My Darling Clementine (1946)

Classic

This is one of the greatest westerns ever made. I've seen all the Earp movies and this is by far the best. August 28, 2008

...and her shoes were number nine...

My Darling Clementine (John Ford, 1946)

I have to admit that my review of My Darling Clementine is certain to be colored by my deep and abiding love for Tombstone, George Cosmatos' ponderous-yet-gripping telling of the same story (the lead-up to the shootout at the O.K. Corral). While I certainly enjoyed Clementine-- I have yet to run across a John Ford film I haven't enjoyed-- when I put it up against Tombstone, it seems pale and rushed.

You already know the story. Wyatt Earp (Henry Fonda) and his brothers, retired from the law business, are driving a herd of cattle into Tombstone, where they hope to set up shop as ranchers. Wyatt heads into town to do some business, leaving the herd outside town with his youngest brother (John Garner) standing guard. When he gets back, the herd is gone, his brother is dead, and the entire town know full well that the Clanton family, headed up by a sinister figure known only as the Old Man (Walter Brennan), are responsible. Meanwhile, in town, Wyatt finds out that while there's a legal system, the real power is Doc Holliday (Victor Mature), and so gravitates towards him as Wyatt plots his revenge, which has gone down in history as the Shootout at the O. K. Corral.

It's certainly not a bad film; the actors range from competent (Mature, who seems miscast but does the best he can with what he's got) to excellent (Fonda and Brennan, among others), and one can never fault John Ford's impeccable direction. Still, nothing about the movie feels quite right; again, I say that I'm probably comparing at, at least subconsciously, with Tombstone, which spends far more time on character development, especially where Doc Holliday is concerned; Victor Mature doesn't really have much to do in the film save provide a foil for Henry Fonda.

Not bad, but it's been done better. ***

August 19, 2008

NOT AS GOOD AS THOUGHT IT WOULD

This movie hit the theaters on December 3, 1946 starring Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp, Linda Darnell as Chihuahua, and Victor Mature as Doc Holiday. Earp is trying to cattle across country when they're cattle rustled during the night. Earp is forced to take a job as Marshall in the same town where the country rustlers live. I was interested in this movie when I saw it playing during an episode of Mash. I didn't care for this movie because there wasn't any drama to it. Sure, it was your typical Western with guns, horses, cattle and guns. However you new how it was going to end just 20 minutes into it. Therefore I give this movie just 1 weasel star and that's being nice in my book. July 4, 2008

Appalling

I am appalled at some of the reviews of this film. While it is a good, even very good western, it is a horrible re-enactment of what actually happened. There is absolutely no historical relevance to My Darling Clementine. While that may not be important to some, it is very important to me. I don't understand the necessity in making a western about an actual event and then go on to totally bastardize the topic of the film. Why on earth would I want to sit down with a good bowl of popcorn and be lied to? The story of Wyatt Earp is so interesting, so documented, so full of Americana, that there is no point in creating a story "around" the facts and calling it good.

This film is a travesty and stupid. While it is a good western, it is nothing else. If I were John Ford, I'd be ashamed. He has made so many "good" westerns, that it shouldn't be too much to ask to at least make one that is historically relevant and somewhat close to the truth. The only reason I chose to give this film three stars instead of one is that it is good story when one can remove it from fact. It offers nothing except entertainment, which isn't a bad thing. June 24, 2008

"When ya pull a gun, kill a man."

At the risk of getting ripped to shreds with the negative votes, I'll go ahead and state my personal opinion:

MY DARLING CLEMINTINE is a very good film, but it's not that great, I could easily name a dozen westerns that are better (THE SEARCHERS, THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE and STAGECOACH by Ford alone). My main problem, outside of the many historical inaccuracies and Ward Bond's role being too small, is Henry Fonda played the role too innocently. His performance here reminds me of the shy "Aw shucks." performance he turned in for THE LADY EVE which was great in that film, but here he's suppose to be a tough, experienced law man and instead of kicking [...] he spends most of his time walking around in slow motion, too nervous to even get it on with the tasty Cathy Downs. Who knows maybe Ford meant to make a tame, good-hearted western, but I would have preferred it a little grittier. Complaints aside this film is still worth owning, just look at this amazing cast: Henry Fonda, Walter Brennan, Linda Darnell, Ward Bond, Victor Mature and Alan Mowbray. March 28, 2008

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