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One of the greatest movie Westerns, John Ford's My Darling Clementine is hardly the most accurate film version of the Wyatt Earp legend, but it is still one of the most entertaining. Henry Fonda stars as former lawman Wyatt Earp, who, after cleaning up Dodge City, arrives in the outskirts of Tombstone with his brothers Morgan (Ward Bond), Virgil (Tim Holt), and James (Don Garner), planning to sell their cattle and settle down as gentlemen farmers. Yet Wyatt, disgusted by crime and cattle rustling, eventually agrees to take the marshalling job until he can gather enough evidence to bring to justice the scurrilous Clanton clan, headed by smooth-talking but shifty-eyed Old Man Clanton (Walter Brennan). Almost immediately, Wyatt runs afoul of consumptive, self-hating gambling boss Doc Holliday (Victor Mature, in perhaps his best performance). When Doc's erstwhile sweetheart, Clementine (Cathy Downs) comes to town, Earp is immediately smitten. However, Doc himself is now involved with saloon gal Chihauhua (Linda Darnell). The tensions among Wyatt, Doc, Clementine, and Chihauhua wax and wane throughout most of the film, leading to the legendary gunfight at the OK Corral, with Wyatt and Doc fighting side-by-side against the despicable Clantons. Its powerful storyline and full-blooded characterizations aside, My Darling Clementine is most entertaining during those little "humanizing" moments common to Ford's films, notably Wyatt's impromptu "balancing act" while seated on the porch of the Tombstone hotel, and Wyatt's and Clementine's dance on the occasion of the town's church-raising. Based on Stuart N. Lake's novel Wyatt Earp, Frontier Marshall (previously filmed twice by Fox), the screenplay is full of wonderful dialogue, the best of which is the brief, philosophical exchange about women between Earp and Mac the bartender (J. Farrell MacDonald). The movie also features crisp, evocative black-and-white photography by Joseph MacDonald. Producer (Daryl F. Zanuck) was displeased with Ford's original cut and the film went through several re-shoots and re-edits before its general release in November of 1946.
CONDITION: NEW
Actors: Henry Fonda, Linda Darnell, Victor Mature
Directors: John Ford
Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region A/1
Number of discs: 1
Rated:
NR
Not Rated
Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)
DVD Release Date: October 14, 2014
Run Time: 97 minutes
Cast & Crew
Henry Fonda Wyatt Earp
Linda Darnell Chihuahua
Victor Mature Doc John Holliday
Jane Darwell Kate Nelson
Walter Brennan Old Man Clanton
Cathy Downs Clementine Carter
Ward Bond Morgan Earp
Francis Ford Dad
Don Garner James Earp
Ben Hall Barber
Tim Holt Virgil Earp
John Ireland Billy Clanton
Fred Libby Phin Clanton
John Farrell MacDonald Mac, the Bartender
Louis Mercier Francois
Alan Mowbray Granville Thorndyke
Roy Roberts Mayor
Mickey Simpson Sam Clanton
Russell Simpson John Simpson
Arthur Walsh Hotel Clerk
Grant Withers Ike Clanton
Aleth "Speed" Hansen Guitar Player-Townsman
Frances Rey Woman
Robert Adler Stagecoach Driver
Charles Anderson Townsman
Don Barclay Opera house owner
Frank Conlan Pianist
William B. Davidson Oriental saloon owner
Earl Foxe Gambler
Duke Lee Townsman
Mae Marsh Simpson's Sister
Margaret Martin Woman
Jack Pennick Stagecoach Driver
Charles Stevens Indian Troublemaker
Harry Woods Marshal Luke
Danny Borzage Accordionist
Technical Credits
John Ford Director
James Basevi Art Director
David Buttolph Score Composer
William Eckhardt Asst. Director
Samuel G. Engel Producer,Screenwriter
Eugene Grossman Sound/Sound Designer
Sam Hellman Original Story,Screenwriter
Roger Heman Sound/Sound Designer
Rene Hubert Costumes/Costume Designer
Thomas K. Little Set Decoration/Design
Joe MacDonald Cinematographer
Winston Miller Screenwriter
Cyril Mockridge Score Composer
Alfred Newman Musical Direction/Supervision
Ben Nye Makeup
Fred J. Rode Set Decoration/Design
Fred Sersen Special Effects
Dorothy Spencer Editor
Lyle Wheeler Art Director
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