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Volume 22, Number 1/2/3 (1998) reprinted by permission Legal Studies Forum LAW AT THE O.K. CORRAL: READING WYATT EARP FILMS COLLEEN COUGHLIN* There was a time when Individuals, especially men, could find their true worth in the challenges presented by an inhospitable Western landscape. The concept of 'Americans' in the early West came to be represented by the exploits and virtues of those magnificent men who explored and took up residence in the West. Law, to the extent it existed, was frequently identified with one of these individuals. As an individual and cultural icon, Wyatt is a tee-totaling fearless marshall who brought law and order and civilization to the lawless West, particularly cattle boom towns such as Abilene, Dodge City, Wichita and Tombstone, Arizona. His renowned speed and accuracy with a gun and his fierce loyalty to family help firm his imagery as the 'quintessential frontier man,' as he is identified in Tombstone (1993). How is it possible that the good image of Wyatt Earp came to outweigh the bad and perhaps more importantly, what cultural values does the ascension of the 'good' Wyatt Earp image reflect? By examining the narrative structures, or myth, surrounding the Wyatt Earp legend(s), this Essay seeks to find a national ideology concerning the law. Richard Slotkin suggests, in Gunfighter Nation, that myth is a symbolic narrative which reflects cultural ideology. For Slotkin, ideology is defined as "the basic system of concepts, beliefs, and values that defines a society's way of interpreting its place in the cosmos and the meaning of its history" (5). For many years, the American frontier has been viewed as the lawless West, a place without civilization and without order. Emerging from this anarchy and chaos were legendary lawmen such as Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok and Bat Masterson. By privileging certain images of these men in film, we, as a culture, interpreting history and its meaning were, through such tools as film, we, as a culture, have set about interpret history and its meaning. By examining these images, particularly through a cross-generational approach, it is possible to sketch out our basic foundational beliefs and values. While the image of American 'bad' men has received sympathetic adjustment, descriptions of 'good' men such as Wyatt Earp and Bill Hickok have remained basically intact. What might this reveal about our cultural beliefs? In his essay "Toward A Legal Theory of Popular Culture," Anthony Chase suggests that the belief which "perceives law primarily as a form of ideology" is "(o)ne of the better reasons for examining law and popular culture." (541). Chase argues that this approach has been used primarily to suggest that the law functions as "legitimating an inequitable distribution of wealth and power in society." (542). Chase notes that this is quite possibly a legitimate depiction of how law functions within our culture but cautions that far more research is warranted before any conclusive agreement on this perspective can be reached. I hope to establish a beginning of this future research. Consequently, while I will be examining popular culture, specifically films, focusing on Wyatt Earp and the legend/myth surrounding him I will not be drawing any specific conclusion concerning the role the law plays in terms of wealth and power distribution. Rather I will suggest possible methods by which popular culture can be viewed as reflective of cultural beliefs and values which may inform other issues and how changes in those beliefs and values may be expressed over time. Towards that end, I focus my attention on four films covering a time frame from 1946 until 1993. My Darling Clementine (1946), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), Warlock (1959), and Tombstone (1993). I focus on the depiction of three specific elements of each film: the portrayal of Wyatt Earp (the good guy), the Clantons (the bad guys), and the town of Tombstone (a metaphor of America).1 These three elements were selected for specific reasons. When dealing with the Myth of the West, we are addressing archetypal images. Frank McConnell, in Storytelling and Mythmaking, finds Westerns to be filled with archetypes and didactic storytelling. In the course of storytelling McConnell suggests that it "is always the story of the individual in some sort of relationship to his social, political or cultural environment” (6). McConnell suggests that within westerns it is the marshall who fulfills the role of civilizer and maintainer of peace and security and make(s) city life tolerable. . . ."(13). Westerns focusing on marshals or other peace officers, are "indicative of moving civilizationable life" on the frontier (103). The Peace officers, if successful, represent cultural values which the population of the town is desirous of establishing and maintaining to promote civilization and all its trappings. So by examining the film's peace officer (Wyatt Earp), the forces he contends with (the Clantons) and the town (Tombstone), it is possible to law as a reflection of a cultural era. Examining what is not said about Wyatt Earp, where the director modifies historical information, also reveals attitudes and beliefs about the law. The Wyatt Earp films deal with the 1870s and 1880s. The pioneers had already pushed through the continental United States to the Pacific. The majority of Native Americans had been relocated and contained on Indian lands. In the southwest this included reservations in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado, generally referred to as the Four Corners area. The West was the domain of cattle ranchers, cowboys and prospectors. Boom towns such as Ellsworth, Abilene, Dodge City and Tombstone flourished where the railroad met with the cattle drives for transportation of cattle. Law enforcement consisted generally of a town marshall, county sheriff, U.S. Marshals and