You Gunna Skin That Smoke Wagon, Er Just Stand There And Bleed?

Johnny Ringo: It's quoted in the bible, Revelations: Behold the pale horse. The man who sat on him was death, and Hell followed with him.

Tombstone 1993

Directed by George Cosmatos

Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp
Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday
Sam Elliott as Virgil Earp
Bill Paxton as Morgan Earp
Powers Boothe as Curly Bill Brocious
Michael Biehn as Johnny Ringo
Charlton Heston as Henry Hooker
Stephen Lang as Ike Clanton
Billy Bob Thornton as Johnny Tyler
Dana Delany as Josephine Marcus

Storyline / Plot

After retiring as the Sheriff of Dodge City, Wyatt Earp and his brothers decided to move to Tombstone, Arizona. There was money to make in the small booming town. There had been several gold and silver strikes in the area. The booming wild west town had all sorts of criminal elements as well as a powerful and lawless gang that are called, The Cowboys. The cowboys are a group of thugs that are lead by Curly Bill Brocious and Johnny Ringo.

The cowboys intimidated all the local law authorities. The pressure continued to mount on the Earps to hold a law office and carry a badge. Wyatt had made it clear to all involved that he was retired from law enforcement and wanted nothing to do with it. In the mean time an old friend of the family rides into town, Doc Holliday. Doc Holliday is a precarious character. He is very educated and intelligent. He was a Dentist but was forced to leave the trade because he had been infected with Tuberculosis. His health is bad but his guns deadly and his wit just as fast.

With the Earps going into business for themselves, it was just a matter of time before they start butting heads with the cowboys. The eldest of the Earp brothers gets fed up with the lawlessness of Tombstone and the cowboys. Virgil, along with his youngest brother Morgan, accept the job as Sheriff and Sheriff’s deputy. Some of the cowboys were particularly obnoxious and Ike Clanton is one of these cowboys. The problems start when Doc continually beats the cowboys at the card tables. Clanton accuses Doc of being a cheat; Holliday mocks Ike and challenges him to a spelling contest. Of course the Earps back Doc and tell Clanton to go home and sleep it off.

Clanton accuses the Earps of being Holliday’s pimps and says that they will pay with blood by days end. By the days end, the Clantons threat started to materialize. Wyatt had been dealing cards at the Faro table and was not yet a sheriff’s deputy. The cowboys, Clantons and McLaurys started to gather at the OK Coral. Word spread around Tombstonelike a wildfire that the cowboys and the Earps were going to have a showdown. Wyatt was deputized and Doc came along as a family friend. The four men headed for the OK Coral to confront the cowboys…


Conclusion

In my opinion, Tombstone was one of the best western films ever made. There are several reasons that I believe this. First off, Val Kilmer’s acting in Tombstone is some of the finest acting that I have ever seen. It is my belief that Kilmer should have won an Oscar for his brilliant performance. Kurt Russell’s performance was also outstanding. Russell played a very convincing Wyatt Earp. The supporting cast was as good as it gets. I wouldn’t expect anything less from high caliber actors like, Heston, Elliott, Paxton, Booth and Billy Bob Thornton. The entire cast and the acting in this film qualify the movie as a masterpiece.

The score, scenery and cinematography were all standard. The narrating at the beginning and the end of the film by Robert Mitchum is a nice touch. Director, George Cosmatos has done a good job with directing Tombstone. The plot is a good mixture of gunplay and romance. The film has something for everyone. This was an excellent mix of fact and fiction. The film generally follows what took place during those fateful days in 1881. If you enjoy a good western, or Val Kilmer, don‘t miss Tombstone. I give this film five of five stars.

Quotes from Tombstone

Wyatt Earp: How are you?
Doc Holliday: I'm dying, how are you?

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► Top Ten Westerns
► The Gunfight at OK Corral

RUNTIME 2 hours 10 minutes
Rated: [R] For violence / language

Thanks for the read,
~Mac

©2004 Joe McMaster