THE UNFORGIVEN

US, 1959, 115 minutes, Colour.
Burt Lancaster, Audrey Hepburn, Audie Murphy, Lilian Gish, Charles Bickford, Joseph Wiseman, John Saxon.
Directed by John Huston.

The Unforgiven is an interesting western from veteran director John Huston. A film for comparison would be Don Seigel's Flaming Star with Elvis Presley, made at the same time with a similar theme - the Indian in white society in the west. This film certainly raises its issues interestingly but may solve them in a somewhat facile manner.

Audrey Hepburn acts well in the central role and there are interesting performances from Lilian Gish and Joseph Wiseman.

1. Was this a good western?

2. Why were the Indians pictured prior to the credits?

3. Who was 'the unforgiven' and why?

4. How strong a character was Rachel? How was her character built up from the start, visually? Was Audrey Hepburn credible in the role?

5. Was the introduction of Kelsey and his mysterious words and manner effective? How did it affect the film and create suspense?

6. What kind of family were the Zacharys? Why the hatred of the Kiowa? Were the whites justified in their hostility to the Indians?

7. Comment, on the way the film built up our knowledge of, and reaction to, each of the principal characters - mother, Ben, Cash, Andy, the Rawlins, Charlie, Giorgio

8. Did the film present a convincing picture of this west - cattle work, trips to Wichita, courting etc?

9. How effective was the close-up sequence of Kelsey revealing the truth about Rachel? Why? How cruel were the families? Why did Mrs. Zachary hang Kelsey? Did she have the right to do this, even to protect Rachel?

10. How was the atmosphere of siege and isolation built up? Why did the Indians attack? Did Mrs Zachary deserve her death from the Indians?

11. Why did Rachel make her choice? Comment on the impact of the death of the Indians and Rachel firing at point blank range. Were they resigned to die?

12. Was the return of Cash too easy or was it effective in the framework of the film?

13. Did the film have anything significant to say on the west, Indians and white men? Who were guilty? How was Rachel the victim of both worlds?

14. How surprising was Charlie's death, the appearance of the three Indians, Kelsey's part in it? The families' clash after Charlie's death and the chase after Kelsey? Did the posse have the right to go after Kelsey, execute jostiffe?

15. The paint on Rachael's face as a symbol of the truth?