Richard Dominguez As Most Film Critics Agree, So Do I "My Darling Clementine" Is The Best Western Ever Made ... The Director John Ford As A Kid Worked At 20th Century And Wyatt Earp Would Stop By The Studio To Visit Friends ... Wyatt Would Tell John All About The Circumstances Around The Shoot Out At The OK Corral ... Making The Story Historically Accurate ... Henry Fonda, Victor Mature, Walter Brennen, Linda Darnell Make Their Performances A Stella Gathering ... It Won National Board of Review, USA 1946 (And Is Still In That Top 10) ... National Film Preservation Board, USA 1991 ... And Won Best Foreign Film By The Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists 1948 ... Well Scripted With Excellent Direction John Ford Became A House Hold Name With This Film ... Truly A Western Classic Often Imitated But Will Never Be Duplicated

gavin6942 A Western retelling the tale of the Shoot-out at the OK Corral.We have a pretty great cast here, including the impeccable Henry Fonda, and Howard Hawks' man Walter Brennan. And the direction is from none other than John Ford, easily the best Western director who ever lived (with all due respect to Hawks). The fact Ford knew Earp personally makes it even more special.Some reviewers have pinned this film as "the pinnacle" of the western genre, which seems a bit of a stretch. Great? Certainly. But is it "High Noon", or even Ford's masterpiece "Stagecoach"? No. And then you have modern classics like "Tombstone" and "Unforgiven". This film has an uphill battle to fight to become one of the all-time great westerns in the public consciousness.

jarrodmcdonald-1 The problems are not director John Ford's doing, but rather the fault of producer Darryl F. Zanuck, who has used the picture to promote Linda Darnell. So shamelessly over-exposed, in fact, is she that her character often gets in the way of the plot.Although he is not as visually appealing as Miss Darnell, Walter Brennan should have had more screen time, since he essentially plays the lead villain of the piece. Stretches of the film go by without Brennan's character present or even mentioned, so in a way there is no looming threat over the town's law and order to increase dramatic tension and make the story truly exciting.One issue, though, does seem to stem from Ford's direction. That is the way the film loses sight of its hero. About halfway into the picture, Victor Mature's Doc Holliday takes over and Henry Fonda's Wyatt Earp becomes a supporting character. This is a film about Earp, where Fonda should remain front and center. As a result, we have a decentralized protagonist and the story shifts into one that focuses more on Doc Holliday—that is, when the camera is not lingering on Darnell.

John T. Ryan OUR FIRST CONTACT with the name of Wyatt Earp was with "THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF Wyatt Earp" TV Series, with Mr. Hugh Obrian. Like most first impressions, it was strong, persistent and seemingly everlasting. We found several other versions of this Wyatt Earp tale in the ensuing years and gradually our perception and interpretation of the story was superseded.FIRST OF ALL came GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORAL, with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. This we saw at our neighborhood theatre. It was very impressive, indeed; featuring a supporting cast that included John Ireland. Full Color, big screen and that great theme song! Being on a double bill, it nearly made us forget the other movie, a FRANCIS THE TALKING MULE movie, no small feat to a 10 year old! SOME YEARS LATER, it was on one of our regular channels that we first saw MY DARLING CLEMENTINE. This was not the last time; nor do we think it will be our last.IN ITS GLORIOUS black & white, narrow screen process, it drew us into the story in a most memorable manner. Its fine cast, headed up by Henry Fonda and Walter Brennan deliver a most satisfactory ensemble performance; all in the usual manner of its Director, John Ford.WHEREAS GUNPLAY, KILLINGS and other violent acts are, by the very nature of the Western, present and numerous; the storyline and characterization are the all important. Relkationships of the characteristics, be they that of the Earps, with Clementine or with the hostile Clantons, make up the bulk of the scenario.AND, BECAUSE THERE is no real surprise concerning the ultimate shoot out, Director Ford shifts the suspense on what happens post hostilities. UIsing a great dramatic tool, there is an uncertainty at the conclusion. Seemingly, this is one 'Horse Opera' where the hero doesn't get the girl!WE DELIGHTED IN the fine performances turned in by Walter Brennan, Linda Darnell and (especially) Victor Mature; once again showing his worth and proving himself to be a most overlooked dramatic player.