I'm Your Huckleberry

Rating: 8/10 (17 January 2008)

Few Movies can claim historic one-liners such as Tombstone. The most popular of which being that teasing prompt from Doc Holliday to Jonny Ringo, "I'm your Huckleberry. That's just my game." Kevin Jarre (writer) can die a happy man knowing that every movie buff who calls himself a man will continue to utter "I'm your Huckleberry" from their lips as a taunting provocation towards an opponent. George P. Cosmatos (Director) rounds up a cast filled with so much talent for the genre that you could say the movie was almost doomed to become one of the most popular westerns in fandom. First of all, all characters have to sport a real man's mustache, and Kurt Russell, Sam Elliot (especially Sam), Val Kilmer and Bill Paxton meet the cowboy challenge with flying colors. Even though Russell's portrayal as Wyatt Earp was solid, Val Kilmer nearly hijacks the movie with one of the best performances (arguably) of his acting career as Doc Holiday. He almost steals the movie from the main protagonist, Wyatt. The historical accurateness concerning the Earps and Clantons at the OK Corral is good enough to indulge the history buff to a satisfactory level. Some facts would clash, but minor details are most often sacrificed to the movie gods so that maximum enjoyment for the audience can be achieved. The movie involves many themes. Obeying the Law. Love. Loss of love. Addiction. Retribution. Loyalty has a strong influence in the movie on both the Cowboy side and the Earp side of the conflict. The Action is good and heroic, but the greatest part of this movie is the dialog. This aspect is were Tombstone shines above all other western films. A dialog which bleeds with hate, revenge and history.