rangers. The town marshall (or chief of police) was usually appointed by the mayor or town council. His jurisdiction fell within town lines although he had authority to pursue beyond, if necessary.2 The county sheriff was generally an elected position. He held county-wide jurisdiction, although he generally left town business to the town marshall. In addition to peace-keeping activities, the sheriff might have also been the tax collector and maintained county jails, served court orders and foreclosed on tax delinquent. Both the town marshall and sheriff were modeled after law officials in the British legal system and had the ability to appoint deputy marshals as the need arose. U.S. Marshals were appointed at the federal level and served as representatives of the U.S. government. Their duties included pursuing federal criminals and army deserters, investigating crimes committed on reservations as well as guarding the mail and railroad property. U.S. Marshals were generally given regions to cover. Rangers were law enforcement officers primarily in Texas and Arizona. Their job included maintaining and restoring order. They had more authority than county sheriffs but less authority than the military. The following chart identifies famous law enforcement officials in each category, although many of the men served in other capacities at different times in their careers. The gunfight at the O.K. Corral, from which much of the Earp legend springs, occurred in Tombstone on October 26, 1881. What is consistently accepted as fact, is that the Earps had an on-going feud with the Clantons and McLaury (or McLowery) brothers. It is also generally accepted that the Clantons and McLaurys were horse/mule thieves and cattle rustlers and were involved in stage coach robberies. The gunfight, which occurred in mid-afternoon lasted less than one minute and involved approximately seventeen shots. At the end of the fight Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury were dead. Doc Holliday, Morgan and Virgil Earp were injured. Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were arrested and tried for murder. Both men were released after a month's worth of testimony. Within the next five months, Virgil Earp was shot resulting in a permanent arm disability and Morgan Earp was assassinated. What followed was a campaign of revenge which broke the back of other Cochise county "outlaws" and resulted in the deaths of several associates of the Clantons and McLaurys. By April, 1882 murder warrants were issued for the Earps, who had left Tombstone for California or Colorado. The warrants were never served. On November 8, 1887 Doc Holliday died of consumption in Colorado. Wyatt Earp and Josephine Sarah Marcus were married and traveled throughout the western United States. Earp remained a gambler and became a sportsman and developer of oil and mining properties. The Earps remained married until Wyatt's death, at the age of eighty, on January 13, 1929. (See Collins, Dalton, Gard, Marks, Prassel, Rosa and Tuska). At least three biographies have been written about Wyatt's life: Tombstone: An Iliad of the Southwest, Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshall, and I Married Wyatt Earp: The Recollections of Josephine Sarah Marcus. Thirteen films based directly on his life have been produced and a television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp aired on ABC television from 1955 to 1961. (See Hoberman).4 Other films, such as Warlock, have drawn on the Wyatt Earp story and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, without using the Earp name. Examining these films, in light of Wyatt Earp's life reveals interesting attitudes and beliefs emanating from the Earp legend. My Darling Clementine, John Ford's 1946 film, starred Henry Fonda in the role of Wyatt Earp. The film centers on a strong story line of law and order, with the Earps representative of "the law" and the Clantons representing "the lawless". In one of the first scenes of the film, the Earp brothers, Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan and James, are driving their cattle to California. The film opens with shots of the four brothers working together, in the bright Arizona sunshine, herding the cattle. The music becomes somber, as Pa and Ike Clanton pull up to watch the drive. Wyatt rides over and Clanton offers to purchase all the cattle at what would be a significant loss for the Earps. Wyatt refuses the offer and then asks about the area. Clanton directs Wyatt to Tombstone where Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan head for the evening. Upon returning to their campsite they find James murdered and their cattle stolen. They suspect the Clantons but without proof they are unable to do much. Wyatt returns to town, accepts the position of marshall and strives to bring law and order into Tombstone, a goal he accomplishes with the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. From the beginning of the film, the Earps are portrayed in a positive fashion. They are industrious hard-working men. They are frequently filmed with sunshine surrounding them. They are a strong family unit, working and caring for one another. They enjoy the finer things in life, such as the theater. In public they are well-mannered and polite to women. They are not hesitant to assume responsibility in a crisis situation. James, who is quickly killed off, is presented as a tender innocent. At nineteen he is the youngest Earp and anxious to see his girlfriend in California. Left to tend the cattle he is murdered, shot in the back. The Earps represent the best masculine values. In contrast, the Clantons, although depicted as a family like the Earps represent perhaps the worst of American males. Each appearance in the film is generally marked by dark, somber music. They are shown working at night. They generally travel together. On Sundays they drink whiskey at the bar, rather than attend church. They have no appreciation