as Munny strides into the saloon, a man on a mission, you know the old Munny is back, and there isn't a sober, moral man standing there, there's a very angry, remorseless killer standing there. There's a reason Unforgiven is one of my favorite movies of all time: literally every scene is filled with depth and meaning. They just don't make movies like this anymore.
It's surprisingly easy to miss. I did a training exercise in a kill house armed with a rifle. Came around a corner and there was a silhouette target peeking around a doorway down near the floor maybe 8 feet away. Hard to explain but I was strangely startled by the sudden appearance of a paper target and started blasting away with the rifle held about hip level just point shooting at a target so close I felt I couldn't possibly miss, and yet all three shots did exactly that.
Yep, in this situation he is undoubtedly. But also he was the man who changed for his wife and kids, at least gave a hell of try, he wasn't one dimensional.
I've always thought it was cool how he never seemed like he was bragging about that stuff. He didn't play it up to try and act tough or to be some generic bad guy. He was very matter-of-fact about it, but not in a mechanical way as if he didn't care about anything. It was more like an unfortunate confidence in acknowledging what he has done, what he was good at doing....
@@homerinchinatown2 As much as the scene pumps you up, it's also very sad. Munny realizes that he's never going to be, or at least be good at, being the sober, peaceful man his late wife helped him become. Perhaps it's not true, since the epilogue mentioned him becoming the proprietor of a drygoods shop and doing well.
The Unforgiven got Clint the Oscar he deserves. This scene always gives me chills up my spine! Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman… what a great cast… in my top 10 films of all time.
This is my favorite SCENE in the movie. The cast was top notch too 👍🏾 As far as Eastwood Western movies. The Unforgiven, Josey Wales, The Good The Bad and The Ugly, and For A Few Dollars More are my top 5 Eastwood Western movies. How bout you?
Time to dig out my DVD again. For some reason, I've only seen this movie twice, probably because it's been burned into my brain since the first time I saw it, and I haven't really needed to see it again. But I want to now.
I always liked how little Bill never cowers away from William Munny. He actually walks toward him when he is directing his men to shoot him. It keeps both characters looking strong.
One of the greatest endings to a film I’ve ever seen... the dialogue, lighting, characters, pacing... it’s all perfect. William Munny out of Missouri. You wait the whole movie for this moment. Masterpiece.
Watched it about 10 years ago the first time. Didn't know a thing about this film and boy I didn't know what was coming.. The Klimax was on a nother level when he got drunk and showed his dark side.
Yeah I agree. This movie got Clint the Academy Award for “Best Picture”. And he sure deserved it. “Deserves got nothing to do with it “…. another great line.
That ending worked so well because it felt like that's how it would really go down. A battle like that would indeed be very messy and chaotic, not choreographed like most seemed. I mean, I realize that this scene was in fact choreographed, but it sure didn't play that way.
I love how clunky the final shootout feels. Earlier in the movie Little Bill talks about how panicking is the worst thing you can do in a gunfight and we see every single person do just that while William calmly takes aim and shoots with precision. William also specifically throws his gun at Bill because he knows he is the biggest threat, and is able to thwart his superior draw speed by dropping to his knees before shooting. It does an amazing job showing how comfortable William is in situations like this after years of being an outlaw, despite his old age. Probably the most realistic shootout in a Western.
@@GoodOlRoll I think Bill was definitely panicked. He was fully expecting to be killed only for Williams gun to misfire. However, hes still much faster on the draw than anyone else. If you pay close attention he's still able to get off the first shot despite having the gun thrown at him.
I love the draw in to Munny's face as he goes into his mini monologue about killing anything and everything. You feel fear. You believe him. And he sounds so accepting of his past now. He'll be that person again for his friend, if only for tonight. Great scene.
he wasn't bullshitting. He was not a nice man. for a brief part of his life he changed, but the old monster is still there. Little Bill was right, but he wasn't any better, he just ran into a bigger monster than he was.
@@RobertVerner-uy8os wouldnt you be scared if you were forming a posse, man your looking for shows up, armed and right off the rip kills a guy. completely fearless in a room full of ppl armed and with one goal in mind ,revenge for his friend ned.
It's a travesty that there's a whole generation who will never know Gene Hackman... one of the absolutely best actors ever. Every time he's on screen he commands your attention. Legend.
@@bauerj3398 Watch him in The Conversation and then in Enemy of the State and it will all be clear to you. The Real Message comes in clearer if you wear the tinfoil hat.
If the way Clint Eastwood delivers his lines in this scene does not make you afraid, you are not human. He knows going in there that he is going to be outmanned and outgunned. Even given that, he was fearless. And that is a man to be feared.
The actor delivering those lines survived a plane crash and swam 2 miles through sharks in the dark to get to the beach. Probably channels that a lot when he's acting.
I certainly do. This whole movie is like that for me. It's my favorite Western. I've always liked darker movies anyways, so I've always been a fan of Clint's films over say John's or Kirk's (who just passed away). All of them are before my time (except for Clint's later westerns), but Clint's are the most recent, so they seem more modern too, so that's another reason. Also a fan of High Plains Drifter for the darker tone.
I remember going to see this movie in the theater. When the movie was over, we just sat there...silent. We walked to the car, got in and I turned and said, "I think we may have just watched one of the greatest movies ever made." I still feel that way today.
+Two Pack in many ways he was, but you understand from an emotional point of view it’s understandable to hate lil bill. Not just bc he killed Ned but bc he showed what Eastwood wanted to, the inefficiency of violence, in that bill has actively curated his reputation as the hardened former gun slinger turned sheriff and actively uses violence to promote himself and his ego, even when he beat the shit out of English bob in front of everyone only when he was disarmed. In fact the only reason he keeps the no gun policy isn’t to prevent violence but rather encourage it, so that only he and his underlings have guns, which is why he only beats up Clint after disarming him. He is a life form who thrives off of people suffering and everyone around him such as the deputies, cowboys, hookers and barman all indulge in its products and also perpetuate it as you hear everyone referring to his reputation, and if the women had used forgiveness after the reconciliation attempt by the cowboy then....
English Bob was the one that pissed me off but was smug and that was his job. Little Bill beat him up and made you like him if you are American. Saying shooting a president is no big deal is not anything I want to hear no matter who he is.
What I love about this scene is that it's literally a room full of men becoming terrified and intimidated immediately after being at the other end of a shotgun. And only moments before they were all so confident and brave - even Little Bill is taken aback by William Munney.
@@Laneous14 it also shows the levels between the townsfolk, then English Bob (a charlatan), then Little Bill who OWNS English Bob, and then finally Munny.
I like to think they're also stunned by what they see entering the room : a dark creature from another time. A time they only knew through stories and legends. A time filled with distant screams of murdered men, mothers and children. The time of the dark West.
One of my all-time favorite movies with my all-time favorite actors: Clint, Gene Hackman, and Morgan Freeman. Top-notch stars putting their egos aside, and each playing an integral role in the plot. Doesn't happen too often. Special recognition to Sir Richard Harris.
Can’t express how great this scene is. The cut to the writer on the words “that’s right”, as he realises he’s no longer documenting myths and stories, but is now actually a part of legend being played out - and as Munney acknowledges what he was, what he did, and what he’ll always be
This movie is so awesome. Hands down probably the best western ever. I really love how it blurs the sides of the good and the bad, right and wrong. You actually want a cold blooded killer to get revenge for the killing of his friend. Little Bill is the "good" guy, but the stage is so well set for you to see how "bad" he really is. William Munny is running from his past the whole movie, until the end, when you see why. He was very good at what he was, the cold blooded killer. The movie plays on so many of your emotions, and really shows how most of the time there is no black and white, right or wrong, just different shades of grey.
As everyone has said, amazing scene so I will just say the transition from rowdy posse scene, to oh f is so well done. Like flipping a switch one second they are safe, surrounded by other people with the same mindset, with the prospect of a few drinks and a diversion of trying to track down some nameless killer. Suddenly his presence tells them not only isnt he running from them and afraid, he's actively seeking them out. And at that moment you can see 90% of the room realize that even thought it's one man, they would rather be somewhere, anywhere, else. The contrast is fantastic.
