Directed by John Huston, Audrey's first and only Western, The Unforgiven, was a story of racial prejudice in frontier Texas with a swashbuckling $6 million budget. In a drastic departure from her previous roles, Audrey played an adopted Native American girl entangled in racial violence when her true origins are revealed, eventually falling for her adopted brother, played by Burt Lancaster.

On 28 January, 1959, during filming in Durango, Mexico, Audrey was thrown from an Arabian stallion called Diablo, breaking four bones in her back. She had insisted on riding herself, despite having a stunt double hired for the purpose. Hepburn was swiftly flown to hospital on a stretcher, telling the surrounding reporters I feel fine, It only hurts when I laugh... so don’t say anything funny! Marie Louise Habets, the real life Sister Luke of The Nun's Story, nursed Audrey back to health in Beverly Hills, and she returned to the set only six weeks later, vowing to get back on the horse.

The film was mostly panned on release. Co-star Lillian Gish believed Audrey's talent was never properly used in the film... I knew that if they had used her gifts completely the film would have been a much bigger success. Huston later admitted Some of my pictures I don't care for, but The Unforgiven is the only one I actually dislike.
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