for the finer things in life. When the Clanton boys are thwarted their father assaults them with a bullwhip. His fatherly advice includes: "When you pull a gun, kill a man." Their cowardice in gunfights is evidenced when they shoot two men in the back. Billy Clanton, the youngest son, shoots a woman. The dark somber music, their work at night and their cowardice are symbolic of the ways in which they are willing to work outside "normal society" and hence outside the law. In the beginning of the film, the town of Tombstone, generally shown at night, is a raucous chaotic town consisting of saloons, wild women and gun-firing cowboys. It is this scene of mayhem into which Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan ride for a bath, a shave and a beer. As a drunken Indian begins shooting up the town, Wyatt repeatedly asks, "Hey what kind of town is this?" The answer is clear. This is a town where the marshals (the law) would rather resign than face the Indian. As the marshall says as he resigns, "That's Injun Charlie in there drunk and I ain't committin suicide on myself." When the deputies follow suit, Wyatt steps in and is able to successfully apprehend Charlie, despite the fact that he is unarmed. This scene establishes Wyatt as the pivotal character in the remainder of the film. He is courageous and cunning, willing to risk his own security for the safety of others. The mayor recognizes Earp as a law man from Dodge City. Initially Wyatt rejects the job of marshall but following the murder of his brother James, Wyatt accepts the position. Wyatt's motivation for taking on the position is presented as the most noble. He tells the audience, while standing over James' grave, [w]hen we leave this country young kids like you (James) will be able to grow up and live safe." Wyatt brings law and order to Tombstone. He throws out the drunks, cleans up poker cheating, avoids gunplay whenever possible, relying on his wits rather than the gun. But Earp does more than bring law and order. He is instrumental in civilizing the town. When a Shakespearean actor disappears, Earp finds him and brings him back to the theater. Under his tenure as marshall, Tombstone changes from raucous boom town to a place where families with children work to establish a town church. Finally, at the showdown at the O.K. Corral, Wyatt, along with his brothers and Doc Holliday literally eliminate the criminal element from town. When Wyatt approaches the O.K. Corral he announces that he is there to serve arrest warrants for murder and cattle rustling. He asks who killed James and Virgil, Pa Clanton confesses to both murders. This film demonstrates a specific attitude about the function of law in the West. It identifies the law with strong moral men who are bright and cultured and willing to fight to create social order. These men, as exemplified by Wyatt Earp, prefer to use restraint and wits but are not hesitant to use force when necessary. The law's function then is to bring order out of disorder, to conquer and civilize the West for the refinements of inhabitants from the East. In the shoot-out scene Earp protects both property rights and the lives of others. The scene ends with the death of cattle rustlers and a murderer. Under Earp's tenure as marshall Tombstone changes from a hell-raising town to one in which family, church and schools can survive. Earp's promise to make the country safe for young kids has been accomplished as Clementine remains in Tombstone to serve as the new schoolmarm. To convey this message, the film must substantially distort the facts. Virgil was the marshall not Wyatt and both survived their time in Tombstone. The Clantons were not a corrupt single family but a combination of two families and friends. The Earps' actions in Tombstone did not bring law and order to the town but may well have incited additional violence and mayhem. Finally, the time sequence is telescoped in this version of the legend with little time lost between the murder of James and the cattle rustling to the new social order based on justice. My Darling Clementine presents a strong didactic message as to the benefits of law and order in American society. Justice is swift in Ford's Tombstone and is presented as the righting of wrongs. The film speaks to an unwritten but common understanding of what the law is and how it should function within our culture. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, while relying on some of these tropes, shifts the focus from an unwritten but common understanding to a recognition of the sometimes personal nature of the law. This film suggests that at times there are laws higher than those made by men. Yet, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral also reflects themes found in Ford's early film but in a radically different setting. The Earps are still the good guys, the Clantons are still bad and the shoot-out still occurs in Tombstone. Yet, there are key differences. Gunfight begins with neither the Earps nor the Clantons but rather with three men riding past Boot Hill Cemetery. The film then switches to Doc Holliday who is contemplating a shoot-out with the brother of a man Doc has apparently shot prior to the opening credits. Within these opening moments director John Sturges suggests that there is a dichotomy in the law. One law centered on mob rule, another based on higher principles. Doc knows a man is gunning for him. Kate (his lover) in attempting to persuade him to leave sums up the mob rule mentality. "The whole town including that no good marshall are laying for you. Right or wrong they're going to hang you for another killin' and you know it." Following this speech, the scene switches to Wyatt Earp who is chasing Ike Clanton on a "dozen legal charges." He has stopped in to check with Cotton Wilson, the town's aging marshall, whom he has asked to apprehend Clanton. Wilson failed to do so because, as he tells Earp, "I had no quarrel with Ike Clanton." Within