"That's right I've killed women and children , I've killed just about everything that walked or crawled at one point or another" William Munny one of the best lines in movie history
RIP to Anthony James, the actor who played the innkeeper and died of cancer in 2020. What a great character actor, he also played one of the villains in High Plains Drifter-- the one who got his ear shot off!
David Webb Peoples wrote Unforgiven’s script. Clint stacked it away until he was old enough to play the character. He made the movie exactly how it was in the script. Best written western ever!
I've seen this movie countless times and still get goosebumps when Munny walks in the saloon. From this point until the end might be the best in movie history. "Any man who don't wanna get killed...better clear on out the back".
Actually that's one of the best things about this scene, that he has the calmness and clarity to warn people to get out of the way before he shoots, etc. It reminds us of how focused he is. He's not there to kill everybody like some cartoon western villain. He's there to kill Little Bill and the fella that owns this shithole...
When Little Bill says "You'd be William Munny outta Missouri...killer of women and childern" And he answers with that quick, and curt "That's right". That's a great moment. The whole film trying to put that behind him and there it is, out front and owning it for the first time in the movie.
It would not have mattered at all if Dr. Hannibal the Cannibal Lecter came across all of these characters because Lecter would have killed everyone and ate them all with some lima beans. Lecter would not have cared about anyone's past or their clichés. Lecter would give his own lecture about all of these silly characters before he savagely kills everyone and then eats them all with some lima beans. He might let Mr. Bosham live so he can write a real book about a real ultimate killer!
@@Dekartz Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter has everything to do with this movie because he would ultimately have shown the audience who the real enforcer truly is by annihilating the pathetic rogue sherif little baby Bill and his even more pathetic deputies or helpers and unfortunately William Munny as well to prove Lecters point. Mr. Bosham would have profited by being the famous writer for the notorious Lecter which is a win win situation for him. Lecter may or may not have prepared lima beans for his large stew using all of the above characters. Mr. Boshom would have suggested to Lecter to maybe try a new side recipe to go along with Lecters new gourmet stew.
This is quite the paradox; little Bill is the actual sociopath while William has become the reborn lawman. It’s my favorite final scene in cinematic history.
How can you say there are no good or bad guys? Munny is a horrible, terrible person. Little Bill is, pretty much, a good guy. People get confused because this movie has the heroes as the antagonists and the villains as the protagonists. But there are pretty clear cut good guys and bad guys.
@@chuckhoyle1211 This movie doesn't delineate between classical "good guys" and "bad guys". This film is actually anti-violence, pro-woman films. It explores the concept that regardless how far people attempt to get away from their past selves, their always just a moment from them. The film explores forgiveness, Old age and morality. Little Bill is certainly not suppose to be a "good guy " or hero, no more than William Munny is the "bad guy." The depth of the film far outweighs such simple metaphors or classical structure derived from the old american western. This is perhaps one of the greatest American westerns ever made told from one of the greatest actor/directors who galvanized the genre and personifies what we know to be the "classical American western." I mean, the man with no name, Outlaw Josey Wales, the Pale rider... All were complex, fascinating character studies only to build up to this Magnum Opus of a film.
I'm 52 now but i remember this scene like it was yesterday when i saw this film, actually did make me tense as hell. Great acting Gene and Clint on top form.
keep snort[n woodchips sparky. The Eastwoods lived in an rich part of Piedmont, Ca , had a swimming pool, belonged to a country club, owned 2 cars. ] Eastwood's dad was a manufacturing executive at Georgia-Pacific .
The atmosphere in this scene is a cinematic masterpiece. I remember my heart racing when this scene opened and we see the shotgun and the classic Eastwood brimmed hat character. Gave me chills.
I just love how throughout the film we hear all these horrible stories about Will, all the terrible things he did, and we can hardly believe it. He seems like a relatively nice and gentle man, and it's hard to imagine him otherwise. But then finally, here at the end of the film, with vengeance in his heart (and whiskey in his system) the beast within is revealed, and... it's pretty scary, definitely leaves a mark, and you see a glimpse of the monster he once was.
My grandfather, a WW2 veteran and frail old man by the time I was around, could transform into a towering menace when angered. He was always amazing to me, and I loved him dearly, but I knew there was a killer in there. It never goes away. This movie gets that 100% right.
Maybe others may have said this. This scene is the many examples of how the movie deconstructed the usual western tropes The bar is barely lighted, it takes some time to draw a gun n not everyone is a good shot. Plus the fact that the sheriff deputies seems to run away. It's just awesome
@Miguel Hofilena Only a few people actually like the sheriff. Specifically those three guys are pretty much his gang. Will’s not a mad gunman either, he’s someone who specifically wants revenge on Bob and his friends. If you have the option to just run from a gunfight you would take it. A big theme of the movie is how preparing to take lives is incredibly taxing and there’s a clear difference between those who have done it and those who have not. Bill alludes to how gunmen fight by “going for the best shot in the room” first which Munny did. The other three were just for show as shown by their inability to actually aim before firing.
I like the fact that when Clint called Richard Harris at his home in the Caribbean to ask if he would like to be in the film , Harris said he was at the time watching an Eastwood western, and said he was thinking how nice it would be to be in one. Sometime things are meant to be, and this is without daubt one of the best there is
The scene is a great payoff to what's been building all movie. Multiple characters have lied about their great exploits of gunfighting and survival in order to appear strong and admirable in front of others, whereas Munny does have those skills and is trying to run away from his myth, not confirm it as he rightly could. Unlike the others, Munny knows the true cost of such a life and the pain behind the legend, which he forsakes the nobility or glory of as he becomes his own cautionary tale.
Gene hackman is the best actor i have ever know. Cisco Pike,Bonnie and clyde,i nnerver sang for my father, scarecrow, french connection, batallon 21, the chamber, absolute power, sin salida, enemigo publico, crimson tide, fachada, under suspicion, and 30 more. A master, 2 thumbs up and huge kudos for gene
What a perfect and fitting way for Clint Eastwood to close out his cowboy series and persona. I still get goose bumps when I see this scene and think back about all his other cowboy roles.
But LB had 9 seconds to shoot Munny after the misfire. Instead he talked. He should've taken Tuco's advice: "When you have to shoot, shoot - don't talk." LB also had a chance to shoot just before Munny killed the saloon owner, but he just talked. There's some extremely flawed logic in this scene.
Anybody notice that this gun fight was completely predicted in the conversation between the Writer (WW Beauchamp) and Little Bill in their discussion about gun fights in the sheriff's office? "Being quick with a pistol, well that don't do no harm but it doesn't mean much next to being cool-headed. If a man can keep his head and not get rattled under fire, like as not he'll kill you." Beauchamp, "But if the other fellow is faster?" Little Bill, "Well then he'll be hurrying and he'll miss." Beauchamp, "But if he doesn't miss?" Little Bill, "Then he'll kill you." In this gun fight Little Bill actually shot first, but "He was hurrying and he missed." Will Munny was cool-headed and didn't get rattled under fire. He didn't miss so he killed Little Bill...
Little Bill had also just deflected the shotgun Munny threw at him. Hard to come back from that and still shoot straight. Which proves that Munny has the superior abilities even (or because of?) being half drunk. Little Bill was expecting Munny to drop the shotgun and go for his pistol, not throw the shotgun at him! If Munny had done what Little Bill was expecting, the extra second it took would have given Little Bill the advantage he needed and Munny would have been dead. This whole movie is a work of true genius.
I believe that's why Will Munny threw the shotgun at Little Bill. He knew it would give him an extra second or two to get the Schofield out of his pants and start shooting.
Exactly ,when little bill announced who clints character really was and when clint admitted to it and more .Everyone in that place got scared because they all knew who he was and im sure had heard the tales and knew what the man was capable of What we saw in this scene is the real william munny the way he used to be .He wasnt afraid to get involved in gun battles because he wasnt afraid to die and or was too drunk too care . For someone cool headed they know what could happen to them but they dont focus on that they focus on the task at hand .The way clint knelt down is the same when in a fight when a boxer squares out in a fighters stance .
Nah this was just crap. The most unrealistic shootout ever recorded on film. It wouldn't be so bad if the whole movie had been full of crazy nonsense. But they had been playing it straight up until now, which is why this scene basically ruins the movie.
Magnificent scene, the way the camera zooms in as he describes what he's done and the thunder when he says he's killed just about everything that walks or talks. You're left in no doubt how dangerous he is.
