Wyatt Earp (1994)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Lawrence Kasdan

Writers (WGA):

Dan Gordon (written by) and
Lawrence Kasdan (written by)

Release Date:

24 June 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Romance | Western

Tagline:

The epic story of love and adventure in a lawless land.

Plot:

Wyatt Earp is a movie about a man and his family. More of a documentary than Hollywood tinsel, this...

Plot Keywords:

Wyatt Earp | Box Office Flop | Character Says "piss" | Gunslinger | Pistol

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Kevin Costner	...	Wyatt Earp
Dennis Quaid	...	Doc Holliday
Gene Hackman	...	Nicholas Earp
David Andrews	...	James Earp
Linden Ashby	...	Morgan Earp
Jeff Fahey	...	Ike Clanton
Joanna Going	...	Josie Marcus
Mark Harmon	...	Johnny Behan
Michael Madsen	...	Virgil Earp
Catherine O'Hara	...	Allie Earp
Bill Pullman	...	Ed Masterson
Isabella Rossellini	...	Big Nose Kate
Tom Sizemore	...	Bat Masterson
JoBeth Williams	...	Bessie Earp
Mare Winningham	...	Mattie Blaylock
James Gammon	...	Mr. Sutherland
Rex Linn	...	Frank McLaury
Randle Mell	...	John Clum
Adam Baldwin	...	Tom McLaury
Annabeth Gish	...	Urilla Sutherland
Lewis Smith	...	Curly Bill Brocius
Ian Bohen	...	Young Wyatt
Betty Buckley	...	Virginia Earp
Alison Elliott	...	Lou Earp
Todd Allen	...	Sherm McMasters
Mackenzie Astin	...	Young Man on Boat
James Caviezel	...	Warren Earp
Karen Grassle	...	Mrs. Sutherland
John Dennis Johnston	...	Frank Stillwell
Téa Leoni	...	Sally
Martin Kove	...	Ed Ross
Jack Kehler	...	Bob Hatch
Kirk Fox	...	Pete Spence
Norman Howell	...	Johnny Ringo
Boots Southerland	...	Marshall White
Scotty Augare	...	Indian Charlie
Gabriel Folse	...	Billy Clanton
Kris Kamm	...	Billy Claiborne
John Lawlor	...	Judge Spicer
Monty Stuart	...	Dutch Wiley
Hugh Ross	...	Erwin Sutherland
Gregory Avellone	...	Traveler
Michael McGrady	...	John Shanssey
Mary Jo Niedzielski	...	Martha Earp
Scott Paul	...	Young Morgan
Oliver Hendrickson	...	Young Warren
Darwin Mitchell	...	Tom Chapman
Steve Kniesel	...	Bullwacker
Larry Sims	...	Dirty Sodbuster
Greg Goossen	...	Friend of Bullwacker
Heath Kizzier	...	Red
Clark Sanchez	...	Mike Donovan
Ed Beimfohr	...	Faro Dealer
Giorgio E. Tripoli	...	Judge Earp
Ben Zeller	...	Dr. Seger
Rockne Tarkington	...	Stable Hand
Scott Rasmussen	...	Minister
Ellen Blake	...	Paris
Steph Benseman	...	Pine Bluff Sheriff
Bob 'Dutch' Holland	...	Tubercular Inmate
Steve Cormier	...	Tent Saloon Bartender
Matt Langseth	...	Link Borland
David Doty	...	Mayor Wilson
Steven Gregory Tyler	...	Deputy Ford (as Steven G. Tyler)
Billy Streater	...	Marshall Meagher
David L. Stone	...	Larry Deger
Jake Walker	...	Mannen Clements
Matt O'Toole	...	Gyp Clements
Geo Cook	...	Big Cowboy
Dillinger Steele	...	Drunk Cowboy
Steve Lindsay	...	Drunk Cowboy
Marlene D. Williams	...	Saloon Dealer (as Marlene Williams)
Dick Beach	...	Wagner
Benny Manning	...	Walker
Kathleen O'Hara	...	Hotel Resident
Nick Benseman	...	Delivery Boy (as Nicholas Benseman)
Sarge McGraw	...	Deputy Black
Luce Rains	...	Spangenberg (as Steven Hartley)
Brett Cullen	...	Saddle Tramp
Paul Ukena	...	Bar Regular
Owen Roizman	...	Danny
Karen Schwartz	...	Marshall White's Wife
Glen Burns	...	Bar Patron
John Furlong	...	Clem Hafford
Zack McGillis	...	Rancher
Adam Taylor	...	Texas Jack
Rusty Hendrickson	...	Turkey Creek Jack
Hanley Smith	...	Billiard Parlor Patron
Jon Kasdan	...	Bar Boy
Dale West	...	Station Master
Michael Huddleston	...	Albert
Albert Trujillo	...	Camp Foreman (as Al Trujillo)
John Doe	...	Tommy Behind-the-Deuce
Matt Beck	...	McGee
Gary Dueer	...	Dirk Gird
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Bernier	...	Fast Draw Cowboy (uncredited)
Bryan David Wright	...	Young Boy (uncredited)
Shannon Denton	...	Man with whores (uncredited)
Elias Gallegos	...	Horseback Outlaw (uncredited)
Lawrence Kasdan	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Tanit Lee Lascelles	...	Towns person (uncredited)
James 'JR' Pollard	...	Carpetbagger in saloon (uncredited)
John Pritchett	...	The drummer (uncredited)
Mark Thomason	...	Cowboy at Table (uncredited)
Tracy Weisert	...	Buttercup (uncredited)
Jim Wilson	...	Doctor for Virgil Earp (uncredited)