these opening scenes, it is possible to see that the law is corruptible. Both mob mentality and aging cynical lawmen have the ability to restrict the operation of the law. Later in the film, Wyatt Earp's character is more clearly drawn out. When we see Earp as the marshall in Dodge City, he is identified by Miss Laura Denbo (a female professional gambler) as "the famous Wyatt Earp--lawman, judge and jury" and a number of times Earp is also called "preacher." Wyatt is a symbol of "the law." He likes peace and calm. Gunfight also includes a scene in which an unarmed Wyatt Earp faces down and arrests an armed criminal. He permits no drinking on the job nor drawing of guns as "someone might get hurt." We see the lawman as bureaucrat filling out paperwork and attempting to deal with the absence of sufficient staff. Earp resorts to violence but prefers a non-violent approach. Wyatt's job extends to still higher laws. Wyatt, preparing to marry Laura Denbo and head to California, receives a wire from his brother Virgil, the marshall in Tombstone. Wyatt responds to the request for help, placing legal duty and brotherly love over wifely love. As a result of Virgil's wire, Wyatt, Morgan and James meet in Tombstone to resolve the problems facing the town. Virgil, Morgan and Wyatt are or have been lawmen all over the frontier. They are clean-shaven and neat. Virgil and Morgan are family men. James is again portrayed as the innocent youngster with a fiancee he is eager to get home to once the troubles in Tombstone have been resolved. Tombstone is portrayed throughout this film as relatively peaceful town. The law is presented as the essence of community, law makes continued peaceful existence in a community possible. In this version of the Earp legend, Tombstone is a quiet railroad town, threatened by the activities of the Clantons. Throughout Gunfight the "bad' guys" actions are repeatedly brought home to the viewer. Early in the film we know that Wyatt Earp is pursuing Ike Clanton for a number of outstanding warrants. Clanton is rustling cattle from Mexico and needs control of Tombstone to ship his beef on the railroad. He has hired the "toughest bunch of gunslingers" including Johnny Ringo and the McLaury brothers. In an effort to ensure control of the town Ike bribes Cotton Wilson, the county sheriff. The Earps refuse to allow Clanton to gain control or access to the railways. Cotton Wilson attempts to bribe Wyatt Earp with $20,000. Earp refuses the bribe. This sets the stage for the conflict which will end at the O.K. Corral. Ike Clanton is infuriated by the Earps' control of Tombstone and sets out to make the fight a personal, rather than a legal one. As Ike states it, [t]here's a law bigger than any law on the books . . . family pride." Consequently, the Clantons, Johnny Ringo and the McLaurys ride into Tombstone to ambush Wyatt. However, they shoot and kill Jimmy, mistaking him for Wyatt. The bad guys have managed to make the fight personal. The following day the Earps are set to avenge the death of their brother. Doc Holliday warns Wyatt not to give in to the impulse: "Don't let them turn this into a personal fight. You're a lawman." When this plea fails, Doc joins up with the Earps. Virgil Earp's wife also attempts to talk them out of the gun battle. You're lawmen. All three of you. You have no right to put yourselves above the safety of this town. Your duty is to the people, not to your own pride. Proud, proud men. Look at you. Look at the proud men.” This plea also fails and the three Earps, along with Doc Holliday, march down to the O.K. Corral to avenge the death of their brother. At the Corral they confront Ike, Phin and Billy Clanton, McLaury, Ringo and Cotton Wilson. When Wilson attempts to flee he is shot in the back by one of the Clantons. Although Morgan, Virgil and Doc are shot, all survive the gun battle. The scene ends with Wyatt dropping his gun and badge. He is no longer a law man. While Gunfight at the O.K. Corral has similarities to My Darling Clementine the film offers a different perspective on the law. Throughout the film the law is seen as a force which can be manipulated and corrupted by good men with evil intentions (such as the lynch mob) and bad men with evil intentions (such as the Clantons). The law is good and capable of protecting the community insofar as its practitioners are strong moral men. Yet the film makes a powerful statement that there are forces which cause individuals to set aside the law, especially family loyalty. The film does not necessarily condemn the action of the Earps. Rather it seems to suggest that moral men acting on their personal principles may still insure that the community survives. After all, despite the personal nature of the Earps' actions, they have nevertheless reduced the effect of "bad men" on Tombstone. Like My Darling Clementine, the film takes license with the 'facts' of the legend. It is unclear that Wyatt Earp ever saved Doc Holliday from a lynch mob. Furthermore, there is no indication that Wyatt Earp had been chasing Ike Clanton prior to Earp's move to Tombstone. While history suggests the Earps moved to Tombstone for business purposes and later became involved as lawmen, rather than the film Gunfight at the O.K. Corral has Virgil calling the brothers to help him protect Tombstone. This particular twist of the legend allows Sturges to emphasizes brotherly love and commitment. As in My Darling Clementine there is no indication that Jimmy Earp was ever present in Tombstone and consequently his death could not be the trigger event for the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. To portray the law as he does, Sturges had to manipulate the legend to justify the actions of Wyatt and his brothers. Both these films produce and rely upon a Myth of the West. This myth reflects an area populated with extraordinary individuals and the perception that the "West" was a primitive place where civilization is barely established. The