To me, this is the greatest moment in cinematic history. William Munny is on another level, in terms of criminality, he is a fable that the Sheriff doesn't believe exists. A pure, stone-cold, unforgiving killer who will avenge his friends death at all costs. You don't look for William Munny, he will come for you. Part of John Wicks character had to have come from this film. Definitively, the greatest movie ever made
William Munny is the boogeyman. He's the tale you tell your children to scare them into behaving themselves. To say his name three times is to summon him.
Say what? Little Bill *absolutely* knows men like William Munny exist. He also knows the image of men in as portrayed in W.W. Beauchamp's book *don't* exist.
The dialogue in this scene fits exactly with the stylised dialogue that the writer puts in his books. The writer smiles as the scene unfolds just as he imagines them to unfold in his stories. Its a great movie! Eastwoods a legend.
Of all 4 main gunfighters portrayed in this film (The Schofield Kid, English Bob, Little Bill, William Munny), it's fascinating to note that there's a strong inverse correlation to the amount of arrogance, boastfulness, and desire for fame and recognition each man has vs his actual experience, skill, and ability. The Schofield Kid - completely fabricated stories, made up his own nickname, brags to anyone in earshot, wants to be the next superstar gunfighter of the West, but hasn't even shot anyone before. To his credit, he realizes by the end of the film what a true killer really is, and learns that's not who he is. English Bob - has a reputation, and just as boastful and arrogant as the Schofield Kid, but with far more ability and experience to back it up. No conscience unlike The Kid. Still, he lies about his stories and makes them seem far more grandiose than they were. We can see he has skill when shooting on the train, but his only other confirmed accomplishments in the film are the sloppy way he killed Two-Gun, and that he kills defenseless Chinese laborers to quell strikes. In the end, won't even stand up to Little Bill when challenged. Dangerous, but a weasel. Little Bill - he's no coward; confident, but not boastful or arrogant. The first to show W.W. that gunslinging is not all the speed and romance he thinks it is. Has skills, but knows his limitations. He respects the abilities of his adversaries, but doesn't fear them. Still, he has an ego, a little too proudly showing his knowledge and abilities. He likes being in charge and the center of attention with W.W. And when it comes down to it, gets in too big a hurry and can't keep cool enough under fire. William Munny - the only character with no ego about killing. He tries to deflect attention to his (many!) killings anytime they're brought up, and denies all the stories about him (stories sometimes in reality are bigger than the ones The Kid or English Bob even make up. Where they would do anything to own his stories, William just says "I don't recollect, I was drunk most of the time"). So emotionless with killing, that it makes him the most dangerous and feared, but he reluctantly acknowledges and accepts who he is in the end. Though Little Bill told WW a lot of true and important strategies about shooting, William is the only one who states luck is a huge part of it too. This can be evidenced by the fact William's only real plan was to kill the saloon owner and Little Bill, all else be damned. Of course he had the Schofield and was willing to use it, but he knew walking in that there were a dozen armed men standing around and he didn't plan or strategize anything else; he just reacted boldly and luck found him ("I was lucky in the order. Then again I've always been lucky when it comes to killing folks"). We can argue the best gunfights portrayed in Westerns based on many different merits, but I think this is by far the most realistic. It's almost slow and sloppy, with the more real-time speed everyone draws, Bill's miss, everyone in the bar being scared and nervous like any other normal human such as us would be, one man drunk and careless who's willing to kill anyone he sees as long as he's still alive (since everyone and their nerves/inexperience has them firing wildly or not at all), and that he's not flashy or fast, just calm and methodical. So, luck and no emotion. This is why fate left him standing in the end.
Well said Everyone tries to shoot faster at william Only to miss much like little bill said earlier William slowly and methodically takes them down one by one.luckily he got little bill first.
I have a ton of favorite quotes from Clint Eastwood. But these two I admire most. "Well he shoulda armed himself. If he's gonna decorate his saloon with my friend." AND "Dyin aint much of a livin boy."
One of the greatest directed scenes in the history of film. Ominous...and the timing of having the sound of thunder at 0:17 seconds showing Clint, is masterpiece theatre
Kind of a dark and glorious moment. The moment William stops pretending to be what he isn’t and fully embraced what he is. In his heart and at his core he is truly a killer born. The arbiter of death. Unforgiven
"It's a hell of a thing killing a man. You take away all he's got...and all he'll ever have..." Clint Eastwood , 1.992 An epic quote for a big classic like this
"That's right. I've killed women and children. Reckon I've killed everything that's walked or crawled at one time or another, and now I've come to kill you, Bill, for what you did to Ned."
The thing that makes this movie and scene so perfect, is they deliver what you want at the right time. The entire film they show Clint bumbling, not giving you what you expect from an Eastwood film, and at the end- boom. It’s fantastic.
People keep saying the men shooting at Clint Eastwood were worst shots than storm troopers, but that was the point. William Munny was a pure killer who always hit his target lucky or otherwise, while the other men were novice fighters. They were tourists to “Little Bill” who was also a killer, but because he missed when Munny ducked, Munny was pretty much a safe bet to survive. This movie is pretty much perfect just next to The Godfather.
Excellent Western, took my dad to watch it when it came out. He is now 80 years old and loves his westerns. Clint Eastwood was like 60 years old he made this movie near Calgary Alberta Canada
The film portrays the antagonist (child murderer Munny) as the hero of the piece, and the protagonist (the sheriff) as the villain. Cleaver writing and direction and of coarse, brilliant acting. Seriously, where else would you cheer on a child killer?? Also, both munny, and the sheriff are legendary gun fighters who rarely boast about thier kills compared to the kid and english bob who wish to fabricate a legend about themselves.
@@killerjoe5628 He was not the villain for wanting peace, he was the villain for how he used the law and violence to have the appearance of peace. Ultimately, that's what did him in, the pursuit of peace through means of wanton violence. Beating the Brit then Munny at the beginning and Ned at the end while the actual criminals got away with a fine. It's a well written, well acted movie that showcases good and bad intermingled with good intentions and bad circumstances and back again.
We watched this in my film class in college years ago and I still discover different elements till this day. One of my all time favorite films for so many reasons. Eastwood is something special.
That's awesome. It should be required studies for all film classes. Subtly near perfect. You could watch it without sound, or listen to it without visuals and still be fully immersed, you can still fully understand/feel what's going on, it's STILL equally as powerful as a standard viewing. It's that good.
Munny finally accepted who he was. This whole movie has people pretending to be things they aren’t. For me it was scary seeing the old Munny walk into fear saloon prepared to kill every last one of them because by that point he has stopped trying to be righteous.
One of the greatest films ever made. The characters are so rich. The good guy isn’t all good and the bad guy isn’t all bad. Just a beautiful character study
I love the shot of the writer's face when Munny delivers his line. He finally gets to witness a true legendary moment in the wild west he came to write about. He has his story, not tall tales.
"All I can tell you is whos gonna be last...."
So well said. I just noticed that again
The writer was the first to see Munny coming through the door and realized what was going to happen. The expression on his face tells everything
I’ve always wondered what this scene would have been if the writer had remained silent and had observed the final moment between Little Bill and Munny. I guess he already had a lot to write about
And he also understands exactly how and why the reality is never as glamorous as the tall tales and stories he was told by English Bob and Little Bill.
“He shoulda armed himself, if hes gunna decorate his bar with my friend”. Such a awesome line and delivered so perfectly by Eastwood!!
my favourite ever Clint come back
Saloon...
This movie has many memorable lines.
🤣
We all would say it, if our friends or family would be treated like this
The scene just prior to this, where he becomes William Munny after taking the whiskey bottle and drinking again is such an amazing turn for the character. He hardens to steel, he pushes the humanity out of himself one last time. It's somewhat understated in the film, but it's a powerful moment.
the scene still haunts me and it's been years since I've seen the movie
That's the best part.
Yeah, people watching this scene for the first time need to stop and watch the whole film. The turn is hunting
That's exactly right, when he heard about what happened to Ned he relapsed and was transformed back into the notorious William Munny.
Agreed..the news of his buddy and the whiskey allowed him to release those demons he had suppressed and buried...powerful scene.
