A group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted.
A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who's awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw tries to psych out the rancher.
After success cleaning up Dodge City, Wyatt Earp moves to Tombstone, Arizona, and wishes to get rich in obscurity. He meets his brothers there, as well as his old friend Doc Holliday. A band of outlaws that call themselves The Cowboys are causing problems in the region with various acts of random violence, and inevitably come into confrontation with Holliday and the Earps, which leads to a shoot-out at the O.K. Corral.Written by
Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com>
The nocturne played by Doc Holliday is Frédéric Chopin's Nocturne in E minor, Op. 72, No. 1. See more »
Goofs
The amount of damage to the window panes after Ike Clanton breaks the window to shoot at the Earps during the OK Corral scene. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Narrator:
1879 - the Civil War is over, and the resulting economic explosion spurs the great migration west. Farmers, ranchers, prospectors, killers, and thieves seek their fortune. Cattle growers turn cow towns into armed camps, with murder rates higher than than those of modern day New York or Los Angeles. Out of this chaos comes legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, retiring his badge and gun to start a peaceful life for his family. Earp's friend, John, Doc Holliday, a southern gentlemen turned ...
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A "Vista Series" director's cut was released in February 2002. Just under five minutes of never-before-seen footage were restored. The most noticeable are:
a scene showing the depths of Mattie's addiction to laudanum and her jealousy over Josephine;
a somber soliloquy by Doc quoting Kublai Khan;
a scene explaining Kate's sudden disappearance from the film, with Doc stressing the importance of friendship;
a scene with McMasters and the Cowboys meeting one last time. A small scene showing the graphic result of that meeting has been re-inserted, with the line "They got McMasters!" being moved into this small insert.
It's funny, but I notice most of the prior comments are from guys, but speaking as a woman, this is by no means just a guy's flick. It's been one of my favorite films since the day it came out. It's got everything- drama, romance, action, and an honest to goodness story. There are even interesting themes, like the moral dilemma that Wyatt finds himself in-- Is he compelled to help fight the Cowboys even though he's "retired" and just wants to live out his life in peace? Is there a moral equivalence between killing for justice and killing for retribution? How far can a man go to sacrifice his own integrity and better judgment? Even though the Earps are the "good guys", the movie doesn't glamorize violence. Doc Holliday and some of the Earps' other sidekicks ("Creek Johnson" and "Texas Jack") are obviously pretty shady characters, but at the end of the day, are forced to choose between right and wrong, and they choose correctly. It doesn't get much better than Val Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday, and I can't for the life of me understand why he didn't get nominated for it. I also appreciate the fact that the love story between Wyatt and Josephine didn't dominate the film and take away from the real plot, ala "Titanic". The love story simply served its purpose in helping viewers to better understand the character of Wyatt. Also the friendship between Wyatt and Doc was portrayed tenderly but not wussily. And okay, as a woman, let me just say that there is no one sexier than Sam Elliot. Man alive, if there ever was a person born to portray a cowboy, that guy is IT. If you've never seen a Western, or are not a fan, try this movie. It will make a believer out of you.
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It's funny, but I notice most of the prior comments are from guys, but speaking as a woman, this is by no means just a guy's flick. It's been one of my favorite films since the day it came out. It's got everything- drama, romance, action, and an honest to goodness story. There are even interesting themes, like the moral dilemma that Wyatt finds himself in-- Is he compelled to help fight the Cowboys even though he's "retired" and just wants to live out his life in peace? Is there a moral equivalence between killing for justice and killing for retribution? How far can a man go to sacrifice his own integrity and better judgment? Even though the Earps are the "good guys", the movie doesn't glamorize violence. Doc Holliday and some of the Earps' other sidekicks ("Creek Johnson" and "Texas Jack") are obviously pretty shady characters, but at the end of the day, are forced to choose between right and wrong, and they choose correctly. It doesn't get much better than Val Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday, and I can't for the life of me understand why he didn't get nominated for it. I also appreciate the fact that the love story between Wyatt and Josephine didn't dominate the film and take away from the real plot, ala "Titanic". The love story simply served its purpose in helping viewers to better understand the character of Wyatt. Also the friendship between Wyatt and Doc was portrayed tenderly but not wussily. And okay, as a woman, let me just say that there is no one sexier than Sam Elliot. Man alive, if there ever was a person born to portray a cowboy, that guy is IT. If you've never seen a Western, or are not a fan, try this movie. It will make a believer out of you.