5 Tombstone Moments That Really Happened (And 5 That Were Completely Made Up)

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5 Tombstone Moments That Really Happened (And 5 That Were Completely Made Up)

tombstone Tells the unbelievable true story of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, two of the most notorious lawmen in the Wild West. The film was praised for its surprisingly authentic portrayal of their lives, with the film sticking closely to the facts for the majority of the story. However, as with any film based on the truth, tombstone Took some creative liberties to make the story flow more naturally – but it’s still a faithful adaptation of the lives of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp.

What’s most impressive about tombstoneIts ability to present the story in its truest and most accurate form is that it never takes away from the story – the truth is just as exciting and engaging as any piece of fiction can be, which is exactly why The stories of Earp and Holliday have been adapted for the screen so many times Over the years. tombstone is full of great characters and iconic figures, and for the most part, their stories play out just like in real life.

10

The shootout in the Good Corral is based on a real gun

The shootout ended the Earp vendetta


Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton as the Earps in Tombstone.

Although it may seem exaggerated, the events of tombstones shooting at the OK Corral were actually based on a real shootout that happened in the early days of Wyatt’s life in Tombstone, Arizona. when The cowboys charged with the lawmaker’s interference in the city’s security And politics, they sought to eliminate Earp and his friends by shooting them down in the middle of the street.

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In this fight, Wyatt and Doc were Responsible for the deaths of three notorious cowboys: Tom McLaury, Frank McLaury, and Billy Clanton. As shown in the film, this forced them into conflict with the gang and kickstarted the events that would eventually lead to the death of Wyatt’s brother, Morgan Earp.

9

Wyatt Earp did not walk free after the Good Corral

The lawman has to face some consequences


Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp holding a pistol in Tombstone

However, one aspect of the true story that tombstone Failure to confirm is the consequences of the gunfightWhich led to both Wyatt and Doc being imprisoned and tried for their crimes. Ike Clanton is actually responsible for pressing charges, ensuring that Wyatt faces justice for his brother’s murder. After a long trial, Wyatt and his friends were cleared of all wrongdoing.

Although this was missing from tombstoneIt actually adds a whole new layer to Wyatt’s journey, and would be very interesting to see on screen. Wyatt barely faces any consequences for his violence in the filmAnd it could have been a fascinating way to see him pay for his own recklessness. It may also have improved his dynamic with Ike, which explains why he lets him escape after the shootout at the train station.

8

Wyatt & Virgil both assumed roles as Tombstone’s law enforcers

The film portrayed their jobs perfectly


Cover art for Tombstone from left to right Sam Elliott as Virgil Earp, Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday, Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp, and Bill Paxton as Morgan Earp.

The inciting incident of tombstone Undoubtedly Wyatt’s arrival at Tombstone; This is where he meets Doc Holliday again, and it is where he comes into conflict with the Cowboys for the first time. At least that much is accurate, like Wyatt actually spends a lot of time in Tombstone And was responsible for much of its improvement as a city. He waged war against the cowboys for many years, and Tombstone would be a very different town without him.

Virgil Earp also played a large role in Tombstone’s law enforcement. As the film portrays, he is the most active of the Earp brothers in the city’s police department, tackling all the petty crimes in the city while Wyatt and Morgan dedicated the majority of their time to fighting the Cowboys.

7

Wyatt & Virgil are not hesitant to leave retirement

Wyatt’s reasons for leaving retirement are not so noble


Kurt Russell's Wyatt Earp lights a cigar in Tombstone

In the beginning of tombstoneThe Earp brothers are firmly in retirement and have no plans to change that anytime soon. However, in real life, this is not really a problem. Virgil very quickly accepted his position as City MarshalWhile Wyatt did not have any trouble getting back into the business and making a profit from the city.

The Earps were a fundamental part of Tombstone for several years, and while work was not their primary reason for visiting the town, it quickly became their reason for staying.

Wyatt’s biggest emergence from retirement allows some of tombstones best quotes and coolest moments, but that’s not how things went down in reality. The Earps were a fundamental part of Tombstone for several years, and while work was not their primary reason for visiting the town, it quickly became their reason for staying.

6

Virgil and Morgan are both ambushed by the cowboys

The Earp brothers both found themselves victims of cowboy attacks

After the fight at the OK Corral, The Earp brothers quickly became the Cowboys’ most notorious targets. As depicted in the film, the gang vows that Wyatt and his brothers will face justice for their supposed crimes one way or another, and it is the ambush on Virgil and Morgan that finally sets Wyatt on his path to destruction.