I love how this shootout shows how dammed hard it is to hit something at close range when you're hopped up on adrenaline and scared for your life. The difference between a trained and untrained shooter.
A number of factors add up:
1) most shooters back then weren't very proficient, as ammunition was expensive. The army at the time had soldiers fire three shots during basic training. That's it. Three shots, total.
2) the revolvers of the day had abysmal sights, many so tiny as to be almost useless. You might be able to see and aim with them decently in the daylight, but in a dark saloon, lit only by dim lanterns and the occasional flash of lightning? Good luck. I've held a Colt SAA, made in 1916; the sights are practically nonexistent, and they're an improvement over older revolvers like the Colt Navy.
3) there's a world of difference between target shooting and having someone shoot back at you.
4) adrenaline and lack of discipline; these guys are just cranking off shots without aiming, in a blind panic; Munny calmly aims each shot. There's a comment in the movie about the guy who gets off the fastest shot might not hit anything with it, and that's exactly what we see in this scene. Little Bill fires as he draws, but doesn't hit as he gets hit by the shotgun, then shot by Munny's slower, but accurate, shot. All the posse members and deputies are firing desperately in Munny's general direction, getting off multiple shots for every one of his, and he slowly and methodically picks them off one by one until they panic and run. At the end, he's out of ammo, but they're so scared that when he says to leave, they leave, rather than take the opportunity to shoot him while he's essentially helpless.
It all adds up to show that Munny is skilled and coolheaded, even when drunk and murderous, whereas nobody else in the room was. Little Bill gets points for guts though, fully embracing the idea that he was about to take a shotgun blast to the chest and telling everyone else to gun down Munny before he could draw his revolver. Too bad for him that's not how it worked out.
You hit the nail on the head
@@Swindle1984 Totally agree and love everything you've written....just one thing I love adding....
Munny is a MONSTER...he spat out the last of whatever conscience he had when he spoke of his past....to him, that little explanation was all Bill was going to get as to why....
Otherwise, Munny kinda fades into a demon without conscience or second thought...I've been in the military and only at one point did I ever have to come close to pointing my rifle while on guard duty and it literally made me shake in my boots...like most humans, I shudder at the thought of taking another person's life.
Munny doesn't comprehend that, he only calmly considers how many rounds he has left.
@@tombaker8481 Munny DOES comprehend that; he was drunk every single time he killed someone. He was struck by his conscience when they gut shot the one guy, he gave that speech to the kid when he shot the guy in the outhouse because he knew exactly what the kid was going through. He tells the kid "we all have it coming", and he replied "yep" when Little Bill said "I'll see you in hell", and he couldn't work up the nerve to shoot up the saloon until he'd got a bottle of whiskey in him. The whiskey is a metaphor for his internal demons. He loved his wife enough to change for her, to stop swearing, drinking, killing, etc. and did his best to stick to it. The whole movie, he's only going along with it out of desperation, because his farm is failing, and he doesn't have what it takes to do that kind of thing anymore.
But then Little Bill kills Ned, and the second you see the empty bottle land in the mud as Munny strides into the saloon, a man on a mission, you know the old Munny is back, and there isn't a sober, moral man standing there, there's a very angry, remorseless killer standing there.
There's a reason Unforgiven is one of my favorite movies of all time: literally every scene is filled with depth and meaning. They just don't make movies like this anymore.
It's surprisingly easy to miss. I did a training exercise in a kill house armed with a rifle. Came around a corner and there was a silhouette target peeking around a doorway down near the floor maybe 8 feet away. Hard to explain but I was strangely startled by the sudden appearance of a paper target and started blasting away with the rifle held about hip level just point shooting at a target so close I felt I couldn't possibly miss, and yet all three shots did exactly that.
The way Munny says "That's right" always gives me chills. He doesn't deny who he is or the things he's done. A stone cold killer to the core.
Yep, in this situation he is undoubtedly. But also he was the man who changed for his wife and kids, at least gave a hell of try, he wasn't one dimensional.
I've always thought it was cool how he never seemed like he was bragging about that stuff. He didn't play it up to try and act tough or to be some generic bad guy. He was very matter-of-fact about it, but not in a mechanical way as if he didn't care about anything. It was more like an unfortunate confidence in acknowledging what he has done, what he was good at doing....
@Catharsis Who ever said they should? It doesn't work like that.
@@homerinchinatown2 As much as the scene pumps you up, it's also very sad. Munny realizes that he's never going to be, or at least be good at, being the sober, peaceful man his late wife helped him become. Perhaps it's not true, since the epilogue mentioned him becoming the proprietor of a drygoods shop and doing well.
He'd put that man aside for his family, but it was always there like an old shirt hanging in the closet.
The Unforgiven got Clint the Oscar he deserves. This scene always gives me chills up my spine! Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman… what a great cast… in my top 10 films of all time.
I think he has 4 Oscars or something like that. Never did care much for them though. He basically wrote them off prior to winning any.
This is my favorite SCENE in the movie. The cast was top notch too 👍🏾 As far as Eastwood Western movies. The Unforgiven, Josey Wales, The Good The Bad and The Ugly, and For A Few Dollars More are my top 5 Eastwood Western movies. How bout you?
Love this scene .. amazing
Epitome of cool
Time to dig out my DVD again.
For some reason, I've only seen this movie twice, probably because it's been burned into my brain since the first time I saw it, and I haven't really needed to see it again. But I want to now.
"Who's the fella that owns this shithole?"
That line always made me laugh.
@Jon Cole Um, no they didn't and no, you didn't.
It's the line I always use when walking into a shop just before requesting a discount
In the Wild West demanding to speak to the manager sounded it bit better than it does today.
I use that line every time I visit a new bar.
Yup. Western movie perfection.
I always liked how little Bill never cowers away from William Munny. He actually walks toward him when he is directing his men to shoot him. It keeps both characters looking strong.
Two actors we will never see the likes of again….Legends 👍
Because he thought intimidation would work. It didn't.
Little Bill is the actual hero. He was protecting the town with the same tactics used by the bad guys.
This movie is problematic.
@@vincentfisher1603 it's by design. There's no black and white, only grey.
He was still coward. Only acted strong when he had numbers. Like the first encounter with munney or English Bob.
One of the greatest endings to a film I’ve ever seen... the dialogue, lighting, characters, pacing... it’s all perfect. William Munny out of Missouri. You wait the whole movie for this moment. Masterpiece.
Watched it about 10 years ago the first time. Didn't know a thing about this film and boy I didn't know what was coming.. The Klimax was on a nother level when he got drunk and showed his dark side.
Clint and gene are on another level compared to the other crap in Hollywood
Well said. This film distils and encapsulates an entire genre to perfection.
Yeah I agree. This movie got Clint the Academy Award for “Best Picture”. And he sure deserved it. “Deserves got nothing to do with it “…. another great line.
That ending worked so well because it felt like that's how it would really go down. A battle like that would indeed be very messy and chaotic, not choreographed like most seemed. I mean, I realize that this scene was in fact choreographed, but it sure didn't play that way.
I love how clunky the final shootout feels. Earlier in the movie Little Bill talks about how panicking is the worst thing you can do in a gunfight and we see every single person do just that while William calmly takes aim and shoots with precision. William also specifically throws his gun at Bill because he knows he is the biggest threat, and is able to thwart his superior draw speed by dropping to his knees before shooting.
It does an amazing job showing how comfortable William is in situations like this after years of being an outlaw, despite his old age. Probably the most realistic shootout in a Western.
Bill didn't even seem very fast, but I think it's because he was panicking aswell since he clearly shows how fast he is back at the jailhouse.
@@GoodOlRoll I think Bill was definitely panicked. He was fully expecting to be killed only for Williams gun to misfire. However, hes still much faster on the draw than anyone else. If you pay close attention he's still able to get off the first shot despite having the gun thrown at him.
@@FANCIAS911 definitely. If only he remained calm.
"I was always good in the order."
@@sandal_thong _"I've always been lucky, when it comes to killing folk."_
I love the draw in to Munny's face as he goes into his mini monologue about killing anything and everything. You feel fear. You believe him. And he sounds so accepting of his past now. He'll be that person again for his friend, if only for tonight. Great scene.
