"Doc" (1971) is another cinematic account of the events leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881. As the title suggests, this version focuses a little more on Doc Holliday (Stacy Keach) and his woman Kate (Faye Dunaway). Harris Yulin plays Wyatt Earp.
In the 60s and 70s filmmakers rebelled against the unrealistic and even goofy tone of many prior Westerns and focused on something closer to the gritty truth of the Old West. That's what you get with "Doc," albeit with a hefty helping of melodrama and surrealism. Previous film versions made Wyatt out to be a veritable hero, like 1957's "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," where the climatic gunfight went on forever. In reality it only lasted like 30 seconds and this movie shows this. I'm not saying "Doc" is the most accurate portrayal of the events because it's not. Costner's "Wyatt Earp" (1994) comes closest to the truth (so far), but it too takes liberties with the subject. Despite what curmudgeonly critics of "Doc" say – that "it replaces positive lies with negative lies" – it isn't that much different of a take on the subject than Costner's version or 1993's "Tombstone."
The characters of Doc and Kate are roughly the same; the most significant change is that Wyatt is portrayed less positively. And this explains the mass denunciation of "Doc" – people don't like their sacred heroes being maligned. But "Doc" should at least be given credit for being the first film on the topic where these "heroes" are shown closer to who they really were. Forget Burt Lancaster, Henry Fonda, Hugh O'Brian, et al, Yulin is truer to the spirit of Wyatt's intention to clean up the town at all costs, settle some scores, and get rich in the process.
Besides, no film that comes out of Hollywood is accurate. They're all skewed by the times and political persuasions of those involved. "Doc" came out at the tail-end of the Vietnam fiasco where authority figures were no longer trusted and the movie reflects this. It's no different than any other inaccurate Hollywood history lesson (e.g. "My Darling Clementine" and "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral) and is actually closer to the truth in some ways. Furthermore, "Doc" isn't a documentary -- none of the films about Earp/Holliday are – they're MOVIES. And this is a well-made, well-acted version of the tale with an interestingly grim outlook and script where Keach and Dunaway are at their best.
Speaking of Keach, Brian Garfield castigated the film in his book "Western Films," denouncing Keach's portrayal of Holliday as "robust" when nothing could be further from the truth. Keach plays Doc as a thin, seriously half-dying man who's not sure what he wants, but is still relatively likable, at least more so than Earp.
As for Doc's unattractive babe, Big-Nose Kate, people criticize that Dunaway was "too glamorous" in the role, but she worked fine for me (besides, I don't remember any of the other versions casting a homely woman in the role). This brings up something exceptional about "Doc": The dust and dirt on the people – their clothing and faces – smacks of the way it really was in the Old West more-so than previous renditions.
Some people have said that this version makes the Clantons more positive, but I didn't see it. They're depicted as the dirtbag troublemakers they were and the hatred between them and the Earps is palpable. "Doc" takes an evenhanded approach to the material and shows flaws on both sides, but still ends up somewhat siding with Doc and the Earps.
There are some slow parts but the drama kept my interest and memorable parts abound, like Doc & Kate's journey across the desert, Wyatt's confrontation with the Clantons and the ensuing knock-down-drag-out fight with Ike (excellently portrayed by Michael Witney), Doc's rollicking rescue of Kate from a house of ill repute and the dynamic climatic gunfight.
One negative is that the film was shot in Spain and you can always tell the difference between Spain and the American Southwest, but – I have to admit – the locales are excellent and sometimes stunning, like the Clanton ranch.
Final Word: I don't get why this version of the Earp/Holliday saga is so despised and obscure. It's a gritty, engrossing depiction of the events that offers potential insights to the table, although it probably goes too far to the negative with Wyatt; and even Doc at the climax (you'll know what I mean). Nevertheless, it smacks of solemn realism (despite its inaccuracies) with a side of surrealism. "Doc" is a worthy addition to the myriad cinematic renditions of the famous events.