West, according to Frederick Jackson Turner, was the point at which civilization met up with wilderness. Turner's 1893 essay established a theoretical approach which served as the basis for scholarship for several decades and reaffirmed the Myth of the West. By manipulating the story of Wyatt Earp, these filmmakers have consciously moved towards myth. Earp becomes not merely a lawman, but a symbol of what is best about American values and beliefs. Both the Myth of the West and the legend of Wyatt Earp are confronted in the film Warlock. While the film deals with characters named Clay Blaisdell and Morgan, it can be argued that the film is an exploration of the Earp legend and addresses issues about the changing role of lawmen in the West, an exploration which is simply brilliant in its challenge to mythology.5 The film tells the story of a small town, Warlock, which is threatened by activities of nearby outlaws. In desperation the town hires its own marshall, a gunman named Clay Blaisdell who arrives with his partially crippled sidekick, Morgan. Tombstone hires Wyatt Earp to protect the town and Earp brings along Doc Holliday. There are any number of links between the legend of Wyatt Earp and Clay Blaisdell. Clay is a gunman who has served as marshall in a number of towns, bringing law and order to each. There are books written about him as gunman, vigilante, and gambler. Townsfolk refer to his courage and prowess with guns. When he arrives in town these perceptions are confirmed. Like the mythical Wyatt Earp, he is frequently out-gunned but manages to quell the chaos with his wits, rather than his gun. When he is required to shoot he does so to disarm rather than to kill. However, he is not hesitant to use deadly force when the need arises. The need arises because of the activities of several cowboys from San Paulo. In Warlock, the cowboys are run by Abe McKuen. They number several, including the brothers Johnny and Billy Gannon. Jack Cate is the number two man in the gang. The film begins with the cowboys riding into Warlock and running the Deputy Sheriff from the town. As the cowboys ride into town, someone runs through the streets crying "Get off the streets they're coming." The cowboys announce their immediate arrival by shooting up the town. When Deputy Sheriff Ray Thomson steps in to intervene the cowboys strip him of his badge and run him out of town while singing a song about hanging him. On their way out of town, one of the cowboys shoots and kills the barber. Warlock is in need of assistance. The Warlock Citizens Committee meets and decides by majority vote to hire a marshall, Clay Blaisdell. The next shot in the film is a bird's eye view of Warlock, as seen by Blaisdell and Morgan. Warlock appears to be a calm town nestled in a valley. It is well-ordered and developed, boasting twenty-five plus buildings, streets and a church. As the men pull into town, children announce their arrival and families come out to see them. As Clay says, "Fair enough town." The scene is almost pastoral and certainly peaceful and calm. At this point, it would seem that Warlock is merely a continuation of the mythic legend of Earp or the American gunman. However, the film's director, Edward Dmytryk (following the novel by Oakley Hall), is unwilling to merely continue the myth. The film challenges the concept that individual, moral gunmen are the law. It consciously pokes at the myth surrounding such beliefs. It does so by exposing the myth as flawed and openly debating the goals of the community. When Deputy Sheriff Thomson is run out of town the impression is that even the law has fled from the outlaws. Yet the townsfolk acknowledge that Thomson fled, not merely because he was a coward, but also because the town was unwilling to support his efforts to face the cowboys. What follows Thomson's flight is a citizens' debate about what the appropriate steps should be to protect the town from anarchy. Some of the townfolks argue for arming the citizenry. The judge articulates the belief that "law and order" is the only way to address the situation. Still others suggest that the matter be turned over to a professional, to a gunman. Jessie, one of the leading citizens, poses questions concerning whether a single individual can achieve peace and safety. "Well, is this superhuman going to subdue the savage breast by the pure power of his eye or by the menace of his six-shooter or simply by his reputation?" In one sentence Jessie challenges the myth and no townsperson responds. Believing that one man cannot solve the community's problems, Jessie is opposed to bringing in Clay. When Clay arrives he lays down the ground rules to the Citizen's Committee. He also acknowledges the problem with hiring a gunman to solve community problems. "People come to resent me. I'm your salvation." But he makes clear that to establish order, he must run roughshod over others to do it. "Then you'll come to resent me, fear me, think I have too much power." Clay too is aware that to achieve the goals of peace and security, the citizens must give up power to him. Both Jessie and Clay understand that what is involved is not superhuman moral men, but rather men who are given the ability to exercise a great deal of power on behalf of others who abdicate it. Men who will ultimately be rejected, rather then venerated, by the very system which initially needs them. The town's judge also opposes hiring Clay. The judge points out, popular belief to the contrary, that hiring a gunman is operating outside the law. When he fails to sway his neighbors' minds he confronts Clay with the same ideas. Judge: They say you're a decent man.Clay merely walks away from the Judge, unwilling or unable to respond. Clay knows he was hired by the Citizen's Committee and not as the deputy sheriff .He will be without legal authority. This challenges the myth by suggesting that gunmen work outside the law. This particular challenge to the myth is given emphasis in the