In 1994, earps life was the subject of the movie wyatt earp, with kevin costner in the titular role, dennis quaid as doc holliday and gene hackman as nicholas earp. Then, mere months later, wyatt earp rode into movie. In the battle of the western biopics, does tombstone or wyatt earp emerge victorious. Wyatt earps general criticism is directed toward kasdan constructing a research project rather than entertainment. This early wyatt earp movie, based on stuart lakes book frontier. A 30second gunfight at the ok corral in 1881 propelled sometimelawman wyatt earp to legendary status as one of the wests toughest badges, but it wasnt until the early days of the clinton administration that two films both took aim at each other at high noon to tell the modern version of his story. 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. While, again, this has been dressed up for the screen, it is true that he was arrested for. The story of wyatt earp as he interacts and battles other famous figures of the wild west era.
Wyatt earp november 21, 2017 i think its possible i am the only person on the planet who had the privilege of visiting the movie set of tombstone, in june of 1993, and then the competing wyatt earp set, the day after thanksgiving of the same year. Dont even pay attention to the fact its three hours long, thats beside the point. Tombstone and wyatt earp were two bigbudget western biopics released within six months of each other, but which movie is the best. Wyatt still has the pistol in his belt when he takes ross gun and holster and straps them on. Its extremely well acted, engaging, and does a lot of things right in terms of being true to the real story. One of the most well known and for many years respected books about wyatt earp was the book i married wyatt earp, originally credited as a factual memoir by josephine marcus earp. Corral, since wyatt earp shared his memories with friend and director john ford. Many feel that she seduced wyatt, leading wyatts wife of the time, mattie blaylock earp, to commit suicide. Journalists and anthropologists to be the most accurate tombstone. Although you probably wouldnt want to write a collegelevel history paper based on the facts in this movie either.
Author casey terfertillers painstaking research in the life of the great lawman is impressive, leaves no stone unturned, and will give readers accurate information they might not have known about one of the wests. The only version of this story to actually be shot in arizona, tombstone breathes new life into the ofttold story of the showdown at the o. Corral happenings, although the truelife characters were never named frontier marshal 1939 starring randolph scott and wichita 1955 with joel mccrea also told the story to most modern cinemagoers, however, the corral incident and the confused. Is tombstone hollywoods most authentic western movie. Wyatt earp is too long, too boring, too true, but in fact it is the only earp movie that tries to do justice to time, place, and historical facts. Published in 1976, it was edited by amateur historian glenn boyer, 266. Wyatt earp was a prostituteloving con man and not the hero. Allowances have to be made for hollywood of course but i believe that its pretty close. 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.
Wyatt earp was a prostituteloving con man and not the. 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. The 10 best movies about wyatt earp and doc holliday. But when he and sally walk outside right after, the pistol that was in his belt is gone. In the summer of 1899, the sleepy fishing village of nome, close to the arctic circle, remote even by alaskan standards, became one of the most exciting places in the world. The details of the actual gunfight arent all that exciting, at least compared to what modern audiences usually expect in such films. Notable films include my darling clementine 1946, gunfight at the o.
Tombstone is an excellent film but its not the most authentic. I dont know much about the history of the wild west, but it seemed to have a feel of authenticity that. Wyatt earp is too long, too boring, too true, but in fact it is the only earp movie that tries. Regardless, many filmmakers have tried to present their subjects in historically accurate ways. Wyatt earp is an old west lawman who became immortalized after the firefight at the o. Mar 18, 2014 in the summer of 1899, the sleepy fishing village of nome, close to the arctic circle, remote even by alaskan standards, became one of the most exciting places in the world. Tefertiller is generally frank and objective, clearly not carried away by the mythologized portrait of mr. Descendants of josies halfsister rebecca allowed a southern california group in 199899 to erect the stone currently in place. The op is basically right that costners wyatt earp is the most historically accurate recounting of the gunfight at the ok corral as far as we can know.
Things like that bother me when seeing a supposedly historically accurate film. And this particular movie, because it is more historically accurate in terms of wyatts character, puts it right alongside of the very best. My question is, how historically accurate is this movie. The point is, all those so called critics are wrong when it comes to this film. Overlong and often slow, sometimes dour, this is nevertheless worth watching. 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.
