The Unforgiven (1960)

Based on a novel by Alan LeMay (who also penned the source material for THE SEARCHERS), it’s clear the wrong John was handling the directorial reins. Directed by John Huston, this western revolves around a family whose adopted daughter (Audrey Hepburn) is suspected of being Kiowa and thus responsible for the Kiowa attacks in the vicinity when her brother demands her return to the tribe. This is the kind of stuff John Ford handled with finesse but Huston’s handling of the material is miscalculated. Hepburn is miscast as an Indian partially because we’re always aware of her being Audrey Hepburn, movie star, something she made us completely forget in THE NUN'S STORY the year before. Burt Lancaster seems ill at ease but Lillian Gish, Audie Murphy and Charles Bickford provide solid characterizations. With Joseph Wiseman, John Saxon, Albert Salmi, Doug McClure and Kipp Hamilton.