film. The first occurs when the Sheriff (from the county seat) arrives in town to pick up men who were charged with robbing a stagecoach. The Sheriff refuses to acknowledge Blaisdell's work and says, "The way I figure you operate outside the law as much as they do." The Sheriff then offers the job of deputy sheriff to the townsfolk. Johnny Gannon accepts the position. The Sheriff tells Johnny he will be "up against any law breakers" and pointedly looks at Blaisdell. The Judge, who observes this exchange says, "Well, looks like law is coming back to Warlock." During the ending scenes of the film, the stage has been set for a confrontation between Blaisdell and the outlaws, led by Abe McKuen. Johnny Gannon, as deputy sheriff, attempts to intervene and maintain peace in Warlock. Johnny first confronts Clay and tells him to do nothing. "It's my job to keep the peace. This is the law's business, not yours." Clay responds by agreeing and says, "Let's see if Warlock's grown up enough to take care of itself." Johnny confronts Abe McKuen and warns him against the illegal actions the outlaws plan. Rather than accept the edict, McKuen assaults Johnny for refusing to lie on behalf of the outlaws and a final confrontation seems inevitable. The argument that gunmen are mere human beings and operate outside the law, as the Wyatt Earp myth would have it, is taken up in Warlock. The film suggests that hiring gunmen actually increases violence, rather than insuring peace and tranquility. When the film opens, the town is under siege by outlaws. At this point they are content to run the deputy sheriff out of town and shoot the barber. After Clay Blaisdell arrives the number of violent incidents dramatically increase and perhaps most importantly, Clay brings some of the violence with him. First, Clay throws down a challenge to the cowboys. When he has defeated them, they begin increasing criminal activities outside the town limits. Cattle rustling increases, road agents (robbers) are more active and more people are involved in killings of one kind or another. The townsfolk even form a lynch mob, which is defused by Johnny. Eventually, Clay and Morgan shoot and kill three men in a street shoot-out, remarkably similar to the OK Corral. Following the street shoot-out, Johnny must face the outlaws. When Miss Jessie questions what is happening Clay responds by identifying the dilemma the men face: They have been declared guilty as road agents and every man knows it and they're that if they stay out (of Warlock) and yellow bellies besides. If they come in they become genuine gilded heroes, proving their innocence and striking a blow for freedom too.The resulting shoot-out only leads to still more violence. As a result of the killing of the road agents, Curly (another outlaw) rides into town and posts notices that Clay Blaisdell is wanted for murder. He informs Clay that the outlaws have now formed the "Cowboys' Council for the Protection of San Paulo," an action meant to parallel the townfolks' hiring of Clay Blaisdell. Curly says, "Back and forth, forth and back. Kind of like looking in two mirrors put face to face." His message is clear, the violence will continue. The violence begets violence theme found throughout the film, is also seen with Clay's friend, Morgan, a gambler, gunman, and a cripple. Morgan is both physically and emotionally crippled. As the film progresses the viewer learns of the violence surrounding Morgan. He has been involved in incidents in the past which Clay resolved for him. He perpetuates the violence by killing a stagecoach passenger when the stage is robbed by the road agents. He encourages Clay to take violent stances. He resists Clay's attempts to marry and settle down with Miss Jessie. Morgan represents the continuation of the old myth, he glorifies the savage West and freedom from lawful restraint. Morgan shows how some men have become dependent on the myth, a myth they will protect at any cost. Ultimately, Morgan dies for this belief while the film suggests that it is time for the myth to die. Warlock ends with the showdown in the street. Only this time, Morgan prohibits Clay from participating by holding him at gunpoint. Johnny confronts the outlaws and prevails. He prevails with the support of both the townsfolk and other cowboys who believe in a fair fight. Johnny has established law and order in Warlock, not merely through his own efforts but with community support. Johnny succeeds, not because he is a superhuman, but because Warlock has grown up enough to take care of itself. As Johnny put it "It's time this town stood on its own, maybe the people will back the law" and they do. Morgan, struggling to keep the old myth alive challenges the new order by shooting up the town. This time however, Clay steps in by locking Gannon up, as Clay tells him "Morgan's my problem." Eventually the two face each other and Clay shoots and kills Morgan. As a result, Johnny must now confront Clay. Johnny: It's time for you to go. You can't stay here. Trouble and death follow you. Warlock's had enough of both. . . .Clay too must now face the reality of the failed myth. He can leave town with his reputation as a gunman in question or shoot it out with Johnny, a lawman, destroying his reputation as a gunman who operates within the law. Miss Jessie urges him to stay, but Clay well understands that there is nothing he can do in a secure, peaceful Warlock. The following morning he meets Johnny as if for a shootout. Johnny pulls his gun, Clay follows but tosses the gun into the dirt. Clay pulls the second gun, Johnny crouches prepared to shoot, but holds off and Clay tosses the second gun into the dirt. Clay seems prepared to accept the end of the myth of the gunman, the end of his own legend. By voluntarily shedding the legend, Clay retains his reputation and controls his own destiny. Warlock challenges the myth of the heroic gunman by using the Earp legend, but without invoking the Earp name. The viewer watches as the myth of the heroic gunman is challenged without being confronted with an attack on the Wyatt Earp legend. In Tombstone, perhaps the most historically accurate of the films discussed, parts of the old legend are resurrected and Tombstone, the Earps and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral are further mythologized. Tombstone begins with black and white clips and a voice-over setting the time. The Tombstone opening monologue sets the tone for what follows. 