Bill would hunt Munny all to his farm,and would kill him,and his children too. At this point, this fight was unavoidable
he wasn't bullshitting. He was not a nice man. for a brief part of his life he changed, but the old monster is still there. Little Bill was right, but he wasn't any better, he just ran into a bigger monster than he was.
@@baneblackguard584 the ultimate antihero
But the faces of some of the other men, in utter fear, also made the scene
@@RobertVerner-uy8os wouldnt you be scared if you were forming a posse, man your looking for shows up, armed and right off the rip kills a guy. completely fearless in a room full of ppl armed and with one goal in mind ,revenge for his friend ned.
It's crazy that Eastwood, Hackman and Freeman were all 55-60 years old in this movie, which is 1992, and all three of them are still alive.
don't jinx it 😅
Eastwood and Hackman were 62. The youngest was Freeman at 55.
Lol fukin barely.
Awesome actors and fellas all.
Plus you posted this 8 months ago. 😮 they’re still here!
"It's a hell of a thing killing a man. You take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have."William Muney
This movie is full of words of wisdom.
"What about the spectacles and fancy clothes?" "I'd rather be blind and ragged than dead." The Kid -was my favorite line.
That was the dialogue I remember most, so true.
"I see you in hell William Muney", Little Bill
" Yeah." William Muney.
Jack Lambert no its not lmao
It's a travesty that there's a whole generation who will never know Gene Hackman... one of the absolutely best actors ever. Every time he's on screen he commands your attention. Legend.
He never lived up to his name.
Yep, Gene Hackman is probs my favourite of all time.
I am confused. Why won't the current generation know him. Are they gathering all copies of his movies (real and virtual) and deleting them?
@@bauerj3398 Watch him in The Conversation and then in Enemy of the State and it will all be clear to you. The Real Message comes in clearer if you wear the tinfoil hat.
I Always liked Gene. Seeing him go up against Clint in a cowboy movie is pretty awesome.
"You, fat man, speak up." I love this line, I don't know why.
It's funny for sure...
Can't have that line in a movie now days. It would have to be: You, thin challenged man, speak up.
Lol..
ya I love it too. stuck in my head think of it every time I see a fat man
And somehow...
He couldn’t find his tongue.🤣👍
Clint is a great actor and director, and Unforgiven will always be his masterpiece
God damn right its so good!!!!!
@@scottlondon8382 Dr. Hannibal the Cannibal Lecter would have killed William Munny and Little Bill and ate them both with some lima beans!
the good the bad and the ugly,
the high plain drifter too
@@danjoytv6284 not a western but you have to include Gran Torino
@@danjoytv6284 You absolutely cannot leave out "JOSEY WALES"....
If the way Clint Eastwood delivers his lines in this scene does not make you afraid, you are not human. He knows going in there that he is going to be outmanned and outgunned. Even given that, he was fearless. And that is a man to be feared.
"You must not care if u live or die"another great quote.
The actor delivering those lines survived a plane crash and swam 2 miles through sharks in the dark to get to the beach. Probably channels that a lot when he's acting.
It doesn't happen in real life.
It’s a movie
He was goin to kill lil bill, he didn't care what happened after that
"He should have armed himself, he's gonna decorate his saloon with my friend". I dont think people realize how savage this line is
I love that line
I certainly do. This whole movie is like that for me. It's my favorite Western. I've always liked darker movies anyways, so I've always been a fan of Clint's films over say John's or Kirk's (who just passed away). All of them are before my time (except for Clint's later westerns), but Clint's are the most recent, so they seem more modern too, so that's another reason. Also a fan of High Plains Drifter for the darker tone.
I remember watching this in the theater and that line got the biggest laugh! Great line, an awesome movie.
Wyatt Terrones i don’t get it
@@020390b that's fine buddy, doesn't matter to me what you get and dont get
I remember going to see this movie in the theater. When the movie was over, we just sat there...silent. We walked to the car, got in and I turned and said, "I think we may have just watched one of the greatest movies ever made." I still feel that way today.
I had the exact same experience with Braveheart. Love this one too.
Well it won best picture that year, so it was at least the best that year.
@@garyv2498 yeah because winning an arbitrary award means it’s the “best”.
Shakespeare In Love won too, you really think that’s a great movie?
I said to my companion on the way out, "Quite possibly the greatest Western ever made."
@@JESL_TheOnlyOne that goes to Once Upon a Time In The West
Gene Hackman & Clint Eastwood in the same film. Oscars should abound
"Who's the fella who owns this shithole?"
This line sets the tone nicely...
I say that whenever the old lady drags me to the mall.
Carajo,el diablo
Damned if it don’t!
Who's the fella who owned it after all that?
The fact that we hate Gene Hackman's character "Little Bill" is true testament to his acting
Throwing Sparks He’s the Frank Burns of the big screen
Throwing Sparks I don't hate Little Bill at all, he's the best character in the movie.
+Two Pack in many ways he was, but you understand from an emotional point of view it’s understandable to hate lil bill. Not just bc he killed Ned but bc he showed what Eastwood wanted to, the inefficiency of violence, in that bill has actively curated his reputation as the hardened former gun slinger turned sheriff and actively uses violence to promote himself and his ego, even when he beat the shit out of English bob in front of everyone only when he was disarmed. In fact the only reason he keeps the no gun policy isn’t to prevent violence but rather encourage it, so that only he and his underlings have guns, which is why he only beats up Clint after disarming him. He is a life form who thrives off of people suffering and everyone around him such as the deputies, cowboys, hookers and barman all indulge in its products and also perpetuate it as you hear everyone referring to his reputation, and if the women had used forgiveness after the reconciliation attempt by the cowboy then....
I never hated Bill. He was a good sheriff.
English Bob was the one that pissed me off but was smug and that was his job. Little Bill beat him up and made you like him if you are American. Saying shooting a president is no big deal is not anything I want to hear no matter who he is.
What I love about this scene is that it's literally a room full of men becoming terrified and intimidated immediately after being at the other end of a shotgun. And only moments before they were all so confident and brave - even Little Bill is taken aback by William Munney.
Most people have never stared down the mean end of a double-barreled shotgun. Anyone with sense would feel fear right away.
Because as tough as Little Bill was, William Munny was a goddamn monster. Little Bill was a gunfighter, William Munney was a killer.
@@Laneous14 it also shows the levels between the townsfolk, then English Bob (a charlatan), then Little Bill who OWNS English Bob, and then finally Munny.
I like to think they're also stunned by what they see entering the room : a dark creature from another time. A time they only knew through stories and legends. A time filled with distant screams of murdered men, mothers and children.
The time of the dark West.
@@superlulu5994that is very true and such a good add on to Munnys character because he really is just an old western tale to the folk and writer.
One of my all-time favorite movies with my all-time favorite actors: Clint, Gene Hackman, and Morgan Freeman. Top-notch stars putting their egos aside, and each playing an integral role in the plot. Doesn't happen too often. Special recognition to Sir Richard Harris.
Can’t express how great this scene is. The cut to the writer on the words “that’s right”, as he realises he’s no longer documenting myths and stories, but is now actually a part of legend being played out - and as Munney acknowledges what he was, what he did, and what he’ll always be
When Clint is gone, so will all chances of us watching a good western again.
His son will always be able to play the part. He is an exact resemblance of his father.
Forget about that Wayne fella that died first?
They still exist, they're just rare.
Old Henry is well worth a watch if you've not seen it yet.
Kevin Costner
This movie is so awesome. Hands down probably the best western ever. I really love how it blurs the sides of the good and the bad, right and wrong. You actually want a cold blooded killer to get revenge for the killing of his friend. Little Bill is the "good" guy, but the stage is so well set for you to see how "bad" he really is. William Munny is running from his past the whole movie, until the end, when you see why. He was very good at what he was, the cold blooded killer. The movie plays on so many of your emotions, and really shows how most of the time there is no black and white, right or wrong, just different shades of grey.
Well said, E K.
And how dark drink can make people,when Will goes to the bar his eyes are black,and not an ounce of fear even knowing what he’s facing!
And careful about calling evil to help you.