Feb 05, 2011 which of these three films on wyatt earp and the o. In fact, some of the more unbelieveable scenes such as bill brosius. It is accurate where it shows the climactic battle between earp and the cochise county rustlers lead by curly bill brocius in iron springs also known as mescal springs on the 24 march 1882. Wyatt earp 18481929 was a wild west frontiersmen best known for his participation in a notorious gunfight at the o. Wyatt earp 1994 was literally upstaged by tombstone which came out six months earlier, i saw the premiere in tempe on december 20, 1993 and even though it had great promotion, wyatt earp was too late in the cycle and got beat up over the comparisons. Tom mclaury,frank mclaury and billy clanton were killed in the gunfight with 3 wounded on the earp side. Eh, im pretty skeptical about any wyatt earp films. It shows the most historically accurate version of this story, along with costners wyatt earp being the most accurate performance, ever. Its not as historically accurate as wyatt earp, but is the most exciting, and has better actors in the roles.
Dec 26, 2018 tombstone is an excellent film but its not the most authentic. Which movie is most accurate to the shootout at the o. I have seen both and imho wyatt earp is by far the superior film. In tombstone, arizona, wyatt got into a feud using an area rancher that resulted in the gunfight in the o. 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. Apr 17, 2020 in 1994, earp s life was the subject of the movie wyatt earp, with kevin costner in the titular role, dennis quaid as doc holliday and gene hackman as nicholas earp. Wyatt earp held the same opinion fast is fine but accuracy is final.
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. Itprovides the first complete and accurate look at wyatt earp scolorful career, and places into context the important role that heand his brothers played in crime and politics in the arizonaterritory. The absolute best historically accurate westerns when hollywood got it right. My friend doc holliday by wyatt earp the real booklet. The movie shows us the good times and the bad times of one of the wests most famous individuals. So, in choosing the absolute best historically accurate westerns. The famous booklet from the movie tombstone about wyatt earp and doc hollidays 19th century adventures and the earp vendetta during the days of frontier justice called my friend doc holliday, by wyatt earp and others, compiled and edited by doc holliday productions. What ive read in various places is that while the shootout at the ok corral is very accurate in tombstone, and some of the buildup and aftermath is very accurate, a lot of the other stuff isnt. However, the relationship with earp and doc holliday dennis quaid is still pretty strong and authentic.
Of all the films portraying the town of tombstone, arizona, the 1993 movie tombstone has been praised for being the most historically accurate. Wyatt earp is good, as is hour of the gun, but tombstone is the best, in my opinion. The film is not very accurate on historical facts a major change of history is that of. For entertainment value, it may be the best film on the subject, but it aint history. Dennis quaid is good as doc holiday but val kilmer will not be outdone. Wyatt earp is a 1994 american biographical western film directed, produced, and cowritten by lawrence kasdan, with dan gordon. Finally getting around to watching kevin costners wyatt earp it has taken a couple sittings to make it thru this movie.
The 10 best movies about wyatt earp and doc holliday taste of. Wyatt earp bio, fact married, affair, salary, net worth. Which of these three films on wyatt earp and the o. From doc holliday val kilmer funny and dry lines to wyatt earp kurt russel and the famous removal. Morgan earp is killed and virgil earp wounded on the same night in every single earp movie ever made. Most famously, brothers virgil michael madsen and morgan linden ashby were at his side at the o. For one thing, the famous gunfight didnt take place in the o. Mar 30, 2012 wyatt earp film still 3 earp staggers off into a downward spiral of drinking, fighting and crime. Not exactly a failure, wyatt earp is more accurately described as simply not the picture it wants so hard to be. Gold had been discovered on the shores of the bering sea the previous summer. If you thought you knew a little about wyatt earp that will all change after reading, wyatt earp. In every tombstone movie i have ever seen, wyatt and company are always visiting the birdcage theater.
