Tombstone (1993) - One Of The Last Real Westerns

by Christian
(Pennsuaken)

Justice Is Coming

What can only be hailed as the last pure blooded western film in cinema is Tombstone. Tombstone at a glance may look like yet again another boring rendition of the shootout at the OK Coral but lends itself in so many other areas to a classic and timeless tale about people. It’s very much like the westerns of old, the silver age of cinema with movies like Shane that are about people (the main characters) and their relationships with other characters.


With an all-star cast of some notable actors and actresses, Tombstone sees the likes of Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp, Val Kilmer as the posh Doc Holiday in a performance one can never forget, Sam Elliot as Virgil Earp, Bill Paxton as Morgan Earp, Powers Boothe as Curly Bill Brocius, Michael Biehn as Johnny Ringo with a portrayal that rivals Val Kilmer’s Doc, with Dana Delany as the sexy and charming Josephine Marcus and finally a special appearance by the late Charlton Heston as Henry Hooker. It’s this cast along with the tightest and most thoughtful dialogue. At some points you laugh with these characters and others you want to share in their pain.


The plot is fairly simple; the Earp boys meet up after years of living their separate lives. Each one has been married and they decide to move out to Tombstone, city of the boomtowns to begin a new life together. Also in an act of desperation to cure his Tuberculosis, Doc Holiday ventures out for some dry air. They all meet up in Tombstone which is full of corrupt officials, mousey law enforcement and of course the wild cowboys!


Wyatt is torn between his desire to give up being a peace officer and backing his brother’s play as Virgil becomes the Tombstone Sherriff to try and put some law and order back into things in the desert town. As one thing leads to another, war escalates between the cowboys and the Earp brothers. Of course as per the movie title, the shootout happens and it’s very realistic. Contrary to the name of the story, the fight happened in front of a Tombstone photo studio. But OK Coral sounds so much better than photo place.
When the cowboys retaliate against the death of their ilk, they jump on the Earp boys! A brilliant death scene by Bill Paxton.


This is where, Wyatt leads a gang of deputies across the west taking down one cowboy at a time. This is how the pacing in this film is incredible. Just as part of the film seems as if it’s about to drag something comes along and shifts gears. A film with as much driven acting as it has storytelling and solid writing. I choke up every time Doc Holiday gives the speech regarding his friendship with Wyatt Earp, even on his death bed he proclaims that man as his only friend and even stands up to fight for him while at death’s door.


The phrase, “I’m your Huckleberry.” still echoes in my mind every time Holiday emerges from the shadows to face down with Johnny Ringo. This scene right here sums up this film and what it truly is about, family and friendships. The relationship Wyatt has with his brothers, the friendship he has with Doc Holiday, how even though he doesn’t want to do it, Wyatt hunts down the cowboys for his family, Doc at his side cause of friendship.


After all that’s what real westerns were about, people and relationships which just happen to be set along the backdrop of the Wild West. If anything, Tombstone hailed the end of a cinematic era and most worth anyone’s time who enjoys this genre of film.