“The Unforgiven,” not to be mistaken for Clint Eastwood’s renowned 1992 film “Unforgiven,” showcases Hepburn alongside Burt Lancaster, the charismatic lead of “The Killers” and “Sweet Smell of Success.” Under the direction of the esteemed John Huston, Hepburn plays Rachel, a spirited young woman taken in by the Zachary family. Despite her secret affection for her protective “brother” Ben (played by Lancaster), their tranquil frontier existence is shattered when Abe Kelsey (Joseph Wiseman), a vengeful acquaintance of their deceased father, arrives with claims that Rachel was kidnapped from the Kiowa tribe as a child.

Often overlooked today, “The Unforgiven” faced numerous challenges during production. Audie Murphy narrowly escaped drowning, Hepburn suffered a back injury from a fall during rehearsals, and director Huston reportedly distanced himself from the final cut. Despite its uneven nature, the film remains a captivating Western and a distinctive part of Hepburn’s cinematic journey.

Significantly, Hepburn portrays a Native American woman in “The Unforgiven.” While her performance is empathetic, the casting choice of a white actress complicates the film’s message against anti-Native American prejudice. This revisionist Western subverts the typical narrative of Indigenous people kidnapping white children, as seen in films like John Ford’s “The Searchers.” Both movies, interestingly, are adaptations of novels by Alan Le May. In “The Unforgiven,” Rachel is a Kiowa girl abducted by settlers, with her biological brother, Lost Bird (Carlos Rivas), seeking her return.

It bears repeating that “The Unforgiven” stars Audrey Hepburn as a Native American woman. While she gives a sympathetic performance, this whitewashing complicates the intended message against anti-Native American racism. “The Unforgiven” is a revisionist Western that reverses the trope of “savage” Indigenous people kidnapping white children, as depicted in Westerns like John Ford’s “The Searchers.” (Notably, both “The Unforgiven” and “The Searchers” were based on books by Alan Le May.) Rachel is a Kiowa girl kidnapped by “civilized” settlers, with her biological brother Lost Bird (Carlos Rivas) returning to claim her.

The 1960 film is forward-thinking in its depiction of an “interracial” romance between Rachel and Ben, and it condemns the abuse thrown at Rachel when the townspeople reject her based on her true heritage. The anti-racist message is muddled, however, by a predictably violent third act that strips away much of the film’s nuance.

“The Unforgiven” functions best when it is a riveting drama about a family torn apart by a horrible secret from their past. It features hauntingly cinematic scenes such as Kelsey’s first ghostly appearance atop his horse in the fog, and Rachel’s adopted mother (former silent movie star Lillian Gish) playing piano for the Kiowa warriors in a short-lived moment of peace. The film’s contradictory aims make it a strangely engaging viewing experience, and the subversive, quasi-incestuous passion between Hepburn and Lancaster will not be forgotten by anyone who sees it.

“The Unforgiven” is currently streaming on MGM+.