Directed by
Lawrence Kasdan

Writing credits (WGA)
Dan Gordon		(written by) and
Lawrence Kasdan		(written by)

Produced by
Kevin Costner	....	producer
Dan Gordon	....	executive producer
Michael Grillo	....	executive producer
Lawrence Kasdan	....	producer
Charles Okun	....	executive producer
Jon Slan	....	executive producer
Jim Wilson	....	producer

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
Owen Roizman

Film Editing by
Carol Littleton

Casting by
Jennifer Shull

Production Design by
Ida Random

Art Direction by
Gary Wissner

Set Decoration by
Cheryl Carasik

Costume Design by
Colleen Atwood

Makeup Department
Bonita DeHaven	....	additional makeup artist
Elle Elliott	....	hair stylist: Mr. Costner
Dorothy D. Fox	....	key hair stylist (as Dorothy Fox)
Sharon McVey	....	local hair stylist
Michael Mills	....	makeup supervisor
Francisco X. Pérez	....	makeup artist: Mr. Costner
Gerald Quist	....	key makeup artist (as Gerry Quist)
Marlene D. Williams	....	hair stylist supervisor (as Marlene Williams)
Katie Douthit	....	daily makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Steph Benseman	....	production manager: second unit
Michael Grillo	....	unit production manager
Charles Okun	....	unit production manager
Danis Regal-O'Connell	....	production supervisor (as Danis Regal)
Sara Spring	....	production supervisor: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen P. Dunn	....	first assistant director (as Stephen Dunn)
Peter E. Hirsch	....	second second assistant director (as Peter Hirsch)
Jeff Rafner	....	second assistant director
L. David Silva	....	additional second assistant director
Christina Stauffer	....	additional second assistant director (as Christina J. Stauffer)

