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Directed By
George P. Cosmatos
Written By:
Kevin Jarre
Cast:
Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Michael Biehn, Sam Elliott, Dana Delany, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Stephen Lang, Jason Priestley, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Billy Zane, Thomas Haden Church, Joanna Pacula, Michael Rooker, Harry Carey Jr., Billy Bob Thornton, Charlton Heston, Robert John Burke, John Corbett, Buck Taylor, Terry O'Quinn, Pedro Armendariz Jr., Chris Mitchum, Jon Tenney
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Tombstone (1993)
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Tombstone (1993) is the best movie of all the Wyatt Earp sagas and perhaps among the better great westerns of recent years. There have been numerous feature films produced about the legendary gunfight at O.K. Corral, Wyatt Earp, and Doc Holiday such as Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), Wyatt Earp (1994), The Outlaw (1943), Cheyenne Autumn (1964), Hour of the Gun (1967), Sunset (1988), Frontier Marshal (1939), Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die (1942), and Hour of the Gun (1967).
Although My Darling Clementine (1946) is widely considered by many critics today to be the best film about the Gunfight at O.K. Corral not just because of its recreation of the actual conflict, which is wildly inaccurate, but because the film depicts a mythic battle waged between good and evil, Tombstone (1993) offers a more accurate depiction of this 30-second gun battle with greater depth and historical detail to the characters. In fact, the shootout at the O.K. Corral in this movie was filmed exactly as the court transcripts indicated.
Though much of the film is historically accurate, it has several notable flaws. I think the most significant historical flaw in this movie is the fact that there is no mention of the Wells Fargo stagecoach robbery on March 15, 1881. It was this historical event that encouraged Wyatt Earp's (Kurt Russell) determination to take the job as sheriff from John Behan (Jon Tenney) and later led him to strike a deal with Ike Clanton (Stephen Lang). By excluding this story, the importance of the Clanton family and the plot were understated. Curly Bill Brocious (Powers Boothe) and Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn) were only loose allies of the Clantons who were the Earp's main enemies.
Regardless, the movie follows the prototypical OK Corral story about Wyatt Earp and his brothers going to Tombstone to make their fortune. After the famous gun battle with the Clantons and McLaurys, Wyatt's older brother Virgil (Sam Elliott) is crippled by a gunshot wound and his younger sibling Morgan (Bill Paxton) takes a fatal bullet to the back. Seeking vengeance on a Biblical scale, Wyatt is accompanied by consumption (tuberculosis) ridden drunk, Doc Holiday (Val Kilmer), who in spite of his afflictions is loyal to a fault and deadly with his short barreled colt.
The acting is superb and the fast paced story keeps you hanging on each scene. I especially enjoy Val Kilmer's adaptation of Doc Holliday. Although Kurt Russell is excellent as the main protagonist Wyatt Earp, it is clearly Val Kilmer's character that makes the film. His acting is impeccable and I think to date this is his best career performance. I found myself cheering for his character and genuinely moved by his acting as he stole every scene with a solid, beautifully thought and felt imitation of a true Southern gentleman to even include a famous drawl much like historian Shelby Foote. My only problem with the casting was with Dana Delaney who was dreadfully miscast as Josephine Marcus. While I think she is attractive, Dana Delaney appears really out of place in this movie as did Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Liaisons (1988). I think both these women are locked into modern roles and tend to lose their edge and credibility when playing period piece roles.
Virgil and Morgan Earp were not ambushed on the same evening. Morgan Earp was killed when he was playing billiards with Wyatt Earp on March, 18 1882. Eyewitnesses claimed that Frank Stilwell was seen running from the scene of the crime. Virgil was shot in December 1881. I also noticed a United States flag boasting 50 stars flying from a building. The flag at that time should have had 38 stars. Despite these critical notations in casting and history, the movie has the perfect mix of action, drama, and romance while leaving you wanting more right up to the end.
Finally, the costumes are true to life as the men in that era liked to dress colorful and unique. The guns and the high fitted holsters are also very accurate (low slung holsters for quick draw is a Hollywood invention).
The special edition DVD includes deleted scenes. The scene when Wyatt and Josie rest after their spirited ride now has the payoff of the excluded scene of these two having some adulterated sex. But then again regarding sex, Director George P. Cosmatos either seems to have limited experience in making such connections in movies like Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Cobra (1986) or he is all too eager to assume that his audiences are so damn sophisticated they will easily read between the lines.
I think this director might benefit from a good dose of reality as all viewers are not likely to have known that Wyatt Earp was a promiscuous man who often cheated on his wife. Regardless, I absolutely enjoyed this intense, exciting movie and strongly recommend it to all movie fans. I think even those who generally avoid Westerns will find a great deal of enjoyment in this film.
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 | SHAYNE
Dec 28, 2006 1:43 PM
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ONE OF THE BEST WESTERNS EVER!!! THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. I HIGHLY RECOMEND THIS MOVIE.
SHAYNE |
 | Misty
Apr 6, 2007 8:00 PM
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| This is, in fact, the only western movie I can sit through, let alone enjoy. I love the cast. I love the story. I love the action. I love it all! |
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