As a lifelong enthusiast of Western films and a history buff who has spent countless hours researching the real-life characters that populate this genre, I can confidently say that Tombstone is, without a doubt, the best Wyatt Earp movie ever made.
Wyatt Earp, a hero from the Old West era, is cherished by many for his fearsome reputation. He was notorious as a thorn in the side of outlaws, particularly remembered for the showdown at the O.K. Corral with the Clanton and McLaurys brothers. Beyond his law enforcement duties in Kansas and Arizona, Earp had an array of skills. It’s said that throughout different phases of his life, he worked as a transient saloon owner, a skilled gambler, and a security guard, among other roles.
Through time, Earp’s exploits have been portrayed in numerous films and series, enhancing his status as the epitome of a formidable and accomplished gunman during his era. Due to this reputation, he has also served as the blueprint for the archetypal lawman from the fictional Wild West, with countless Western film heroes modeled after his likeness and behavioral traits.
Movies featuring Wyatt Earp, like “Wild Bill Hickok” and “My Darling Clementine,” are plentiful. Yet, it’s often argued that many films about this renowned lawman are based more on rumors than facts. However, the film “Tombstone” stands out as an exceptional story that deserves its nearly unanimous acclaim as a masterpiece and a timeless classic.
Tombstone Covers the Most Famous Moments of Wyatt Earp’s Life
With the same impact as when it was first released, “Tombstone” showcases Arizona’s breathtaking natural landscapes in stark contrast to the lawlessness of its inhabitants. This isn’t a traditional biography, but rather a tale that revolves around the one-last-job motif. The character Earp (played by Kurt Russell) is seeking a peaceful retirement, but his quiet life is disrupted by outlaws.
The story unfolds in 1879 as a ruthless bandit group called “The Cowboys,” led by “Curly Bill” Brocius, disrupt a wedding celebration in a Mexican town. In retaliation for the deaths of two of their comrades, they brutally slay all other law enforcement officers. As they prepare to execute a priest, he foretells their impending judgment day for their wicked deeds and mentions the biblical Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse. This is when Wyatt Earp enters the scene.
After retiring, Earp along with his brothers Virgil and Morgan, decide to move to Tombstone for a peaceful life. In this town, they encounter Earp’s old friend Doc Holliday (portrayed by Val Kilmer), who is seeking the same town for its dry climate, beneficial for his tuberculosis treatment. However, trouble brews as a group of ruthless cowboys known as The Cowboys start killing anyone who doesn’t comply with their whims. This escalates to a chaotic state leading to a shootout at the O.K. Corral, where Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers are fatally wounded.
Immediate reprisal ensues after the gunfire incident. Morgan meets his end, and Virgil is injured severely, leaving him disabled. Defeated, Earp and his kin depart from Tombstone on a train, but the outlaws persist in their pursuit. He manages to handle his pursuers effectively before assembling a new group, including Doc. Later on, Earp kills Curly Bill, but Johnny Ringo assumes control of The Cowboys as the new leader.
It’s fortunate that despite Doc’s deteriorating health, he has developed an extraordinary calmness and strength. He overcomes situations that would overwhelm most healthy people, and remarkably, he manages to eliminate Ringo on his own. In the end, the movie concludes with Doc being admitted to a Colorado sanatorium, where eventually, his illness takes him away.
Tombstone Mostly Sticks to the Facts
Tombstone, arguably the top Western movie from the ’90s, represents the creative zenith for one of Hollywood’s most inspiring collaborations – Director George P. Cosmatos (renowned for Rambo First Blood: Part II and Cobra) and screenwriter Kevin Jarre. This duo takes some creative license, but unlike other studio versions of the story, they remain faithful to actual events, creating an insightful and gripping depiction of the real-life O.K. Corral shootout. They also weave in numerous compelling human stories that occurred before or after this confrontation.
A significant portion of the dialogue, such as when Doc Holiday says “You’re a daisy if you do,” is drawn directly from real newspaper articles. Other aspects also stand out, like the scene where Bill misses Earp an astonishing three times at point-blank range before Earp retaliates with a shotgun blast.
Without a doubt, one of the film’s most thrilling scenes is when Wyatt Earp courageously rushes into Curly Bill’s gunfire. It seems almost impossible that such shots wouldn’t hit their mark, given they were fired by a notorious outlaw. But this isn’t just cinematic embellishment; in the true account, Johnny Barnes, a member of The Cowboys, survived the shootout for a brief period before succumbing to his injuries while seeking treatment in a nearby farmhouse. Before he passed away, Barnes recounted the extraordinary event that was Wyatt Earp’s miraculous act.
1) In a striking similarity to the accounts given during the trials, the gunfight at the O.K. Corral unfolded just as stated. Moreover, it’s widely known that the Clantons and McLaurys held a lethal grudge against Earp and his associates.
In the DVD commentary of the film, it’s revealed that director George P. Cosmatos went the extra mile to ensure authenticity by creating props, costumes, and sets himself. Furthermore, all the mustaches were genuine except for Jon Tenney’s Sheriff Behan, who had shaved for another production previously, necessitating him to wear a false mustache.
In a captivating portrayal that seemed to mirror his true self, Val Kilmer meticulously honed a soft Southern drawl for several months to authentically embody the character of Doc, making his performance both mesmerizingly intense and somewhat chilling.
Why Tombstone is the Best Wyatt Earp Movie
Six months following the debut of Tombstone, another portrayal of Wyatt Earp, this time featuring Kevin Costner, made its way to screens. However, both fans and critics were unimpressed by this more recent take on the story.
The film, lasting more than three hours, faced criticism for its excessive length and lack of meaningful content. As a result, it struggled at the box office and was frequently included in “worst films of the year” rankings. Interestingly, even Costner, who is usually praised, received a Razzie nomination for his performance.
Wyatt Earp wasn’t the only movie about Wyatt Earp that Tombstone overshadowed; even movies like My Darling Clementine ranked lower on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. This includes the 1923 film Wild Bill Hickok, which was made while Wyatt Earp was still alive, and paved the way for numerous other similar films to be produced.
Arguments can thus be made about My Darling Clementine being the better movie because critics loved it more. However, Tombstone still beats it in the most important area: accuracy. My Darling Clementine is adapted from the biography Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal by Stuart Lake (written in collaboration with Earp himself), as were a few other movies about the lawman. According to History.com, most authors and researchers haven’t found any proof of the stories documented in the biography. It is now considered imaginative, and the consensus is that Earp cooked up stories to make himself look cooler than he was.
Given these circumstances, the crown for the best Wyatt Earp movie goes to Tombstone.
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2024-09-02 00:01