As everyone has said, amazing scene so I will just say the transition from rowdy posse scene, to oh f is so well done. Like flipping a switch one second they are safe, surrounded by other people with the same mindset, with the prospect of a few drinks and a diversion of trying to track down some nameless killer. Suddenly his presence tells them not only isnt he running from them and afraid, he's actively seeking them out. And at that moment you can see 90% of the room realize that even thought it's one man, they would rather be somewhere, anywhere, else. The contrast is fantastic.
the quiet 'yessir' when he tells them to get away from Skinny says it all!
Ohhhh, yeahhhh...
"That's right I've killed women and children , I've killed just about everything that walked or crawled at one point or another" William Munny one of the best lines in movie history
It was WIlliam Munny's final transformation. He finally admitted who he was.
It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. You take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
"And I'm here to kill you Little Bill." Chilling.
Damn straight.
Epic
RIP to Anthony James, the actor who played the innkeeper and died of cancer in 2020. What a great character actor, he also played one of the villains in High Plains Drifter-- the one who got his ear shot off!
Good spot!
He was in a Poison video also
I believe he also had a part in "In The Heat of the Night".
@@markg.4246 he was the guy who didn't want to serve Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) just because he was black
RIP
Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman man what a duo both exceptional actors
This is Clint's and Gene's ultimate scene. This is why I love both of them as actors. The writers of this deserve a ton of awards.
Clint wrote this scene himself.
David Webb Peoples wrote Unforgiven’s script. Clint stacked it away until he was old enough to play the character. He made the movie exactly how it was in the script. Best written western ever!
'get 3 coffins ready' really still must be Clint's ultimate scene
I've seen this movie countless times and still get goosebumps when Munny walks in the saloon. From this point until the end might be the best in movie history. "Any man who don't wanna get killed...better clear on out the back".
Same thing I say everytime I walk into a public bathroom after a big meal.😂
Actually that's one of the best things about this scene, that he has the calmness and clarity to warn people to get out of the way before he shoots, etc. It reminds us of how focused he is. He's not there to kill everybody like some cartoon western villain. He's there to kill Little Bill and the fella that owns this shithole...
Dumb of them to assume he wouldn’t be packing some pistols along with his shotgun.
@@edalvarez9020 That made me laugh so much!
@@edalvarez9020 Ha ha ha !!! You kill me, Alvarez, LOL !!!!
Probably Gene Hackmans finest performance of his career, sheer brilliance.
I still say French connection.
Royal Tenenbaums deserves mention. He's criminally underrated at comedy.
I say crimson tide
Nope. Mississippi burning. Look at the clips. Especially when he visits the social club
The Conversation
I love the way Munny is in touch with his authentic self and is just living his best life.
When Little Bill says "You'd be William Munny outta Missouri...killer of women and childern"
And he answers with that quick, and curt "That's right".
That's a great moment. The whole film trying to put that behind him and there it is, out front and owning it for the first time in the movie.
You may be through with the past but the past isn't through with you.
The moment when the movie basically tells the viewer "Gotcha!"
It would not have mattered at all if Dr. Hannibal the Cannibal Lecter came across all of these characters because Lecter would have killed everyone and ate them all with some lima beans. Lecter would not have cared about anyone's past or their clichés. Lecter would give his own lecture about all of these silly characters before he savagely kills everyone and then eats them all with some lima beans. He might let Mr. Bosham live so he can write a real book about a real ultimate killer!
@@habib8961 What does Hannibal have to do with anything here?
@@Dekartz Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter has everything to do with this movie because he would ultimately have shown the audience who the real enforcer truly is by annihilating the pathetic rogue sherif little baby Bill and his even more pathetic deputies or helpers and unfortunately William Munny as well to prove Lecters point. Mr. Bosham would have profited by being the famous writer for the notorious Lecter which is a win win situation for him. Lecter may or may not have prepared lima beans for his large stew using all of the above characters. Mr. Boshom would have suggested to Lecter to maybe try a new side recipe to go along with Lecters new gourmet stew.
Got to admit Lil Bill had some balls of steel to stare down a 12 gauge and cuss the shooter.
That thunderclap when you first see Eastwood in this scene. Wow!!!
The angel of death is there.
"You just shot an unarmed man". Classic Clint "should have armed his self". Class pure class
My favorite Western but the BEST line is, “Helluva thing, killing a man.”
That is such a great movie. Eastwood goes from quiet nice guy to 110% badass and makes it believable. Brilliant.
This is quite the paradox; little Bill is the actual sociopath while William has become the reborn lawman. It’s my favorite final scene in cinematic history.
Eastwood said when making the movie he did not know who was the good guy and who was the bad guy until the end.
I don't think Bill's a sociopath. A narcissist almost certainly, or close enough, but not a full-blown sociopath.
This film has no 'good guys.'
He should've armed himself...if he gonna decorate his saloon wit my friend.. CLASSIC!!!
With
That thunderclap just as Munney comes into view is like the death toll of the grim reaper.
Munny you idiot
I love how realistic this movie is as there are no bad or good guys just people.
Very grounded, very realistic, I saw the movie just yesterday, is not just a chase after some gold, not about shootout no, it’s about people
How can you say there are no good or bad guys? Munny is a horrible, terrible person. Little Bill is, pretty much, a good guy. People get confused because this movie has the heroes as the antagonists and the villains as the protagonists. But there are pretty clear cut good guys and bad guys.
@@chuckhoyle1211 This movie doesn't delineate between classical "good guys" and "bad guys". This film is actually anti-violence, pro-woman films. It explores the concept that regardless how far people attempt to get away from their past selves, their always just a moment from them. The film explores forgiveness, Old age and morality. Little Bill is certainly not suppose to be a "good guy " or hero, no more than William Munny is the "bad guy." The depth of the film far outweighs such simple metaphors or classical structure derived from the old american western. This is perhaps one of the greatest American westerns ever made told from one of the greatest actor/directors who galvanized the genre and personifies what we know to be the "classical American western." I mean, the man with no name, Outlaw Josey Wales, the Pale rider... All were complex, fascinating character studies only to build up to this Magnum Opus of a film.
@@mundi352 the women in this film were the ones pushing the violence forward.
@@ogretime exactly
I'm 52 now but i remember this scene like it was yesterday when i saw this film, actually did make me tense as hell. Great acting Gene and Clint on top form.
53 seen all movie big screen
I am 42. I think I first saw it in 1993 at a Cinema in Bronx New York City I think.
52. Took my dad to see it. Still think of that day often.
When Clint Eastwood turned 18 and left home, he told his Dad "You're the man of the house now".
😂😂😂😂
Pretty good one👍
Nice one
Why you copying zlatan
keep snort[n woodchips sparky. The Eastwoods lived in an rich part of Piedmont, Ca , had a swimming pool, belonged to a country club, owned 2 cars. ] Eastwood's dad was a manufacturing executive at Georgia-Pacific .
The atmosphere in this scene is a cinematic masterpiece. I remember my heart racing when this scene opened and we see the shotgun and the classic Eastwood brimmed hat character. Gave me chills.
Chuck Norris checks under his bed for Clint Eastwood before he goes to bed lol
And Brian Blessed in his closet.
Chuck Norris never sleeps!
😆
No I don't!
@@timhand5276 Cause he is scared of finding Clint in his drea... nightmares
I just love how throughout the film we hear all these horrible stories about Will, all the terrible things he did, and we can hardly believe it.
He seems like a relatively nice and gentle man, and it's hard to imagine him otherwise.
But then finally, here at the end of the film, with vengeance in his heart (and whiskey in his system) the beast within is revealed, and... it's pretty scary, definitely leaves a mark, and you see a glimpse of the monster he once was.
The film's narrative is exceptionally powerful- by the end of the movie, most filmgoers sympathize with the bad guy over the good guy!
monster?
My grandfather, a WW2 veteran and frail old man by the time I was around, could transform into a towering menace when angered. He was always amazing to me, and I loved him dearly, but I knew there was a killer in there. It never goes away. This movie gets that 100% right.
@@briannewman532 all true. we cannot begin to fathom what he went through
@@briannewman532 You're right it never goes away.
Maybe others may have said this.
