Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Leon Uris (writer)
George Scullin (article)

Release Date:

30 May 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Lawman Wyatt Earp and outlaw Doc Holliday form an unlikely alliance which culminates in their participation in the legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Plot Keywords:

Doc Holliday | Showdown | OK Corral | Gunfight | Blackjack

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Marshal Wyatt Earp
Kirk Douglas	...	Dr. John 'Doc' Holliday
Rhonda Fleming	...	Laura Denbow
Jo Van Fleet	...	Kate Fisher
John Ireland	...	Johnny Ringo
Lyle Bettger	...	Ike Clanton
Frank Faylen	...	Sheriff Cotton Wilson
Earl Holliman	...	Deputy Sheriff Charles 'Charlie' Bassett
Ted de Corsia	...	Shanghai Pierce - Cattleman
Dennis Hopper	...	Billy Clanton
Whit Bissell	...	John P. Clum - 'Tombstone Epitaph' Editor
George Mathews	...	John Shanssey - Griffin Saloonkeeper
John Hudson	...	Virgil Earp
DeForest Kelley	...	Morgan Earp
Martin Milner	...	James 'Jimmy' Earp
Kenneth Tobey	...	Bat Masterson
Lee Van Cleef	...	Ed Bailey
Joan Camden	...	Betty Earp - Virgil's Wife
Olive Carey	...	Mrs. Clanton
Brian G. Hutton	...	Rick (as Brian Hutton)
Nelson Leigh	...	Dodge City Mayor Kelly
Jack Elam	...	Tom McLowery
Don Castle	...	Drunk Cowboy in Longbranch Saloon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorothy Abbott	...	Girl (uncredited)
Tom Arnold	...	Barrel-Rolling Boy (uncredited)
William Bailey	...	(uncredited)
John Benson	...	Rig Driver (uncredited)
Frank Carter	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Roger Creed	...	Deputy / Killer / Townsman (uncredited)
James Davies	...	Card Player (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Gambling Extra in Saloon (uncredited)
Joseph Forte	...	Tombstone Card Player (uncredited)
Paul Gary	...	Killer (uncredited)
Frank Hagney	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Len Hendry	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Charles Herbert	...	Tommy Earp - Virgil's Son (uncredited)
Edward Ingram	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Anthony Jochim	...	Old Man (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Gamgling Croupier in Saloon (uncredited)
Ethan Laidlaw	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Morgan Lane	...	Killer (uncredited)
Gregg Martell	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
John Maxwell	...	Merchant at Dance (uncredited)
William Meigs	...	Wayne (uncredited)
Harry B. Mendoza	...	Frank Loving - Dealer (uncredited)
Walter Merrill	...	Mario - Dodge City Barber (uncredited)
Dennis Moore	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Max Power	...	Card Player (uncredited)
Richard Reeves	...	Pierce's Foreman (uncredited)
Lee Roberts	...	Finn Clanton (uncredited)
Bing Russell	...	Harry - Griffin Bartender (uncredited)
Court Shepard	...	Card Player (uncredited)
Mickey Simpson	...	Frank McLowery (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Man at Dance (uncredited)
Glenn Strange	...	Pierce Henchman in Saloon (uncredited)
Robert Swan	...	Shaugnessy Man (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Saloon Extra at Bar (uncredited)
Henry Wills	...	Alby (uncredited)
Trude Wyler	...	Social Hall Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
John Sturges

Writing credits
Leon Uris		(writer)
George Scullin		(article "The Killer")

Produced by
Joseph H. Hazen	....	executive producer
Paul Nathan	....	associate producer
Hal B. Wallis	....	producer (as Hal Wallis)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Charles Lang		(as Charles B. Lang Jr.)

