The Wild West is Alive in Tombstone

I have long been a fan of Kurt Russell, from his days as an actor for Disney. I figured he couldn't help but make this a good movie. And it was a good movie. Though Val Kilmer nearly stole the show!

There were two movies that came out in 1993 that were based on Wyatt Earp and the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. Of the two (the other was the one with Kevin Costner--what was it called??), Tombstone was said to be the more historically accurate and entertaining of the two. I haven't seen that other one so can't comment on the accuracy of the statement. But I can comment on the historical accuracy of this one.

As I have done a fair amount of research on the old west and have written a number of articles about it, I have come across the Earps a time or two. While watching I also kept my Old West Encyclopedia close by to check the names. Nearly every character mentioned in the movie was a real person. The Oriental Saloon was a real place. The Bird Cage Theater was a real place and was actually quite famous. Having the real characters really adds interest for me because I enjoy imagining how it really was in those days and seeing if the director's and scriptwriter's ideas and mine come anywhere close.

This show picks up with Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell), his brothers Virgil and Morgan, and their wives giving up pursuing outlaws and heading to Tombstone to join the silver rush. They barely arrive, when Wyatt acquires a 25% ownership in a saloon. This is good--he'll need a grubstake while he mines for silver. Now we never see any mining going on or any other kind of work by the brothers, so the viewer has to presume that the ownership of the saloon is providing for them all.

Though Tombstone has a lawman and the county sheriff, the town is actually run by an outlaw gang from Texas called The Cowboys in the movie, the Clanton Gang in actuality. The town marshal tries to keep the peace but it is impossible, especially when the county sheriff turns a blind eye to them because they are "good for business." Though Earp swears his lawman days are done, the family gets sucked into the town's troubles.

The movie does not culminate at the O.K. Corral. It goes on to portray the rest of the Earps' lives and their families.

Kurt Russell does an outstanding job portraying Wyatt Earp. He has just the right look for someone who has lived a hard life and is tired of it. He even got the moustache right! He had just the right amount of toughness when it was needed. When Virgil gives in and puts on a star, Wyatt is quite upset that he has dragged the family back into law enforcement. You could almost believe they were actually brothers.

Val Kilmer plays probably the best role of his life as he plays Doc Holliday. Doc knew Wyatt when he was back in Dodge City. Not even knowing Earp's plans, he ends up in Tombstone too. Doc has long suffered from "consumption," and has been told the dry climate of Arizona will do him good. The real Doc Holliday was from the south and Kilmer does a wonderful job with his accent. Unlike Costner who can't hold an accent all the way through a movie, Kilmer has no trouble. His southern accent is very droll and at times exaggerated. It is amusing just listening to him talk. And he has some of the best lines in the show. My favorite is when the Earps and Doc are confronting some members of the gang in the street. Doc is already three sheets to the wind. Billy Clanton says "you're so drunk you can't hit nothing, you're probably seeing double." Kilmer drolls, "I got two guns, one for each of you."

The movie has plenty of action, mostly shoot-outs in the street. There are a couple of chase scenes. I don't know about you, but a chase scene on horseback is a lot more interesting to me than a chase scene in cars. The scene in the theater with all the drunken cowboys shooting up the place is interesting too, and probably exactly what happened in those days. You know you have to have a little romance here, especially since Wyatt had two wives. The first one dies, probably from opium addiction (laudanum). The movie ends with Earp hooking up with Josephine, the actress, which is just what happened in real-life. But because this is an action movie, I felt that kind of an ending was kind of blah, even though it was happily ever after.

I've always liked westerns and this one is no exception. I enjoy the action, the historical depiction, and the little bit of romance. I enjoy the camaraderie enjoyed between the Earps and Doc. I like the good guys winning. The good guys always seem just a little bit smarter than the bad guys. If you haven't seen it yet, you should. It commemorates one of the old west's most famous historical events.