Art Department
Peter Alvarez	....	property maker
Robert Anderson	....	property maker
Steven Lee Baer	....	swing gang (as Steve Baer)
Sam Brinson	....	property maker
Greg John Callas	....	construction coordinator
Andy Carter	....	painter
Barry Chusid	....	set designer
Art Clever	....	construction foreman
Denis Cordova	....	property maker
Charles Daboub Jr.	....	set designer
Giovanni Ferrara	....	paint foreman
Andy Flores	....	painter
John Forwalter	....	property maker
Kevin M. Gannon	....	assistant property master
Michael R. Gannon	....	assistant property master (as Mike Gannon)
Hank Giardina	....	stand-by painter
Eric Giese	....	labor foreman
Gershon Ginsburg	....	assistant art director
Jeff Goldberg	....	construction foreman
Val Harris	....	swing gang
John O. Hartman	....	local swing gang
Chris Herrington	....	painter
Mark Hitchler	....	construction foreman
Richard Hoffenberg	....	general foreman
Mark Hollis	....	painter
Kelly Hudson	....	painter
Scott Lewis	....	local swing gang
David Manhan	....	lead man
Anthony J. Martin	....	labor foreman (as Anthony Martin)
Rick Martin	....	construction foreman
Robert S. McDonald	....	construction foreman (as Bob McDonald)
Henry Mendoza	....	property maker
Ed Mirassou	....	property maker
David J. Negron Jr.	....	storyboard artist
Bob Nickloff	....	property maker
Vic Petrotta Jr.	....	assistant property master (as Victor Petrotta Jr.)
William A. Petrotta	....	property master (as Bill Petrotta)
Eugenio Quintero	....	plaster foreman
Billy Ray	....	local assistant property master (as Billy W. Ray)
Tom Reta	....	set designer
Paul Roberts	....	property maker
Ernest M. Sanchez	....	local swing gang (as Ernest Sanchez)
Peter Schlanser	....	local swing gang
Vikki Spracklen	....	construction accountant
Steve Thayer	....	construction foreman
Adrian Valdes	....	painter
Wendy Weaver	....	swing gang
Chris Windish	....	property maker
Craig Zimmerman	....	swing gang
Lou Boggs	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Phillip A. Henry	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
David A. Arnold	....	sound editor (as David Arnold)
John H. Arrufat	....	sound editor (as J.H. Arrufat)
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer (as Jim Ashwill)
Stu Bernstein	....	supervising sound editor
John Brilhante	....	sound re-recordist (as John W. Brilhante)
Desmond Cannon	....	assistant sound editor
Tony Cappelli	....	assistant sound editor
Jim Cody	....	apprentice sound editor
Joe Dorn	....	adr editor
Michael Dressel	....	sound editor
Alison Fisher	....	dialogue editor
Jessica Gallavan	....	adr supervisor
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley recordist
John Glaeser	....	utility sound technician
Lewis Goldstein	....	dialogue editor
Robert Grieve	....	supervising sound editor
Stephen Janisz	....	adr editor
Ken J. Johnson	....	sound effects recordist
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stephanie Lowry	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Mackston	....	supervising dialogue editor (as Bobby Mackston)
Steve Mann	....	sound editor
James Matheny	....	dialogue editor
John Murray	....	foley supervisor
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jennifer Portman	....	assistant sound editor
John Pritchett	....	sound mixer
Roy Seeger	....	assistant sound editor (as Roy 'Shorty' Seeger)
Dan Sharp	....	sound re-recordist (as Daniel Sharp)
Joel Shryack	....	boom operator
Frank Smathers	....	sound editor (as Frank T. Smathers)
Daniel Yale	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Rodney M. Byrd	....	assistant special effects (as Rod Byrd)
Burt Dalton	....	special effects
Dale Ettema	....	assistant special effects
Joe Heffernan	....	local special effects
Dick Hogle	....	local special effects
Donald Myers	....	assistant special effects (as Don Myers)
Sol Rivera	....	local special effects

