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A “revisionist western”  is a sub-genre of western film that trades in the traditional, romanticized version of the old west for a far more realistic picture.

Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven contains perfect examples of the complex characters and situations that tend to be trademark elements of the average revisionist western movie. 

Released in 1992, Unforgiven won multiple Academy Awards and is largely considered one of Eastwood’s best westerns.

Let’s take a closer look at what made the film so great and the historical people and events that inspired it. 

The Rise of the Revisionist Western

The birth of classic western films can be traced back to the earliest days of cinema itself.

Edwin S. Porter’s The Great Train Robbery (1903) is considered not only the first western movie but the first narrative film in history. 

While the silent film ran just 11 minutes in length, it feat