This scene is the many examples of how the movie deconstructed the usual western tropes
The bar is barely lighted, it takes some time to draw a gun n not everyone is a good shot. Plus the fact that the sheriff deputies seems to run away. It's just awesome
@Miguel Hofilena Only a few people actually like the sheriff. Specifically those three guys are pretty much his gang. Will’s not a mad gunman either, he’s someone who specifically wants revenge on Bob and his friends. If you have the option to just run from a gunfight you would take it. A big theme of the movie is how preparing to take lives is incredibly taxing and there’s a clear difference between those who have done it and those who have not. Bill alludes to how gunmen fight by “going for the best shot in the room” first which Munny did. The other three were just for show as shown by their inability to actually aim before firing.
They try to shoot faster without aiming properly and they miss Just like little bill said
I like the fact that when Clint called Richard Harris at his home in the Caribbean to ask if he would like to be in the film , Harris said he was at the time watching an Eastwood western, and said he was thinking how nice it would be to be in one. Sometime things are meant to be, and this is without daubt one of the best there is
The scene is a great payoff to what's been building all movie. Multiple characters have lied about their great exploits of gunfighting and survival in order to appear strong and admirable in front of others, whereas Munny does have those skills and is trying to run away from his myth, not confirm it as he rightly could. Unlike the others, Munny knows the true cost of such a life and the pain behind the legend, which he forsakes the nobility or glory of as he becomes his own cautionary tale.
Well said. Sums it up pretty well I think.
@MajorBoothroyd007
Great observation. Munny was the real-deal.
O.K.
Well put but the sherriff was no slouch either. Remember, he only started the stories after the duke was caught tellin tales.
Wonderful analysis.
The incessant rain, the thunder and lightning, the low lighting, the absence of music, the closeups on William. All of it. Masterpiece.
One of the best westerns and Movie of all times
TEST Fifty absolutely
TEST Fifty remember josey Wales
TEST Fifty Will money out OF Missouri.you killed women and children
TEST Fifty u got that r 👍👍
Good ,bad, and the ugly was his best western. Unforgiven was his second. Fistful of dollars was his 3rd. That's my top 3.
One of the best Westerns ever. An absolute masterpiece.
"You better bury Ned right, or I will come back and kill every goddamn last one of ya." I haven't seen the movie in years but I remember that part.
Open Range was the last i enjoyed.
You better bury Ned right, or I'll come back and kill everyone of you sons a bitchs. That was the line
@@billmatrisch4129 a little "Pulp fiction" mixture
That's what a great movie will do to you.
Gene hackman is the best actor i have ever know. Cisco Pike,Bonnie and clyde,i nnerver sang for my father, scarecrow, french connection, batallon 21, the chamber, absolute power, sin salida, enemigo publico, crimson tide, fachada, under suspicion, and 30 more. A master, 2 thumbs up and huge kudos for gene
Sorry I can't watch a movie that's he's in without thinking he's Lex Luthor
William Munny: Who's the fella that owns this shithole?
Me: "Just sold it." *Points at Little Bill as I head out the back*
Underrated comment.
lol, exit stage left lickie split
Woulda been a smarter move
Or at least a possible life saving alternate choice of words
xD
now THATS funny!
What a perfect and fitting way for Clint Eastwood to close out his cowboy series and persona. I still get goose bumps when I see this scene and think back about all his other cowboy roles.
Undoubtedly, THE BEST Western ever made.
Clint's Westerns are masterpieces nuff said.
Brilliant script. It was said that when the writer, David Webb Peoples, saw the film, he started crying. Nothing was taken out of the screenplay.
The misfire and Hackman’s flinch - pure gold.
This is truly one of the finest films ever made. They don't make em like this anymore.
It's sad to think that Clint Eastwood doesn´t have much time left, but at the same time, it´s amazing to still have him around.
@@DanielCh9393There will NEVER be anyone in Hollywood more badass than Clint.
Little Bill panicked and shot before aiming. Did exactly what he said a gunfighter shouldn't do.
Munny threw the shotgun at him.
But LB had 9 seconds to shoot Munny after the misfire. Instead he talked. He should've taken Tuco's advice: "When you have to shoot, shoot - don't talk." LB also had a chance to shoot just before Munny killed the saloon owner, but he just talked. There's some extremely flawed logic in this scene.
His own words came back to haunt him...Munny "kept his head and didn't get rattled ".
True. He was probably out of practice. He beat the hell out of some folks, but likely hadn't been in an actual gunfight in years.
@@DS-wk1kn Not only that but he'd been smacked around the head by it as well, no doubt stunning him greatly.
Anybody notice that this gun fight was completely predicted in the conversation between the Writer (WW Beauchamp) and Little Bill in their discussion about gun fights in the sheriff's office? "Being quick with a pistol, well that don't do no harm but it doesn't mean much next to being cool-headed. If a man can keep his head and not get rattled under fire, like as not he'll kill you." Beauchamp, "But if the other fellow is faster?" Little Bill, "Well then he'll be hurrying and he'll miss." Beauchamp, "But if he doesn't miss?" Little Bill, "Then he'll kill you." In this gun fight Little Bill actually shot first, but "He was hurrying and he missed." Will Munny was cool-headed and didn't get rattled under fire. He didn't miss so he killed Little Bill...
Little Bill had also just deflected the shotgun Munny threw at him. Hard to come back from that and still shoot straight. Which proves that Munny has the superior abilities even (or because of?) being half drunk. Little Bill was expecting Munny to drop the shotgun and go for his pistol, not throw the shotgun at him! If Munny had done what Little Bill was expecting, the extra second it took would have given Little Bill the advantage he needed and Munny would have been dead. This whole movie is a work of true genius.
I believe that's why Will Munny threw the shotgun at Little Bill. He knew it would give him an extra second or two to get the Schofield out of his pants and start shooting.
Exactly ,when little bill announced who clints character really was and when clint admitted to it and more .Everyone in that place got scared because they all knew who he was and im sure had heard the tales and knew what the man was capable of What we saw in this scene is the real william munny the way he used to be .He wasnt afraid to get involved in gun battles because he wasnt afraid to die and or was too drunk too care . For someone cool headed they know what could happen to them but they dont focus on that they focus on the task at hand .The way clint knelt down is the same when in a fight when a boxer squares out in a fighters stance .
yes, i loved the setup conversation to this scene
Prishila Jayanti Yaay! Free virus!
30 years and still Eastwood’s best work. Just an outstanding movie.
If you mean Eastwood as a director I agree. But I think is TGTBATU is his best film overall.
@@PeakDennisReynolds yeah as a director
@@danielward8645 i think as an actor, too. His crowning achievement. As a pure director, i'm tempted to go with Mysic River...
He’s done so many films, but this is the single finest scene in Clint Eastwood’s acting And directing career.
Nah this was just crap. The most unrealistic shootout ever recorded on film. It wouldn't be so bad if the whole movie had been full of crazy nonsense. But they had been playing it straight up until now, which is why this scene basically ruins the movie.
since munny moved along to san fransisco, its been hypothesized that harry callahan is a direct descendant of his :)
Yeah, I think there's a slight resemblance.
@@hankhill2254 face palm emoji
That’s the joke.
@@hankhill2254 You actually don't understand what a joke is, right?
It ain't against any law to entertain such a possibility. Funny, yes, but it's possible.
The walk-up to Greeley's is the best! That's when he finishes the bottle and tosses it...you know someone's gonna die!
When the bottle was emptied of whiskey; William was emptied of morals...
Magnificent scene, the way the camera zooms in as he describes what he's done and the thunder when he says he's killed just about everything that walks or talks. You're left in no doubt how dangerous he is.
To me, this is the greatest moment in cinematic history. William Munny is on another level, in terms of criminality, he is a fable that the Sheriff doesn't believe exists. A pure, stone-cold, unforgiving killer who will avenge his friends death at all costs. You don't look for William Munny, he will come for you. Part of John Wicks character had to have come from this film. Definitively, the greatest movie ever made
Yeah well I just like when he shoots the Fatman. 😂
William Munny is the boogeyman. He's the tale you tell your children to scare them into behaving themselves. To say his name three times is to summon him.
Say what? Little Bill *absolutely* knows men like William Munny exist. He also knows the image of men in as portrayed in W.W. Beauchamp's book *don't* exist.
@@xczechr if he knew who he was, he wouldn't be out drinking in a saloon knowing Munny was gonna come looking for him
John Wick follows the same story beats. It's basically a remake
Clint Eastwood’s entrance in this one scene is priceless! So badass!
