First, morgan and virgil were not shot on the same. When wyatt arrived in tombstone, he did become part owner of the oriental saloon as depicted in the film, but he also worked as a shotgun guard for wells fargo, which is omitted in the film. It is here that we meet wyatt earp, former buffalo hunter and entrepreneur. More than 40 actors have portrayed wyatt earp, but few have even slightly resembled him. God knows how such a small, sickley man could handle the vicious recoil of such a gun. It was one of the first movies to elevate wyatt earp to mythical status and helped establish the legend of the gunfight at the o. If you look at the actress feet, you will see she is riding sidesaddle a very difficult feat considering the riding they do. Big nose kate, is an indication of the films interest in historical accuracy.
Wyatt earp and his brothers were never cattle drivers. Wyatt earps cousin, wyatt earp, appeared in the movie as billy claiborne. Wyatt earp, now an icon in western history, fiction and film, came late to that position. Why tombstone and wyatt earp were released six months apart twenty years ago. Wyatt earp is on target historically, but forces its hand emotionally by kenneth turan june 24, 1994. In the movie we see wyatt earp and his group finally catch up to the cowboys and curly bill by the river. He is joined by some friends among whom are bat masterson and doc holliday. Wyatt earp vs tombstone an unfair comparison i have just watched back to back these two movies and ranked both an 8. Marshal when he arrived in tombstone, while wyatt had little, if any, legal authority. The 10 best movies about wyatt earp and doc holliday taste. The film, of course, focuses largely on earps western exploits. When wyatt earp and the actress, whom he marries later in the movie, meet on horseback, they go on a fast paced ride that concludes after going down a steep hill. Costner portrayed earp with a dedication to historical accuracy.
For the most part i believe it to be a respectable movie containing a powerful. Wyatt berry stapp earp was born on march 19, 1848, the fourth child of nicholas porter earp and his second wife, virginia ann cooksey. It is in tombstone where earp and his brothers participated in the gunfight at ok corral. We both enjoyed it a lot, even though it was on the lengthy side about 3 hrs, i think. Wyatt earp plays as if they took tombstone and pumped it full of hot air. In all the other movies about wyatt earp theres never mention of this organized crime gang called the cowboys, red sashes, and wyatt earp chasing them all down and killing them one by one. He was born as wyatt berry stapp earp to his parents nicholas porter earp and ann cooksey. Wyatt earp 1994 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Wyatt earp bio, fact married, affair, salary, net worth. Kevin costner, dennis quaid, gene hackman etal made me feel that their movie was closer to history and also brought pride in their perceived honor.
Wyatt earp is a 1994 american biographical western film directed, produced, and cowritten by lawrence kasdan, with dan gordon. With val kilmer, shawn roberts, daniel booko, matt dallas. Wyatt did marry josephine marcus in later life and they moved to hollywood where earp became friends with early cowboy actors. James earp, whos murdered at the beginning of the movie while still in his teens, actually lived to be 84. Wyatt earp 1994 cast and crew the epic biography of western lawman wyatt earp, who at an early age, is taught that nothing matters more than family and the law. The lawrence kasdandirected wyatt earp boasted a similarly impressive cast, including. All of this being said, i think wyatt earp with kevin costner, alongside tombstone with kurt russell, are the two classics and pure fun movies when it comes to trying to capture the legend of wyatt earp. During shooting, mitchum fell from his horse and was relegated to voiceonly in the movie. And much of the movie centers on earps time in tombstone, arizona. Robert mitchum provides narration for the film, but he was meant to be old man clanton.
Its a rambling, unfocused biography of wyatt earp kevin costner, starting when hes a kid and following his development from an awkward wouldbe lawyer into a slick gunslinger. Wyatt earp 1994 movie clip revenge of wyatt earp youtube. And this particular movie, because it is more historically accurate in terms of wyatt s character, puts it right alongside of the very best. Corral, since wyatt earp shared his memories with friend and director john ford. This actionpacked western portrays the legendary feud between the earps and the clantons. He did not learn of hollidays death until seven years later. Western fans how accurate is tombstone doc holliday. The 10 best movies about wyatt earp and doc holliday page 2. Why tombstone and wyatt earp were released six months. Well i guess the answer really depends on your personnel taste in movies. My wife picked up the dvd movie wyatt earp 1994 kevin costner, dennis quaid, gene hackman and we watched it yesterday evening. Story of a young wyatt earp before he became a lawman. If you like the more dramatic western and have no problem with an epic runtime, then costner and cos biopic maybe the one for you.
Many feel that she seduced wyatt, leading wyatt s wife of the time, mattie blaylock earp, to commit suicide. Wyatt spent time on the movie sets and must have been intrigued by all the money being made on these fake stories, which may have influenced his storytelling later on. Hard to find very much fault with either performance. Hugh obrian on the historical accuracy of wyatt earp. The absolute best historically accurate westerns true west. Sep 29, 2015 well, wyatt earp had a great story, but nobody in tinseltown seemed to want it, or see the potential, not even his actor buddies william s. Jan 29, 2018 marshal wyatt earp kevin costner and his posse track down the men who killed his brother.