Although it may be hard to believe that something so cinematic actually happened in real life, these events are recorded and proven to have occurred. Virgil and Morgan Earp are both victims of premeditated ambushes of the cowboys after the iconic gun, and the latter was killed by Florentino Cruz.

5

The attacks of Virgil & Morgan did not happen on the same night

The film confuses some of the details


A distressed Morgan Earp looks up

However, the organized ambushes did not happen just like that tombstone Depicts. Most importantly, they did not happen in the same night; Virgil was attacked first by a rogue group of cowboys, and Morgan’s death did not occur until two months later. This is a small but very important detailAs the space between Virgil and Morgan’s ambushes was filled with political tension between the Earps and the Cowboys.

Although it is not historically accurate, decisions like this all contribute to tombstone Being one of Kurt Russell’s best westerns overall.

Unfortunately, the decision to put the two events on the same night was a smart one. It makes the whole scenario much more intense and fast-moving, though spreading them out might have ruined the pacing and lengthened the runtime unnecessarily. Although it is not historically accurate, decisions like this all contribute to tombstone Being one of Kurt Russell’s best westerns overall.

4

Curly Bill actually murdered Tombstone’s marshal in the street

The cowboy was responsible for the shocking death


Make Bothe smirking as William "Curly Bill" Brosius in Tombstone.

One of the most shocking scenes in tombstone Happens towards the middle of the film, when Curly Bill runs into the street and kills Marshal Fred White in front of several witnesses. This is a major turning point for the story as it paints Curly Bill as a clear villain and sets up his rivalry with Wyatt Earp in the future. The moment was Based on the real-life dispute between Curly Bill and Marshal Whitewhich resulted in the latter’s death.

This is a critical moment in tombstones story as it perfectly encapsulates the breakdown of law and order in the city. After the chaos of the OK Corral shootout, Tombstone essentially falls into lawlessness and the cowboys’ power becomes even more dangerous. By killing the most senior officer of the law, Curly Bill displays the strength of the gang and raises the stakes tenfold for the Earp brothers.

3

In reality, Marshal Fred White’s death was an accident

Curly Bill did not intend to kill the marshal


Johnny Ringo aiming a gun in a saloon as Curly Bill watches in Tombstone

While Curly Bill is definitely responsible for White’s death, it did not happen exactly as it is shown in the film. In fact, the shooting was a complete accident that likely came about as a result of drunken behavior and heated gambling. That was it Confirmed by Fred White on his deathbedWhich explains why Bill didn’t have such drastic complaints before the accident.

Although not totally accurate, Curly Bill’s rampage is still one of the most shocking scenes in the movie. It’s surprising that Kurt Russell rejected a director’s credit for this film, because moments like these are crafted with such strong craftsmanship and a keen eye for detail that explains why tombstone was such a huge success at the time of release.

2

Doc Holliday was terminally ill with tuberculosis

The illness is not overplayed for the film

Although Doc Holliday has some of tombstones best one-liners And the strange twist, his illness catches up with him in the end and he dies of late-stage tuberculosis. By the end of the film, he is essentially unable to walk – he collapses from his horse, he coughs up blood, and he struggles to rise from his bed. unfortunately, This aspect of Doc Holliday’s life was the same in factAnd the real figure also died of his illness.

It would be impossible to tell Doc Holliday’s story without focusing on his tuberculosis, because it was such a defining part of his life in his final days. Despite the film’s attempts to make him a comic character who laughs at his mortality, the real-life Doc Holliday was permanently crippled by the disease and struggled to continue his work in the last years of his life.

1

Doc Holliday didn’t kill Johnny Ringo

The reality was completely different


Michael Biehn as Johnny Ringo in Tombstone

In the film’s climax, Doc Holliday takes his friend’s place in the duel between Wyatt Earp and Johnny Ringo, overcoming his illness to defeat the leader of the cowboys in single combat. Although this makes for a brilliant ending to the film, focusing on the friendship between the two men, it is almost entirely fictional and could not have happened in real life. The Details surrounding Ringo’s death are unclearBut Holliday could not have been responsible.

There are many theories surrounding the criminal’s death, but most suspect that it was either a suicide or it came at the hands of another of Earp’s men.

The lawman was reportedly in a jail cell in Colorado at the time of Ringo’s death. There are many theories surrounding the criminal’s death, but most suspect that it was either a suicide or it came at the hands of another of Earp’s men. luckily, tombstone Decided to opt for a more fulfilling conclusion to the story that gives Holliday his moment to shine.

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