KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

weezeralfalfa Much has been written about the significance of the near total disregard for historical facts in this John Ford movie about the stay of the Earps and Doc Holiday in Tombstone, AZ. Some think it a very significant negative in the overall judgement of the film, while others think historical accuracy is a minor consideration in the making of an entertaining film. I say, if you're going to falsify many historical facts, you should also falsify the names and locations of the historical personages and location. "Powder River" and "Dawn at Socorro" are good examples(see my reviews). An alternative would be to title the film as "The legend of ........", as I did in my review title, to indicate that the screenplay may sometimes deviate strongly from history. In this case, I believe this would have been the best choice. I had previously reviewed the semi-western "Rage at Dawn". In the beginning, we see the message that "This is the true story of the Reno Brothers". Well, checking out the facts, I learned that they got most major details wrong! So, I downgraded the film for that reason. In the present film, there is no such claim of authenticity. Nonetheless, the audience should demand a reasonable degree of authenticity be presented, unless the title or a written message at the beginning indicates that this is not true by saying "The legend of ........" .......This film, as are most westerns, is about the conflict of good and evil, both for men and women. The Earps represent the coming of law and order to a Wild West town. Clementine Carter is the formulistic 'good' girl, while Linda, Darnell, as Chihuahua, is the 'bad' girl. In her ambition to become a schoolteacher, Clementine represents a potential civilizing force. Chihuahua, as the epitome of the saloon girl, represents the corrupting female version of the Wild West. Yet another indication of the creep of civilization into this town is the building of a church. Of course, the Clayton family represents the lawlessness of the Wild West. So, where does Doc Holiday fit into this scheme of things. He's an educated Easterner: a doctor. He can sometimes quote Shakespeare. He fought with the Earps against the Claytons. But he is also part of the wildness of this town: a gambler, a bully, a gunslinger, a sometimes enemy of the Earps' law and order philosophy. He probably fought the Claytons only because one had killed his current girl friend : Chihuahua. He demanded that Clementine leave town, because she represented his civilized past. The main characters who represent the Wild West all die by the last scene. This includes Doc and Chihuahua, and symbolizes the gradual dying of the Wild West. Most of the civilizing characters survive, with the exception of 2 of the Earp brothers, who remind us that stamping out evil often requires the sacrifice of some good people.......Most of the actors were well chosen for their role. This includes Henry Fonda as laconic Wyatt, Victor Mature as ailing Doc, Walter Brennan, as crusty Old Man Clayton, Linda Darnell, as a fetching saloon girl, and Cathy Downs as the appropriately bland, prim, Clementine. Clementine and Wyatt had developed somewhat of a romantic attachment by film's end, but he clearly wasn't ready to settle down to family life, just yet, and perhaps felt intimidated by her Eastern pedigree. See it at YouTube.

mariners-69744 We live in a time where the artistic, marketing, and financial forces behind Hollywood are all dominated by children of the suburbs. These products of safe and homogenized communities have all the angst of a chick-let.Nothing in this movie is redundant...clichéd...or driven by on screen or directorial ego. It took Me many many years to finally appreciate the genius of sparsity conveyed by Ford and Fonda. Less is truly more.Today, Michael Bay would turn it into a special effects epic where the best line would be "Never mess with an Earp"....likely uttered by Marky Mark.It took Me many years to appreciate this film. I am thankful that I lived long enough to do so.

Mike_Yike This is probably my second favorite western behind Shane and is probably in my top 25 or so overall. It has a very interesting folksy, nostalgic feel to it due largely to the cast and the black and white photography that makes the film look almost like 1880s still photos put in motion, especially the indoor scenes. The outdoor scenery is Monument Valley which is about the entire length of the state of Arizona away from the legendary town of Tombstone, but it is a whole lot more scenic than the landscape around that town, take it from someone who has been to both locations.Henry Fonda makes for a good Wyatt Earp and Walter Brennan does a fine job as the cruel elder Clanton. Victor Mature did only a fair job portraying Doc Holiday. Every time I see the movie I become a bit smitten by Clementine, i.e., actress Cathy Downs.As a side note; the movie is not exactly historically accurate, which I guess should be no surprise. For example; Contrary to what the film suggests, Doc Holiday was a dentist, not a surgeon. Morgan Earp, played by Ward Bond, survived the shootout at the O.K Corral, but did not leave Tombstone, as shown in the movie, but was shot six months later.It's not the first movie to askew accuracy for entertainment.

Richard Dominguez As Most Film Critics Agree, So Do I "My Darling Clementine" Is The Best Western Ever Made ... The Director John Ford As A Kid Worked At 20th Century And Wyatt Earp Would Stop By The Studio To Visit Friends ... Wyatt Would Tell John All About The Circumstances Around The Shoot Out At The OK Corral ... Making The Story Historically Accurate ... Henry Fonda, Victor Mature, Walter Brennen, Linda Darnell Make Their Performances A Stella Gathering ... It Won National Board of Review, USA 1946 (And Is Still In That Top 10) ... National Film Preservation Board, USA 1991 ... And Won Best Foreign Film By The Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists 1948 ... Well Scripted With Excellent Direction John Ford Became A House Hold Name With This Film ... Truly A Western Classic Often Imitated But Will Never Be Duplicated