Visual Effects by
Karen deJong	....	matte painter
Robert Stadd	....	visual effects producer
Mark Sullivan	....	matte painter
Derrick Mitchell	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)
Olivier Sarda	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
William H. Burton Jr.	....	stunts
Will Cascio	....	stunts
Stacy Courtney	....	stunts
David Efron	....	stunts
H.P. Evetts	....	stunts
Greg Goossen	....	stunts (as Gregory Goossen)
Beau Holden	....	stunts
Kanin Howell	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunt coordinator
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Shawn Howell	....	stunts
Tricia Howell	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
William Ray	....	stunts
L. David Silva	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ulli Bonnekamp	....	time-lapse photographer
Richard Bowen	....	director of photography: second unit
David Brown	....	grip
Philip L. Brown	....	grip (as Phil Brown)
Shaw Hawkins Burrows	....	electrician
Shaw Hawkins Burrows	....	grip
Tom DeWitt	....	local grip
Alan R. Disler	....	first assistant camera (as Alan Disler)
Chris Espeset	....	local grip
Richard Fezzey	....	grip
Ian Fox	....	camera operator
Rusty Geller	....	Steadicam operator
Jeff Gershman	....	first assistant camera (as Jeffrey Gershman)
Khan Griffith	....	lamp operator
Mark Hadland	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Ian Kincaid	....	chief lighting technician
Kim Kono	....	rigging gaffer
Mitchell Lookabaugh	....	best boy grip (as Mitch Lookabaugh)
Michael Martinez	....	camera loader (as Mike Martinez)
David L. Merrill	....	dolly grip (as David Merrill)
Daniel P. Moore	....	video assist operator (as Daniel Moore)
Richard Mosier	....	Steadicam assistant
Thomas Nead	....	lamp operator (as Tom Nead)
Michael Raspa	....	second assistant camera
Tony Rivetti	....	first assistant camera (as Anthony Rivetti)
Bill Roe	....	camera operator
Eric Roizman	....	second assistant camera
Tim Ryan	....	key grip
Victor Svimonoff	....	lamp operator
Christopher Duskin	....	assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Harland Espeset	....	grip (uncredited)
Tim Forrest	....	electrician (uncredited)
Ben Glass	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Casey Jones	....	key grip (uncredited)
Rose Kuo	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	grip (uncredited)
Stephen Mullen	....	best boy: second unit (uncredited)
Stephen Mullen	....	electrician (uncredited)
Ray Ortega	....	electrician (uncredited)
Chad Rivetti	....	camera production assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sally Jackson	....	extras casting
Phil Poulos	....	casting associate
Elizabeth Shull	....	casting associate
Karen Wood	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Alexander	....	local costumer
Cynthia Black	....	local costumer (as Cynthia Black-Montoya)
Cha Blevins	....	costume supervisor
Le Dawson	....	costume supervisor
Barry Francis Delaney	....	key costumer (as Barry Delaney)
James M. George	....	key costumer
Marci R. Johnson	....	additional costumer
Adrienne Manhan	....	additional costumer
Ruby K. Manis	....	key costumer (as Ruby Manis)
Adrienne Wait	....	additional costumer
Lois DeArmond	....	costume illustrator (uncredited)
Melissa Moody	....	seamstress (uncredited)
Ernest M. Sanchez	....	dresser (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Justin Bourret	....	apprentice editor
Raúl Dávalos	....	associate editor
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer
Suzanne Spangler	....	first assistant film editor
Ofe Yi	....	second assistant film editor

