Unforgiven may not be one of Clint Eastwood’s most recognizable films, but it’s absolutely packed with one-liners and classic, memorable quotes.
Clint Eastwood is without a doubt one of the most recognizable actors in movie history, having excelled both in front of and behind the camera. His last western, Unforgiven, may not be as recognizable as something like The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, but it’s a success in its own right, with Eastwood serving as lead actor and director.
Unforgiven is a dark story, but one full of redemption and closure, especially for Will Munny, whose bloody past came back to haunt him. Redemption stories always have some quality, timeless quotes. With that, here are ten of the most memorable quotes from Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven.
“We all have it comin,’ kid.”
With his gory past, Will Munny has seen it all. He is a recluse person whose legacy speaks for him. After years of killing, if he’s learnt anything, it’s that everyone will eventually die. Will Munny is aware of what is lying on the other side, regardless of the aspirations of a young gun like the Schofield Kid. Even while killing Little Bill may have atoned for part of that, it won’t stop what’s about to happen to him. He’ll see him in the next world, as Little Bill said.
“I’ve killed women and children. I’ve killed everything that walks or crawls at one time or another. And I’m here to kill you, Little Bill, for what you done to Ned.”
Arguably the best scene in the entire movie, this line, spoken by Will to Bill, was cold and true. Will knows what he is and what he isn’t, and he wears it like armor, with nothing getting to him. When Little Bill tries to scare Will away from killing him and his gang, he becomes the man he once was to put away a corrupt sheriff.
There’s a reason this movie won best director and best actor, with Clint Eastwood at the forefront of it all. Westerns may be one-dimensional shooters, but Unforgiven proves they can be much, much deeper than that.
“Deserve’s got nothin’ to do with it.”
Little Bill is manipulative and cunning, but Will Munny put him in his place. Little Bill tries to persuade himself out of dying in his dying moments, but Will tells him that no matter what he says, it won’t save him. The truth is always hard to swallow, but William Munny from Missouri always does what needs to be done. The only thing Little Bill deserved was death, and his plea for mercy proves he’s really a coward on the inside.
“He should have armed himself… if he’s going to decorate his saloon with my friend.”
In this pivotal scene, Will uses a rule of thumb from the early westerns to teach those who’ve wronged him a lesson. Will never lets his guard down, as, after years of bounty hunting, he’s learned to keep himself alive by keeping his gun close.
Not only is Will mad at Little Bill, but he’s enraged with the death of his friend, Ned. This was only fuel to the fire with Will making sure Little Bill and co. would pay for what they did to the town and his partner, Ned.
“Its a hell of a thing, killing a man. You take away everything he’s got and everything he’s ever gonna have.”
Westerns nearly make murder look ridiculous in the way they glorify killing. However, Unforgiven gives the viewer a sense of dread when it comes to murder. Will has experienced a fair number of fatalities and is aware of the weight it brings, whether it be his wife or a hunter. Despite being a rather straightforward sentence, it carries a lot of weight given the movie’s context and William Munny’s eerie past. The Schofield Kid is only getting started, but it seems likely that he is headed in Will’s direction.
“What I said the other day, you looking like me, that ain’t true. You ain’t ugly like me, it’s just that we both have got scars.”
Will and Ned are retired for a reason, with age as the obvious answer and disgust with death as the other. Both have a pessimistic view of life—though Ned is a little more optimistic than Will—and understand the toll years of bounty hunting has on a man.
The mileage meter has reached its peak with both characters realizing the end of their journey is near. Their scars have riddled their body with wounds that tear open when confronted, but Will Munny made sure Ned’s and his wounds would only open one last time.
“All right, I’m coming out. Any man I see out there, I’m gonna shoot him.”
Will’s frigid exterior, in spite of his restrained personality, is one of his best qualities. Although the audience is never shown the crimes Will did in the past, they can envision them due to tales from others who know him. His attempts to put the old guy behind him in the past were fruitless since he was unable to escape his history. The demanding voice and style of Will, who can make a man drop instantly if he wants to, couldn’t be ignored by fans, though.
“You better bury Ned right!”
Will saved the day by the end, putting Little Bill and his corrupt ways to rest. His demeanor, though, remained the same despite having done an act of kindness. Unforgiven is unforgiving (get it) in its ability to act as a redemption story but retain the impulsiveness of mankind.
Ned didn’t deserve which is why Will is adamant about his burial and final resting place. Little Bill may be gone, but that doesn’t mean things can’t go haywire.
“You don’t have to worry, Kid. I ain’t gonna kill you. You’re the only friend I got.”
Will is feared by many, which leaves little room for friends. Despite his brief partnership, the Schofield kid and Ned, though he was killed, were the only people he called friends.
“I’ll see you in hell, William Munny.”
What better way to say goodbye to your arch-enemy than with this classic line? What Unforgiven does so well is stray away from the classic western genre while including small homages and nods to it at the same time. This line was perfect considering the evil nature of Bill, a man who wanted nothing than to rule over a small little town.