Wyatt earp was a famous american gambler, a deputy sheriff in prima country, and a deputy town marshal in arizona territory who was born in the late 1840s in warren country, illinois, united states. Wyatt earp is an old west lawman who became immortalized after the firefight at the o. So, in choosing the absolute best historically accurate westerns. Directed by lawrence kasdan, this epic version of the legendary western sheriffgunslingers life story stars kevin costner as earp, who lived from 1848 to 1929.
Wyatt earp was not the type to dance in the snow and was indeed a cold hearted sob. When someone important to him is killed he sets out to find the one responsible. Jan 22, 2018 logically, 1946s my darling clementine should be the most accurate telling of the gunfight behind the o. In the battle of the western biopics, does tombstone or wyatt earp emerge victorious. Fans still ask which is the better of the two accounts of wyatt earp s life that were strangely released around the same time.
Wyatt earp internet movie firearms database guns in. The young wyatt earp at age 21, taken about 1869, probably in lamar, missouri. Outnumbered but determined, wyatt earp, his brothers virgil and morgan and ally doc holliday confront and clearly get the best of the the cowboys gang in a violent shootout in the arizona town of tombstone. Wyatt still has the pistol in his belt when he takes ross gun and holster and straps them on. Wyatt earp is too long, too boring, too true, but in fact it is the only earp movie that.
I really love val kilmors potral of doc holliday, i never tire of seeing it. The movie shows us the good times and the bad times of one of the wests most famous individuals. Almost two decades ago, a film known as tombstone was produced, featuring a starstudded cast. Bill paxton played morgan earp and sam elliott as virgil. It has every sub plot you could want in youre average film and especially in a western. Reviews reel american history films list lehigh university. He then dramatically empties his shotgun into curly bill, and takes out a few other cowboys too. If youve been keeping a close eye on your anniversary dates for western movies. Talk about classing up a moviegene can always be counted on in that department.
Oct 21, 2019 tombstone and wyatt earp were two bigbudget western biopics released within six months of each other, but which movie is the best. They have a great cast on board also to establish this gang of ragger muffins. The 10 best movies about wyatt earp and doc holliday. Kurt russell as wyatt earp is just as good as costner and lancaster were. There are historical inaccuracies contained in the film depiction of the gunfight at o. It stars kevin costner in the title role as the lawman of the same name, and features an ensemble cast that includes gene hackman, mark harmon, michael madsen, bill pullman, dennis quaid, isabella rossellini, tom.
Its not as historically accurate as wyatt earp, but is the most exciting, and has better actors in the roles. The story was a nice story, although there were significant problems with some of the historical accuracy. I know this is years late, but i have always preferred wyatt earp, for acting, reasonable historical accuracy and overall story telling. For entertainment value, it may be the best film on the subject, but it aint history.
Wyatt earp 18481929 was a wild west frontiersmen best known for his participation in a notorious gunfight at the o. Mar 30, 2012 wyatt earp film still 3 earp staggers off into a downward spiral of drinking, fighting and crime. The undead earp is a fifthgeneration cousin of the tombstone sheriff. Unlike other wyatt earp movies this one begins most of them end with the gunfight at the o. The story of wyatt earp as he interacts and battles other famous figures of the. Wyatt earp myth busters the truth about three enduring earp legends. To exert control over this movies look, costner and director lawrence kasdan insisted that the outlaws in wyatt earp wear drab browns, like in. Historically, josephine marcus, delanys character, is reputed as a showbiz tramp. My darling clementine film by ford 1946 britannica. Now tombstone is a film that i would call the last great western of its genre so far. When wyatt is confronted by ed ross in the bar after refereeing the boxing match toward the beginning of the movie, he has a pistol in his belt when throws the cue ball at ross. In actuality he gave the best rendition of the real wyatt earp and his life. In wyatt earp, gene hackman played wyatts father nicholas porter earp.
It involves many of the same characters and much of the same story, but little of the tension and drama. He is a local actor and producer of historic bio dramas that are centered around the. Jul 07, 2011 in wyatt earp, the movie follows earps life from his time as a child to adulthood. Apr 08, 2020 my darling clementine, american western film, released in 1946, that is considered a classic of the genre. Historical inaccuracies aside, my darling clementine is a. Ok, i did a search first, but didnt find the info im looking for. But if you see something that doesnt look right, click here to contact us. Corral, according to wyatt earp s testimony, he was given a shotgun by virgil and wyatt earp to carry down to the corral in hopes of intimidating the cowboys and avoiding a fight. As stated in the title this wyatt earp movie does not take place in the infamous tombstone, arizona but in wichita, kansas, another lawless town of the wild west. While, again, this has been dressed up for the screen, it is true that he was arrested for. The dreaded buscadero sinks costners wyatt earp true west. He was named after his fathers commanding officer in the mexicanamerican war, captain wyatt berry stapp, of the 2th company illinois mounted volunteers.
Wyatt takes a risk by wading into the river, and all the bullets fired at him miraculously miss. Wyatt earp is the great grand nephew of the historic figure from the american old west. In real life, doc holliday hated heavy shotguns and in the gunfight at the o. Impressive but uninviting, wyatt earp is easier to admire from a. Lawman wyatt earp and outlaw doc holliday form an unlikely alliance which culminates in their participation in the legendary gunfight at the o.
671 1290 402 930 606 1520 367 1258 1528 1127 1118 101 955 1176 971 454 784 435 481 486 338 315 297 303 1544 1177 924 218 889 3 68 1053 399 303 522 1242 135 559 148