Music Department
Chris Boardman	....	orchestrator
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
James Newton Howard	....	orchestrator
Michael Mason	....	score co-producer
Shawn Murphy	....	music mixer
Shawn Murphy	....	music recordist
David Olson	....	assistant music editor
Marty Paich	....	conductor
Jim Weidman	....	music editor
Philip Ayling	....	musician: recorder (uncredited)
Alasdair Fraser	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Frank Marocco	....	musician: accordion (uncredited)
Dean Parks	....	musician: acoustic guitar (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dave Amberik	....	driver
Suzi Battaglia	....	driver
Ray Brooks	....	driver
Chris Cannon	....	driver
Stanford Davis	....	driver
Vince De Amicis	....	driver
Vashti Desire	....	driver
Rose Echeverria	....	driver
Robert Elsey	....	driver
Bob Fish	....	driver
Bill Hauer	....	driver
Sonny Hodge	....	driver
Brian Maguire	....	driver
Bill Masten	....	driver
Ken Merrit	....	driver
Larry Ropa	....	driver
Jonathan A. Rosenfeld	....	transportation captain (as Jonathan Rosenfeld)
Tim Rote	....	driver
David Siegel	....	transportation coordinator
Bob Smart	....	driver
Mike Stevens	....	driver
David Teasley	....	driver
Norm Walke	....	driver
Dwight Wood	....	transportation captain
Shawn Coulter	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Todd J. Adelman	....	first aid (as Todd Adelman)
Christopher Alfieri	....	production aide
Bill Althouse	....	local lamp operator (as William Althouse)
Gregory Avellone	....	associate to producer
Lindsay Beamish	....	production aide
Matt Beck	....	stand-in
Donna Blau	....	local assistant production accountant
Kirk Borcherding	....	production controller
Cindy Burroughs	....	local craft service
John Campbell	....	wrangler
Jerry Crespin	....	production aide
Shad Davis	....	production aide
Michael Dellheim	....	location consultant
Kyle DeVriendt	....	video documentarist
Joe Downey	....	stand-in
Chandos Erwin	....	production aide
Anne C. Ford	....	assistant production accountant (as Anne Ford)
Zaki Gordon	....	production aide
Rose Hansen	....	production aide
Paul Hargrave	....	location manager
Rusty Hendrickson	....	head wrangler
Bill Hill	....	location projectionist
Tom Hoeck	....	first aid
Beau Holden	....	assistant: Dennis Quaid
Ruth Irvine	....	assistant: Mr. Okun
Jason Johnson	....	local craft service
J. David Jones	....	helicopter pilot
Karim Jundi	....	production assistant
Shannon Kane	....	first assistant production accountant
Shannon Kane	....	post-production accountant
Jake Kasdan	....	archivist
Tony Kerum	....	caterer
Kent Kubena	....	video documentarist
Ernest H. Lauterio	....	craft service (as Ernie Lauterio)
Stevie Lazo	....	production accountant
Mary B. Love	....	liaison: Garson Studios
Justin Lundin	....	wrangler
Maria M. Machado	....	assistant: Mr. Wilson (as Maria Manuela Machado)
Benny Manning	....	wrangler
Oscar Mazzola	....	production aide
Moira McLaughlin	....	assistant: Mr. Costner
Darwin Mitchell	....	wrangler
Larry Motes	....	wrangler
Jennifer Owensby	....	assistant: Mr. Madsen
H. Charles Parrish	....	stand-in
Noel Phillips	....	wrangler
Don Pope	....	ranch liaison
Liz Probst	....	assistant production accountant
Anne Rapp	....	script supervisor
Hugh Ross	....	assistant: Mr. Kasdan
Katie Santore	....	production aide (as Kate Santore)
Gary K. Shaw	....	production aide
Hawkeye Sheene	....	production aide
Jimmy Sherwood	....	wrangler
Sharyn Shimada-Huggins	....	production secretary
Christopher Sliney	....	video documentarist
B.J. Smith	....	first aid
Sharla Snell	....	production aide
Spooky Stevens	....	unit publicist
Monty Stewart	....	wrangler
Heidi Strickler	....	stand-in
Mark Thomason	....	stand-in: Mr. Costner
Anne Ward	....	assistant: Mr. Kasdan
Mona Weisberg	....	production aide
Donna Wells	....	local production secretary
Maurice Williams	....	production office assistant
Tim Wilson	....	location consultant
Branko Wohlfahrt	....	gun expert
Rick Wyant	....	wrangler
Jeff Coopwood	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Bill Daly	....	post-production accountant manager (uncredited)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)
Tom Lent	....	adr voice (uncredited)
David Manzanares	....	location scout (uncredited)
Marienne O'Brien	....	stitcher (uncredited)
Sean O'Kane	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Billy Pittard	....	title designer (uncredited)
Matthew Shields	....	time-lapse assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
John Bailey	....	thanks
Tom Stern	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Tig Productions
• Kasdan Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1999) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (special edition)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (two-disc special edition)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images (special moon effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• D. Bassett & Associates  negative cutting (as the associates at d. bassett)
• Garson Studios  thanks
• J.L. Fisher  camera dollies
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Pacific Title Digital  digital film services
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Pittard Sullivan Fitzgerald  titles
• Technicolor  prints
• Video Hawks  video assist equipment
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack
• Western Enterprises Inc.  aerial pyrotechnics

