Tombstone

Is it still a compelling story 131 years later?

Tombstone, Arizona, a booming mining town that is rife with corruption, gambling, prostitution and opium and soon to become the home of retired lawman Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and his brothers. When the Earp’s settle in to seek their fortune on the gambling trade they are sought out to rid the town of ’Curly’ Bill Brocious (Powers Booth) and his band of outlaws known as the Cowboys (distinguishable by their red sashes), it all comes to a head at the famous O.K. Corral shootout.

Westerns are not typically my go-to movie genre; however, Tombstone is one of my favorite movies. The casting is great, Sam Elliott as Virgil Earp, Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday and others just make this movie a lot of fun. Look for some of the cameos – like Charlton Heston and a young Billy Bob Thornton; Tombstone also has some of the most quotable lines, like Doc Holliday’s “I’m your Huckleberry”. The one part I wish I could erase from the movie though is the love story, which is usually my favorite part. But, I didn’t have to twist my husband’s arm to watch this one again, ladies and/or gentlemen stepping outside of your movie comfort zone can be a worthy venture sometimes.

Motherly Advice: My filters were set to Most Filtering. I’ll warn you, even though many things are filtered, the lifestyle portrayed by the cowboys and lawmen are other than morally pure. Most of the men are either dating or married to “women of the night” and Doc Holliday’s lady in particular, wears revealing clothing. There is some discussion alluding to sexual behavior outside of marriage but no sexual scenes are shown. Wyatt is torn between his wife and a new woman that has sparked his interest leading to thoughts of infidelity. There are numerous gunfights and dead bodies that are shown. Smoking, drinking and gambling play a heavy role especially since a town casino/saloon is a main hangout for the locals. This one is okay for the adults and if you really want to show your kids I would say no one younger than 16.

Hannah – Clearplay Marshall

Rated R for violence; 130 min; Directed by George P. Cosmatos