13 Best Westerns About Wyatt Earp Ranked

Publish date: 2024-05-07

Of all the classic Western takes on Earp's story, this remains the least well-known and the least regarded. In the fourth edition of his published film guide, British critic Leslie Halliwell describes the film as a "lacklustre low-budget version of a famous story." That's about all you can find in terms of reviews, old or new. Despite surely thrilling audiences back when Westerns were approaching their peak, the film sits in the shadow of more memorable retellings. For example, John Ford's "My Darling Clementine," considered an all-time classic, would come out just four years later.

The film, aptly titled after the organized town's motto, feels more interested in Tombstone as an ensemble rather than the setting for Earp's life story. The state of Arizona itself narrates the beginning (not kidding) and, at one point, Earp and town newcomer Johnny Duane go around collecting taxes. It's not exactly thrilling. However, if William McGann's Western is fondly remembered for one thing, it's Richard Dix as Wyatt Earp. The star well embodies Earp's calm demeanor and sense of justice, perhaps because he was advised by a personal friend of Earp, Frederick Gildart, who happened to be the film's technical advisor, according to TCM.

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