"My Darling Clementine"

 

 "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." - from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).

That line could sum up the 1946 John Ford movie, My Darling Clementine. It is a fictional version of the events leading up to and including the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona between the Earp brothers and the Clantons.

Since I have a trip coming up to Tombstone, I decided to watch My Darling Clementine last evening. It is the Criterion Collection version that I bought a few years ago starring Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp, Victor Mature as Doc Holliday, Ward Bond as Morgan Earp and Linda Darnell as Chihuahua.

Not much, if anything, is historically accurate, but it is a beautifully shot movie and well acted. It was filmed in Monument Valley, which I find humorous as the real Tombstone doesn't look anything like Monument Valley. It has to rank as the darkest movie by John Ford.

The extras do provide the real facts about Tombstone. The one I especially liked was a NBC News report from 1963 with David Brinkley.

The movie scored a 100% rating at Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

I visited Tombstone back around 1988 and enjoyed it. I am looking forward to the upcoming trip.

"My Darling Clementine"

Tonight I gave myself a break from watching more Laurel & Hardy films from the essential collection (of 10 discs) to watch the 1946 John Ford My Darling Clementine on Blu-ray that arrived a few days ago. This is the Criterion Collection Blu-ray that came out in late 2014.

The storyline:

Wyatt Earp and his brothers Morgan and Virgil ride into Tombstone and leave brother James in charge of their cattle herd. On their return they find their cattle stolen and James dead. Wyatt takes on the job of town marshal, making his brothers deputies, and vows to stay in Tombstone until James' killers are found. He soon runs into the brooding, coughing, hard-drinking Doc Holliday as well as the sullen and vicious Clanton clan. Wyatt discovers the owner of a trinket stolen from James' dead body and the stage is set for the Earps' long-awaited revenge.

The script is not historically accurate, but it is a good western anyway with Henry Fonda in the lead as Wyatt Earp. I had forgotten how beautiful Linda Darnell (Chihuahua) was, so it was an extra treat to see her in this movie. Walter Brennan played old man Clanton, in one of his rare villain roles and Ward Bond played Morgan Earp. Victor Mature played Doc Holliday

The extras alone are worth the price of the Blu-ray. For the real story of Tombstone and the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral, a discussion by a Tombstone historian and featurettes (one hosted by David Brinkley) will more than adequately set the record straight. There is also a feature on Monument Valley, a documentary on John Ford and an old silent western featuring John Ford and his older brother Francis are included (plus other goodies).

There is also the preview version of My Darling Clementine included. It is a longer version, not as restored as the release version.

I was a bit amused that the movie was shot in Monument Valley. The terrain of the real Tombstone (I've been there) doesn't look anything like Monument Valley.

It was an enjoyable movie and well worth buying. My grade: A.