Sitting through three hours and twenty minutes of facts is more than any. Aug 07, 2006 how historically accurate is the movie tombstone. Jun 29, 2011 a 30second gunfight at the ok corral in 1881 propelled sometimelawman wyatt earp to legendary status as one of the wests toughest badges, but it wasnt until the early days of the clinton administration that two films both took aim at each other at high noon to tell the modern version of his story. I know there are several serious nonfiction works about wyatt earp, but this is the one i happened on. Tom mclaury,frank mclaury and billy clanton were killed in the gunfight with 3 wounded on the earp side so. Unlike other wyatt earp movies this one begins most of them end. With kevin costner, dennis quaid, gene hackman, david andrews. Western fans how accurate is tombstone doc holliday. Jan 22, 2018 logically, 1946s my darling clementine should be the most accurate telling of the gunfight behind the o. The 10 best movies about wyatt earp and doc holliday page 2. That doesnt mean i dislike them, because i dont, its just that im skeptical. G it is true that 10 men were involved in the gunfight. Most historically accurate film about ok corral gunfight at. Bert lindley as the first wyatt earp on film, an incidental character in wild bill hickok 1923.
Roizman, the movie is overlong, stately, and too detailed for its own good. Jarres script was more of an ensemble piece, giving joint focus to characters like doc. Reviews reel american history films list lehigh university. Your choices may appear on our 100 greatest westerns list or may be other titles. All officers here who were associated with him declare that he is honest, and would have decided according to his belief in the face of an arsenal. 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 sizemore, jobeth williams, mare winningham and jim. After seeing tombstone and wyatt earp, and likingdespising aspects of both films, i decided to give a qualified historian a chance to tell me the story. What movies do you think most accurately reflect the historic old west.
We both enjoyed it a lot, even though it was on the lengthy side about 3 hrs, i think. Wyatt earp, in full wyatt berry stapp earp, born march 19, 1848, monmouth, illinois, u. In fact, some of the more unbelieveable scenes such as bill brosius missing wyatt three times from pointblank range before earp cuts him in half with a shotgun are actually documented. A major contribution to the history of the american west. Which is the most historically accurate western film, and why. Corral, possibly the most famous gunfight in american history. And this particular movie, because it is more historically accurate in terms of wyatt s character, puts it right alongside of the very best.
That was a remark that was overheard between those two by an eyewitness on oct 26, 1881. The covered wagon 1923 brigham young 1940 cimarron 1931 shane 1951 monte walsh 1970. Here, kevin costner portrays earp as a righteous vigilante in the 1994 film wyatt earp earp was, in fact, a con man involved in one of the biggest sports fixing scandals in american history. What movies most accurately reflect the historic old west. A fidgety nature shaped nicholas earp, a toughedged dad as well as. Josephine and wyatt earp were drawn to nome as one more place to seek their fortune. Wyatt earp s general criticism is directed toward kasdan constructing a research project rather than entertainment. My friend doc holliday by wyatt earp the real booklet from. That was a remark that was overheard between those two. Mar 15, 2020 wyatt earp, in full wyatt berry stapp earp, born march 19, 1848, monmouth, illinois, u. In that article, the gunfight was ended by a well placed shot to the head. Itprovides the first complete and accurate look at wyatt earpscolorful career, and places into context the important. True also that the weapons were largely unreliable and inaccurate in those days and many had problems of misfiring or exploding. There are many people saying the movie wyatt earp was more historically accurate than tombstone but i beg to differ, especially regarding the.
Cemetery officials reset the stone flush in concrete, but it was stolen again. The 10 best movies about wyatt earp and doc holliday taste. I dont have the energy to write out all of the innacur. Sitting through three hours and twenty minutes of facts is more. 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. Every so often, rival hollywood studios make films which cover similar. The absolute best historically accurate westerns true west. In fact, any movie that tells wyatt earps version of events is not accurate because his version is not accurate. Trouble was, it wasnt build until a year after the earps left town for good. Actor kevin costner, who played earp in the 1994 movie wyatt earp offered to buy a new, larger stone, but the marcus family thought his offer was selfserving and declined. Wyatt earp is on target historically, but forces its hand emotionally by kenneth turan june 24, 1994. My wife picked up the dvd movie wyatt earp 1994 kevin costner, dennis quaid, gene hackman and we watched it yesterday evening. The 10 best movies about wyatt earp and doc holliday 1.
Kevin costners film, wyatt earp is the most historically accurate. The most historically accurate retelling of wyatt earps story on film. But i agree with poster thbryn, why are we getting bogged down on this subject. I find some of the fight scenes and gun battles dull and at most major plot points in the movie i find myself thinking tombstone did it better. Law and order 1932, a film starring walter huston and harry carey, had blazed the earp screen trail with a brave version of the 0. Delany proves far too prudish to imply even more than a juniorhigh crush.
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