Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Kurt Russell | ... | Wyatt Earp | |
Val Kilmer | ... | Doc Holliday | |
Sam Elliott | ... | Virgil Earp | |
Bill Paxton | ... | Morgan Earp | |
Powers Boothe | ... | Curly Bill Brocius | |
Michael Biehn | ... | Johnny Ringo | |
Charlton Heston | ... | Henry Hooker | |
Jason Priestley | ... | Billy Breckinridge | |
Jon Tenney | ... | Behan | |
Stephen Lang | ... | Ike Clanton | |
Thomas Haden Church | ... | Billy Clanton | |
Dana Delany | ... | Josephine Marcus | |
Paula Malcomson | ... | Allie Earp | |
Lisa Collins | ... | Louisa Earp | |
Dana Wheeler-Nicholson | ... | Mattie Earp |
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>
I wont review the film here as it has all been said before. I did want to praise Val Kilmer's portrayal of "Doc" Holiday. Throughout the entire film, his acting and character embellishments are so nuanced and well done that by movies end, we feel his loss in a very personal way. Credit must also go out the the costumers and make-up artists for their contribution to the overall effect of his role. All the way through the film, he looks sickly, pale and world-weary. His mannerisms and intensity of gaze profoundly establish this character as a focal point in this production. But as for what I started this off with, I consider this role as probably the very best for Val Kilmer. It required subtlety and careful restraint and made the viewer believe that we weren't watching an actor merely regurgitating lines and hitting their foot-marks. I, for one, was entranced by the carefully studied body language and facial expressions...the sweaty desperation of a man who sensed his own mortality but strove to enact his own justice for justices sake. This was just very well done!