In 1880s Kansas ageing gunslinger-turned-farmer William Munny (Clint Eastwood) reluctantly agrees to come out of retirement to help Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) collect the bounty on a wanted murderer The man in question cut up a prostitute in a lawless town lorded over by the corrupt Sheriff Daggett (Gene Hackman) & if Munny & Logan want to catch him they are going to have to deal with Daggett first A gritty western which brought a new level of critical respect to its director Clint Eastwood winning him the Oscars for Best Picture & Best Director (it also picked up the Best Supporting Actor award for Gene Hackman)