An American production shot in Spain with some parts in Old Tucson, the film runs 96 minutes.
GRADE: B
In the 60s and 70s filmmakers rebelled against the unrealistic and even goofy tone of many prior Westerns and focused on something closer to the gritty truth of the Old West. That's what you get with "Doc," albeit with a hefty helping of melodrama and surrealism. Previous film versions made Wyatt out to be a veritable hero, like 1957's "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," where the climatic gunfight went on forever. In reality it only lasted like 30 seconds and this movie shows this. I'm not saying "Doc" is the most accurate portrayal of the events because it's not. Costner's "Wyatt Earp" (1994) comes closest to the truth (so far), but it too takes liberties with the subject. Despite what curmudgeonly critics of "Doc" say – that "it replaces positive lies with negative lies" – it isn't that much different of a take on the subject than Costner's version or 1993's "Tombstone."
The characters of Doc and Kate are roughly the same; the most significant change is that Wyatt is portrayed less positively. And this explains the mass denunciation of "Doc" – people don't like their sacred heroes being maligned. But "Doc" should at least be given credit for being the first film on the topic where these "heroes" are shown closer to who they really were. Forget Burt Lancaster, Henry Fonda, Hugh O'Brian, et al, Yulin is truer to the spirit of Wyatt's intention to clean up the town at all costs, settle some scores, and get rich in the process.
Besides, no film that comes out of Hollywood is accurate. They're all skewed by the times and political persuasions of those involved. "Doc" came out at the tail-end of the Vietnam fiasco where authority figures were no longer trusted and the movie reflects this. It's no different than any other inaccurate Hollywood history lesson (e.g. "My Darling Clementine" and "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral) and is actually closer to the truth in some ways. Furthermore, "Doc" isn't a documentary -- none of the films about Earp/Holliday are – they're MOVIES. And this is a well-made, well-acted version of the tale with an interestingly grim outlook and script where Keach and Dunaway are at their best.
Speaking of Keach, Brian Garfield castigated the film in his book "Western Films," denouncing Keach's portrayal of Holliday as "robust" when nothing could be further from the truth. Keach plays Doc as a thin, seriously half-dying man who's not sure what he wants, but is still relatively likable, at least more so than Earp.
As for Doc's unattractive babe, Big-Nose Kate, people criticize that Dunaway was "too glamorous" in the role, but she worked fine for me (besides, I don't remember any of the other versions casting a homely woman in the role). This brings up something exceptional about "Doc": The dust and dirt on the people – their clothing and faces – smacks of the way it really was in the Old West more-so than previous renditions.
Some people have said that this version makes the Clantons more positive, but I didn't see it. They're depicted as the dirtbag troublemakers they were and the hatred between them and the Earps is palpable. "Doc" takes an evenhanded approach to the material and shows flaws on both sides, but still ends up somewhat siding with Doc and the Earps.
There are some slow parts but the drama kept my interest and memorable parts abound, like Doc & Kate's journey across the desert, Wyatt's confrontation with the Clantons and the ensuing knock-down-drag-out fight with Ike (excellently portrayed by Michael Witney), Doc's rollicking rescue of Kate from a house of ill repute and the dynamic climatic gunfight.
One negative is that the film was shot in Spain and you can always tell the difference between Spain and the American Southwest, but – I have to admit – the locales are excellent and sometimes stunning, like the Clanton ranch.
Final Word: I don't get why this version of the Earp/Holliday saga is so despised and obscure. It's a gritty, engrossing depiction of the events that offers potential insights to the table, although it probably goes too far to the negative with Wyatt; and even Doc at the climax (you'll know what I mean). Nevertheless, it smacks of solemn realism (despite its inaccuracies) with a side of surrealism. "Doc" is a worthy addition to the myriad cinematic renditions of the famous events.
An American production shot in Spain with some parts in Old Tucson, the film runs 96 minutes.
GRADE: B