My Darling Clementine
This 1946 classic directed by John Ford, starred Henry Fonda (Wyatt Earp) and Victor Mature (Doc Holiday). The screen play is based on a dime novel ‘biography’ by Stuart Lake, Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal. Hollywood gets its hands on a fictional work and out comes a screen play casually related to historical events by a few common characters. Critics loved it.
The Earp brothers Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan and James drive a herd of cattle through Arizona bound for California. They camp near Tombstone. The three older brothers ride into town leaving young James to mind the herd. The brothers return to find James dead, the herd stolen.
Wyatt takes the marshal’s job in Tombstone determined to avenge James’ death. There he confronts a troublesome Doc Holiday and members of the Clanton gang. Doc’s long lost lover, Clementine Carter hit’s town. Doc’s current love, Chihuahua takes hot tempered exception. Doc doesn’t want Clem back and leaves town when she won’t. Angry Doc has run off, Chihuahua gets into a cat fight with Clem. Wyatt breaks it up. He notices Chihuahua wears a silver cross taken from James body. A vengeful Chihuahua claims Doc gave it to her.
Wyatt chases down Doc and confronts him. Doc draws. Wyatt shoots the gun out of his hand (cringe). They return to Tombstone, where Chihuahua admits she got the cross from Billy Clanton. Billy shoots Chihuahua through the saloon window and rides off. Wyatt sends Virgil after Billy who heads for home and dies. Old man Clanton shoots Virgil in the back. The Clantons ride into Tombstone, dump Virgil’s body in the street and send word to the Earps, they’ll be at the O.K. Corral. All the Clantons get killed along with Doc in the film.
Critics regard My Darling Clementine as one of John Ford best films. Henry Fonda considered it one of his best performances. It was legendary director Sam Peckinpah’s favorite western. It has its place in Library of Congress National Film Registry. You know there’s a ‘but’ coming.
With all the drama and depth of character in the actual historical events, why scramble the eggs with a Lake based script? We know the real story. To me, this one is a swing and a miss.
Next Week: Fort Apache
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Ride easy,
Paul
The Earp brothers Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan and James drive a herd of cattle through Arizona bound for California. They camp near Tombstone. The three older brothers ride into town leaving young James to mind the herd. The brothers return to find James dead, the herd stolen.
Wyatt takes the marshal’s job in Tombstone determined to avenge James’ death. There he confronts a troublesome Doc Holiday and members of the Clanton gang. Doc’s long lost lover, Clementine Carter hit’s town. Doc’s current love, Chihuahua takes hot tempered exception. Doc doesn’t want Clem back and leaves town when she won’t. Angry Doc has run off, Chihuahua gets into a cat fight with Clem. Wyatt breaks it up. He notices Chihuahua wears a silver cross taken from James body. A vengeful Chihuahua claims Doc gave it to her.
Wyatt chases down Doc and confronts him. Doc draws. Wyatt shoots the gun out of his hand (cringe). They return to Tombstone, where Chihuahua admits she got the cross from Billy Clanton. Billy shoots Chihuahua through the saloon window and rides off. Wyatt sends Virgil after Billy who heads for home and dies. Old man Clanton shoots Virgil in the back. The Clantons ride into Tombstone, dump Virgil’s body in the street and send word to the Earps, they’ll be at the O.K. Corral. All the Clantons get killed along with Doc in the film.
Critics regard My Darling Clementine as one of John Ford best films. Henry Fonda considered it one of his best performances. It was legendary director Sam Peckinpah’s favorite western. It has its place in Library of Congress National Film Registry. You know there’s a ‘but’ coming.
With all the drama and depth of character in the actual historical events, why scramble the eggs with a Lake based script? We know the real story. To me, this one is a swing and a miss.
Next Week: Fort Apache
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
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by
Jean
(new)
Aug 30, 2020 09:44PM
There is an anecdote to the scene where Fonda sits in a chair with his feet propped up against a post. He then exchanges one foot to the other on the post. It was not in the script, Fonda was just playing around, but Ford loved it and included it in the picture. For sure the movie is historically wrong, but it is a great film anyway.
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