The dialogue in this scene fits exactly with the stylised dialogue that the writer puts in his books. The writer smiles as the scene unfolds just as he imagines them to unfold in his stories. Its a great movie! Eastwoods a legend.
Of all 4 main gunfighters portrayed in this film (The Schofield Kid, English Bob, Little Bill, William Munny), it's fascinating to note that there's a strong inverse correlation to the amount of arrogance, boastfulness, and desire for fame and recognition each man has vs his actual experience, skill, and ability.
The Schofield Kid - completely fabricated stories, made up his own nickname, brags to anyone in earshot, wants to be the next superstar gunfighter of the West, but hasn't even shot anyone before. To his credit, he realizes by the end of the film what a true killer really is, and learns that's not who he is.
English Bob - has a reputation, and just as boastful and arrogant as the Schofield Kid, but with far more ability and experience to back it up. No conscience unlike The Kid. Still, he lies about his stories and makes them seem far more grandiose than they were. We can see he has skill when shooting on the train, but his only other confirmed accomplishments in the film are the sloppy way he killed Two-Gun, and that he kills defenseless Chinese laborers to quell strikes. In the end, won't even stand up to Little Bill when challenged. Dangerous, but a weasel.
Little Bill - he's no coward; confident, but not boastful or arrogant. The first to show W.W. that gunslinging is not all the speed and romance he thinks it is. Has skills, but knows his limitations. He respects the abilities of his adversaries, but doesn't fear them. Still, he has an ego, a little too proudly showing his knowledge and abilities. He likes being in charge and the center of attention with W.W. And when it comes down to it, gets in too big a hurry and can't keep cool enough under fire.
William Munny - the only character with no ego about killing. He tries to deflect attention to his (many!) killings anytime they're brought up, and denies all the stories about him (stories sometimes in reality are bigger than the ones The Kid or English Bob even make up. Where they would do anything to own his stories, William just says "I don't recollect, I was drunk most of the time"). So emotionless with killing, that it makes him the most dangerous and feared, but he reluctantly acknowledges and accepts who he is in the end. Though Little Bill told WW a lot of true and important strategies about shooting, William is the only one who states luck is a huge part of it too.
This can be evidenced by the fact William's only real plan was to kill the saloon owner and Little Bill, all else be damned. Of course he had the Schofield and was willing to use it, but he knew walking in that there were a dozen armed men standing around and he didn't plan or strategize anything else; he just reacted boldly and luck found him ("I was lucky in the order. Then again I've always been lucky when it comes to killing folks").
We can argue the best gunfights portrayed in Westerns based on many different merits, but I think this is by far the most realistic. It's almost slow and sloppy, with the more real-time speed everyone draws, Bill's miss, everyone in the bar being scared and nervous like any other normal human such as us would be, one man drunk and careless who's willing to kill anyone he sees as long as he's still alive (since everyone and their nerves/inexperience has them firing wildly or not at all), and that he's not flashy or fast, just calm and methodical.
So, luck and no emotion. This is why fate left him standing in the end.
Very thought provoking and extremely well written.
Well said
Everyone tries to shoot faster at william
Only to miss much like little bill said earlier
William slowly and methodically takes them down one by one.luckily he got little bill first.
I have a ton of favorite quotes from Clint Eastwood. But these two I admire most.
"Well he shoulda armed himself. If he's gonna decorate his saloon with my friend."
AND
"Dyin aint much of a livin boy."
One of the greatest directed scenes in the history of film. Ominous...and the timing of having the sound of thunder at 0:17 seconds showing Clint, is masterpiece theatre
Clint Eastwood, there will never be another like him
Kind of a dark and glorious moment. The moment William stops pretending to be what he isn’t and fully embraced what he is. In his heart and at his core he is truly a killer born. The arbiter of death. Unforgiven
He is, and he brought that back for his friend, he isn't really pure evil anymore.
The scene prior to this where he finally gives in and starts drinking always gives me chills
The angle of the shot, the way the whiskey flows out of the bottle.
@@phil7394 the look on The Kid's face then as well. mix of disbelief, fear and awe.
@@danielkokal8819i'm done killin. i ain't like you, will
Two masters of their craft. Clint did amazing in this but Hackman...he just crushes everything he does. Now I wanna watch it lol.
"It's a hell of a thing killing a man. You take away all he's got...and all he'll ever have..."
Clint Eastwood , 1.992
An epic quote for a big classic like this
I think "Would you like a free one?" is better, considering it is said by the most innocent victim in the movie.
“We all have it coming kid.”
"That's right. I've killed women and children. Reckon I've killed everything that's walked or crawled at one time or another, and now I've come to kill you, Bill, for what you did to Ned."
@@marccram6584 but no,we all dont have it coming. Pithy line that,alas,is simply not true.
The thing that makes this movie and scene so perfect, is they deliver what you want at the right time. The entire film they show Clint bumbling, not giving you what you expect from an Eastwood film, and at the end- boom. It’s fantastic.
I remember seeing this at the theater everybody roared when Clint stood in the saloon staring at Gene Hackman classic
People keep saying the men shooting at Clint Eastwood were worst shots than storm troopers, but that was the point. William Munny was a pure killer who always hit his target lucky or otherwise, while the other men were novice fighters. They were tourists to “Little Bill” who was also a killer, but because he missed when Munny ducked, Munny was pretty much a safe bet to survive. This movie is pretty much perfect just next to The Godfather.
Excellent Western, took my dad to watch it when it came out. He is now 80 years old and loves his westerns.
Clint Eastwood was like 60 years old he made this movie near Calgary Alberta Canada
Eastwood actually held on to the script for ten years because he wanted to be the right age to play Munny.
Best line of the Movie, "Deserves got nothing to do with it."
"I'll see you in Hell William Munny"
"Yeah"
"It's personal, not business"
@@maddkrabbtv6121 "deserves got nothin to do with it" ....... is Muny's summation of life
the bad and good die in equal measures.
Whether he's little bill or Herod, Hackman sure can play a villain.
Herod takes the cake. Little Bills his twin.
But was Little Bill a villain?
Best Lex Luthor ever, and that's not saying a whole lot at all.
The film portrays the antagonist (child murderer Munny) as the hero of the piece, and the protagonist (the sheriff) as the villain. Cleaver writing and direction and of coarse, brilliant acting. Seriously, where else would you cheer on a child killer??
Also, both munny, and the sheriff are legendary gun fighters who rarely boast about thier kills compared to the kid and english bob who wish to fabricate a legend about themselves.
@@killerjoe5628 He was not the villain for wanting peace, he was the villain for how he used the law and violence to have the appearance of peace. Ultimately, that's what did him in, the pursuit of peace through means of wanton violence. Beating the Brit then Munny at the beginning and Ned at the end while the actual criminals got away with a fine. It's a well written, well acted movie that showcases good and bad intermingled with good intentions and bad circumstances and back again.
Eastwood does western movies like sly does boxing movies to perfection 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
We watched this in my film class in college years ago and I still discover different elements till this day. One of my all time favorite films for so many reasons. Eastwood is something special.
That's awesome. It should be required studies for all film classes. Subtly near perfect. You could watch it without sound, or listen to it without visuals and still be fully immersed, you can still fully understand/feel what's going on, it's STILL equally as powerful as a standard viewing. It's that good.
Clint Eastwood is a whole other level of brilliant....
Watched this movie at least 50-100 times, still gives me chills.
You might enjoy my analysis!
"See you in hell, William Munny."
"... yeah."
Munny finally accepted who he was. This whole movie has people pretending to be things they aren’t. For me it was scary seeing the old Munny walk into fear saloon prepared to kill every last one of them because by that point he has stopped trying to be righteous.
"Deserve got nothing to do with it" Truly a masterpiece
One of the greatest films ever made. The characters are so rich. The good guy isn’t all good and the bad guy isn’t all bad. Just a beautiful character study
People forget what an absolute boss Little Bill is in this scene. Walks towards his death sneering at his men to kill the man about to blow him away.
little Bill was arguably the best character in this movie (which is saying a lot). and gene hackman was perfect for the role.
One of the best westerns ever made, and one of my all-time favorite films. Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman were both fantastic in this movie.
“I know who’s gonna be last” and “deserves got nothing o do with it”. Such historic lines.
I love this scene . It's not about the fastest draw, its about saying calm