Film Editing by
Warren Low		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Hal Pereira
Walter H. Tyler		(as Walter Tyler)

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Arthur Krams

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael D. Moore	....	assistant director
Gary Nelson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Winston H. Leverett	....	sound recordist (as Winston Leverett)
Harold Lewis	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Benson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lynn Borden	....	riding double: Rhonda Fleming/Jo Van Fleet (uncredited)
Roger Creed	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Gatlin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank Hagney	....	stunts (uncredited)
Henry Wills	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack N. Young	....	stunts (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Warren Low	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	conductor
Lucien Cailliet	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
John C. Hammell	....	music editor (uncredited)
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Michael Heindorf	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leonid Raab	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Taylor	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Richard Mueller	....	technicolor color consultant

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Les Films Paramount (1957) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount Film Service (1957) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1957) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1964) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• ClassicLine (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (1983) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Works Editora (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | West Germany:16 (nf) | Netherlands:6 | UK:A (original rating) (cut) | USA:Not Rated | Ireland:PG | UK:PG (1988) (video rating) | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | South Korea:12 (2006) | Finland:K-16 | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Agoura Ranch, Agoura, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Much of this film was shot at the famous "Old Tucson" facility, not far from the real Tombstone. However, its "town street" set was used surprisingly as Fort Griffin, Texas, in the opening reels, while later Tombstone street scenes were shot in southern California, on the same Paramount Ranch set that was later used as Virginia City, Nevada, on TV's "Bonanza" (1959).

Goofs:

Factual errors: John Behan was the sheriff of Cochise County at the time of the gunfight.

Quotes:

Dr. John 'Doc' Holliday: Want a gun hand?
Wyatt Earp: You? No, thanks.
Dr. John 'Doc' Holliday: I do handle them pretty well. The only trouble is, those best able to testify to my aim aren't around for comment.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Goof Troop: Gunfight at the Okie-Doke Corral (#1.65)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

The Fountain in the Park

Burt and Kirk Take on the Clantons!

'Gunfight at O.K. Corral' is one of the many films that have told the tale of the famous showdown between the Earps and the Clantons, but setting this version apart is the ideal casting of Burt Lancaster as the straight-shooting Marshal Wyatt Earp, and Kirk Douglas as the sardonic, dying gambler, Doc Holliday. As in all their pairings, there is a chemistry between them that makes even mundane scripts seem magical!

Lancaster, continuing his rule of alternating between heavy drama and action films, researched the historic Earp extensively, speaking to many who knew him, and his performance is restrained and assured. Douglas, on the other hand, fresh from playing Vincent Van Gogh in 'Lust for Life', knew he needed a splashy hit film, and played Doc Holliday as larger than life, swaggering, diseased, and charismatic. His portrayal is far closer in spirit to the interpretations of Holliday by Val Kilmer, in 'Tombstone', and Dennis Quaid, in 'Wyatt Earp', than Victor Mature, in John Ford's 'My Darling Clementine'.

The film, co-written by Leon Uris, author of 'Exodus', is a historically fanciful but very entertaining exploration of the friendship between Earp and Holliday, as the lawman moves from Dodge City to Tombstone, followed by the gambler, covering a 'blood debt', after Earp saves his life. The climax is, naturally, the infamous gun battle between the Earps (with Holliday) versus the Clanton family and their allies. While purists will quickly note that the shoot-'em-up presented is totally fabricated (watch 'Wyatt Earp' or 'Tombstone' if you want accuracy), it certainly is rousing!

Other aspects of the film to enjoy...Dimitri Tiompkin's magnificent musical score, highlighted by Frankie Laine's unforgettable performance of the title tune, throughout the film...Excellent supporting players, including Jo Van Fleet as Holliday's mistress, John Ireland as evil Johnny Ringo, a young Dennis Hopper as Billy Clanton, and Rhonda Fleming as the gambler girlfriend of Wyatt (based on Earp's actual wife, Josie)...Cameos by Kenneth Tobey as Bat Masterson, DeForest Kelley as Morgan Earp, Martin Milner as James Earp, and Frank Faylen as the corrupt sheriff.

The director, John Sturges, revisited the Earp saga some years later in 'Hour of the Gun', with James Garner as Earp, and Jason Robards as Holliday, but while the later film may be more correct, historically, 'Gunfight at the O.K. Corral' is a far more enjoyable film.

I strongly recommend it to any western fan!