1879. The Civil War is over . . . the economic explosion drives the western expansion. Farmers, ranchers, prospectors, killers and thieves seek their fortunes. Cattle drovers turn cow towns into armed camps with murder rates higher than those of modern-day New York or Los Angeles. Out of this chaos comes legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, retiring his badge and gun to start a peaceful life with his family. Earp's friend John 'Doc' Holliday, a southern gentlemen turned gunman and gambler also travels west hoping the dry climate will relieve his tuberculosis. . . . Tombstone becomes Queen of the boom towns where the latest Paris fashions are sold from the back of wagons. Attracted to this atmosphere of greed over 100 Texan exiles banned together to form a ruthless gang recognized by the red sashes they wear. They emerge as the earliest example of organized crime in America. They call themselves "the cowboys".Tombstone begins with 'the cowboys' riding into a Mexican wedding where they kill all present in revenge for the death of two of their comrades. Prior to being killed the priest, quoting from the book of Revelations foretells the avenging of the wedding party. "Behold the pale horse and the man who sat on him was death and hell followed with him." Following the priest's statement we see a slow pan of Wyatt this quote the film does a slow pan of Wyatt Earp. Thus early in the film, it is made clear that Wyatt is the man who will bring justice to Tombstone. Wyatt Earp is not in Tombstone to act as a lawman. The film makes clear that Wyatt, his brothers Morgan and Virgil and all three of their wives are in town to make their fortune. Wyatt is almost immediately asked to serve as a lawman to which he responds "I already did my duty." When the U.S. Marshall realizes that Wyatt is in Tombstone to make money he says "I never saw a rich man without a guilty conscience." Wyatt responds "I already got a guilty conscience. Might as well have the money too." Within moments of their arrival in Tombstone, the Earps are met by the U.S. Marshall; John Behan, the Cochise County Sheriff; and Fred White, the town marshall. Wyatt says, "A lot of law round here I've already met the county sheriff," to which White responds, "He ain't no law. Only real law around here are the cowboys." This Wyatt Earp is unlike the Earp of previous films and legend. He is unwilling to serve as lawman in any capacity, a position which he maintains throughout most of the film. He is, however, willing to use violence to achieve his ends. He slaps a man who slaps a horse. He assaults the faro dealer at the Oriental and gains twenty-five percent interest in the winnings of the house. His character is perhaps best described by the Shakespearean actor who declares that Earp is "the quintessential frontier type. He has the look of both predator and prey." Throughout the film, Wyatt is indeed the predator. He and his brothers become local business tycoons. They run the faro tables at the Oriental, they invest in mine claim deeds and eventually start their own saloon. Eventually, however, Wyatt becomes prey as he is hunted by both the "cowboys” and "the law." Tombstone, despite the presence of the cowboys, is basically a booming town. The law is represented by a U.S. Marshall, John Behan, and Fred White. Behan is a local capitalist and also serves as the county tax collector, captain of the fire brigade, part of the Town Lot commission and chairman of an anti-Chinese organization. He offers real estate to the Earps within moments of their arrival in Tombstone and paints a glowing picture of Tombstone figuring it will soon be comparable to San Francisco as a sophisticated town. Yet the presence of the cowboys cannot be ignored as they periodically ride into town, get liquored up or drugged up in the opium dens, and shoot up Tombstone. It is just such an incident that sets the action for the film. Curly Bill, the leader of the cowboys, is in town one night and gets high at a Chinese opium den, after which he starts shooting up the town. When Fred White, the town marshall, goes out to stop him, Bill shoots and kills White. The crowd wants to lynch Bill, but Wyatt Earp steps in and prohibits it. With the death of White, Virgil Earp becomes marshall and Morgan joins him as a deputy marshall. When challenged by Wyatt, Virgil responds "If we're going to have a future in this town then it has to have some law and order." In his effort to bring order to Tombstone, Virgil restricts the carrying of firearms, an ordinance which results in the gunfight the course of his duties, Virgil restricts the carrying of firearms in Tombstone. It is this ordinance which results in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. What is at stake is nothing less than control of the town. Virgil heads towards the Corral with Morgan to disarm the cowboys. Wyatt challenges him about making so much trouble over a misdemeanor. Virgil responds, "You bet, they're breaking the law." Wyatt unhappily suggests that Virgil swear him in as a deputy marshall. Together the brothers, with Doc Holliday, move through town to the corral to disarm the cowboys. In the ensuing gun battle five of the six cowboys are killed and Virgil and Morgan are injured. Following the gunfight Sheriff Behan attempts to arrest the Earps but Wyatt thwarts his efforts. This incident at the O.K. Corral sets into motion a series of attacks by the cowboys in revenge for the death of their comrades. Virgil is