Runtime:

USA:191 min | USA:212 min (extended edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

777 Ranch, Hermosa, South Dakota, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Originally conceived as a six-hour mini-series.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Wyatt, Ed, and Bat Masterson are shooting buffalo near the beginning of the movie, the buffalo are clearly dummies. When the last buffalo tumbles to the ground, its horns bounce up and down, indicating they're made from rubber.

Quotes:

Virgil Earp: We're gonna disarm them and take 'em in. You understand, Doc?
Doc Holliday: Oh, I understand Virgil. But
[taps shotgun]
Doc Holliday: do you think they will?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Silverado' (1999) (V)

Overly long and deliberate but a fine story

Wyatt grows up a young man who loves the law. When his wife dies early in their marriage he goes off the rails and becomes a drunk and a thief. When he is offered a chance at redemption he takes it and becomes a deputy. His legend spreads and he is offered the chance to be the deputy for Dodge City. He has great success but is removed from the job for being too brutal. When his replacement is killed as the law falls away in Dodge, Wyatt returns before moving on to Tombstone but finds his initial run-in with the Clantonhas left harbouring resentments.

When I saw this in the cinema, it was hassled by the fact that another, more multiplex-friendly version of the story had just been released shortly before. Viewed separately years later it fares better without the comparison to Tombstone, which is, in fairness, more of a fun bang-bang affair, although now it struggles because Costner's reputation is not even at the level it was when this film was released. The plot is good and is supposedly a true telling of the legend, although the film is careful to pepper the running time with hints that stories get changed with the telling.

The very honest and respectful telling of the story means that it gets told in a very deliberate and careful manner. This means on one hand that we get a good picture over Wyatt's life as opposed to the events in Tombstone, however it also means that the film itself is a little dull and overlong. It is overly deliberate and doesn't flow as well as it should - flowing more like syrup than water at times. Where some three-hour running times fly by, here it does feel like at least three hours - not always a good thing! The filling out of the characters doesn't always work either - I knew more about Wyatt but I didn't understand his character much more, also I was surprised that I was none the wiser about why he and Doc became friends considering how long was spent with them. A big failing of the film is that it assumes the status of an epic rather than earning the status. What I mean by this is that it tries too hard to be an epic - with constant sweeping music where it didn't need it. I still thing the film has an epic sweep to it, but it didn't need the cinematic tricks to achieve it; in fact, it could have down played it and let the sweep of the film do it for itself.

The cast is pretty good and also pretty deep. Costner may not be seen as a star anymore but that doesn't mean he can't act and can't hold the attention. He is a reasonable Wyatt but he suffers from being too deliberate and too shut off at times. I understand he needed to do it for the character but it contributes to the film feeling slow. The other brothers are played well by Madsen, Ashby and Andrews. Maybe it is because of Costner's drab Wyatt, but Quaid really lightens things up as Doc Holliday. His colourful character stands out easily against the old west types. The support cast is deep and includes faces such as Hackman, Fahey, Harmon, Pullman, Sizemore, Rossellini, Williams and O'Hara.

Overall this is a film that requires patience - if you prefer your films to contain action more than story then Tombstone may be more for you - but, for all it's failings, this is still a solid western and a good telling of the legend with more emphasis on background than action and fluidity.