shot and injured. Wives of some of the deputy marshals are killed. Morgan is shot in the back and killed. Wyatt and Virgil decide to take their wives and leave town. Curly Bill tells Ike Clanton and another cowboy, Stillwell, to follow them and put an end to the feud. Wyatt Earp shoots Stillwell down and tells Ike to pass on a message to Curly Bill. "Tell them the law's coming, I'm coming and hell's coming with me." This language links Earp to the prophecy of the priest pronounced early in the film. Earp responds to the cowboys' actions by seeking and receiving an appointment as a U.S. Marshall. He and Doc Holliday then begin a rampage of violence aimed at eliminating the cowboys. At some point Sheriff Behan deputizes a number of the cowboys and they ride out in search of Earp, Holliday and the men riding with them. Earp has become both predator and prey. Tombstone combines elements of the previous movies in statements about the law. Tombstone is both a raucous town and a growing, established community. The men who inhabit the town are often presented as "good men" or "bad men" although the distinction is often blurred. As in My Darling Clementine, the law represents order and commerce, as evidenced by Virgil's desire to civilize the town for capitalistic pursuits. However, the law is also subject to personal interpretation as we saw in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The film goes beyond these boundaries, however, and explores law's limits when it is seized and manipulated by a strong man who seeks to advance his own purposes. Eventually, Earp avenges the death of one brother and the shooting of another and rids Cochise County of the "bad" cowboys. The audience is, of course, encouraged to side with Earp. Here is a man clearly pushed to the boundaries of human endurance and the viewer is expected to celebrate as Earp strolls through hailstorms of bullets to achieve his goals. Earp becomes a mythic, albeit flawed, figure. Tombstone presents the most accurate historical depiction of the Earp legend, although the film still contains inaccuracies. The Earps, at least Virgil, is depicted as a strong law-abiding man who becomes marshall to protect law and order. In reality, the Earps were businessmen intent on seizing and maintaining political control so they could conduct their businesses. They were willing to do whatever necessary to gain control of Tombstone. Wyatt Earp is not without flaws. He cheats on his wife, Mattie, although the reason seems to be that Mattie is an opium addict. That we are in the presence of a mythic figure is seen in the scenes at the end of the film where Earp walks into a rain of gunfire, killing cowboys along the way, without incurring injury. Interesting enough, Earp was never injured in a gun battle during his life. Less clear is whether Earp ever walked into a rain of gunfire and escaped injury. In another scene, when Earp's statute is threatened--when he faces the one man he cannot beat, Johnny Ringo--Doc Holliday leaves his sickbed and kills Ringo before Earp reaches him. Law in Tombstone provides a vehicle for addressing the problem of vengeance and civil order in a community. Law is also a ready tool to be manipulated for purposes of power and control of capital. It is about sanctioned violence, who can use it and in what situations it will be accepted or tolerated. It is the "one" against the "many." It can exist simultaneously in a number of different forms. The death of Fred White, the old town marshall and his clear sense of right and wrong, leaves the town with a legal system, flawed, but still functional. The issue is not good and bad, but a legal system that reflects both. The film does suggest however, that certain men, those who value family love and fierce loyalty, manage to rise above the situation to the betterment of society. Wyatt Earp remains a symbolic and mythic representation of law and order and justice in the West. As our country has grown and expanded we have shifted from a perspective of clear moral rights and wrongs to a recognition that we live in a complex world and the law can only reflect that complexity. Earp, as cultural icon, and myth, allows us to explore the parameters of this complexity and reminds us that the issue has not been resolved. Wyatt Earp, the quintessential frontier man, continues to serve as a guide to the frontiers which confront us today. Collins, James L. LAWMEN OF THE OLD WEST. New York: Franklin Watts, 1990. Gard, Wayne. FRONTIER JUSTICE. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1949. GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL. Dir. John Sturges. With Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Rhonda Fleming. 1957. Hoberman, J. "El Ponderoso." Village Voice . 5 July 1994: 49. Marks, Paula Mitchell. AND DIE IN THE WEST. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989. McConnell, Frank. STORYTELLING AND MYTHMAKING: IMAGES FROM FILM AND LITERATURE. New York: Oxford University Press, 1979. MY DARLING CLEMENTINE. Dir. John Ford. With Henry Fonda, Victor Mature and Walter Brennan. 1946. Prassel, Frank Richard. WESTERN PEACE OFFICER: A LEGACY OF LAW AND ORDER. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1972. Rosa, Joseph G. THE TAMING OF THE WEST; AGE OF THE GUNFIGHTER: MEN AND WEAPONS IN THE FRONTIER 1840-1900. London: Salamander Books, 1993. Slotkin, Richard. GUNFIGHTER NATION: THE MYTH OF THE FRONTIER IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY AMERICA. New York: Harper Perennial, 1992. TOMBSTONE. Dir. George P. Cosmatos. With Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer and Sam Elliott. 1993. Turner, Frederick Jackson. THE FRONTIER IN AMERICAN HISTORY. New York: Henry Holt, 1920. Tuska, Jon. THE AMERICAN WEST IN FILM: CRITICAL APPROACHES TO THE WESTERN. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1985. WARLOCK. Dir. Edward Dymtryk. With Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn and Richard Widmark. 1959. |
