10 Best Performances In Tombstone, Ranked

The cast of Tombstone was stuffed with celebrated and talented actors, but these 10 performances stole the show. Tombstone is widely considered one of the best Western movies of all time, and a big reason it was so successful is because of its huge cast. The cast of Tombstone is filled with big names like Charlton Heston, Kurt Russell, and Val Kilmer, yet it also finds space for its supporting cast to stand out on their own. While all the actors in Tombstone brought something unique and valuable to the film, only 10 can be considered the best.

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While big, impressive scenes are an important part of acting, they aren’t the whole story. As such, the criteria for the best performances in Tombstone isn’t the same as the list of the best scenes in Tombstone. Instead, the best performances are the ones that not only stood out on their own, but also enhanced the movie as a whole. Tombstone is a sprawling Western epic, and each actor had their part to play to show every side of the story of the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday. The best actors did so almost flawlessly, and they made Tombstone the icon that it is today.

10 Thomas Haden Church As Billy Clanton

Haden Church Perfectly Blended Billy’s Naïveté & Innocence

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Billy Clanton’s most important role in Tombstone was dying, but Thomas Haden Church made sure to leave an impression before that point. Haden Church did a great job of playing Billy like the kid he was, and showing how overconfident and naive he was even in the face of death. The most important thing Haden Church accomplished for Tombstone was how he let other actors shine, such as in his interactions with Doc Holliday and his relationship to the Cowboys.

Tombstone
was Thomas Haden Church’s first credited appearance in a theatrically-released film. Prior to 1993, he had only appeared in TV shows, television movies, and in uncredited roles.

One scene in particular highlights just how good Thomas Haden Church was as Billy Clanton. Just before the gunfight at the OK Corral, the camera closed in on each of the combatants’ faces. Billy’s face was the most important, however, as it was through his reaction to Doc Holliday’s wink that Wyatt realized the fight was about to start. Haden Church’s acting, which was completely silent, perfectly displayed Billy’s fear and what he was about to do, and the scene wouldn’t have worked without him.

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9 Dana Wheeler-Nicholson As Mattie Earp

Mattie Had Relatively Few Scenes, But Wheeler-Nicholson Made Sure They Were Memorable

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Mattie Earp was sidelined both in real-life and in Tombstone, but Dana Wheeler-Nicholson still put herself front and center for much of the movie. Mattie was a difficult character to portray, both because of her opium addiction and because she was the “other woman” that Wyatt had to discard to pursue Josephine. Wheeler-Nicholson, however, handled the role expertly, and she turned what could have been an entirely forgettable character into one of Tombstone‘s main sources of emotion.

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One of the most impressive parts of Dana Wheeler-Nicholson’s performance is how much she accomplished without a single word. For instance, in the aftermath of the gunfight at the OK Corral, Wheeler-Nicholson showed every tragic and painful thought going through Mattie’s mind through her eyes alone. Likewise, when Wyatt saw Josephine at Morgan’s funeral, she stared daggers into her husband in just a few seconds on-screen.

8 Bill Paxton As Morgan Earp

Morgan Wasn’t The Most Important Earp, But Paxton Still Gave A Great Performance

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Morgan Earp was, in many ways, a direct parallel to Billy Clanton, but Bill Paxton did quite a bit to stand out on his own. Both Billy and Morgan were the most innocent members of the Cowboys and the Earp party, respectively. They also both died violent deaths, which caused their groups to seek vengeance. Paxton, however, had the chance to give a lot more emotional depth to his character than Haden Church did, and he seized that opportunity. Because Paxton was so believable as the naive and trusting Earp brother, his death hurt quite a bit, and he helped make Wyatt’s vendetta more sympathetic.

Morgan Earp was, in many ways, a direct parallel to Billy Clanton, but Bill Paxton did quite a bit to stand out on his own.

Paxton didn’t just help Tombstone and other characters, though, he also had some scenes to shine in. The gunfight at the OK Corral, for example, was a great highlight of Paxton’s ability to show both fear and emotional turmoil. Without his performance, the OK Corral would have been a simple bloodbath instead of the dark omen it needed to be for the rest of Tombstone to work. Morgan’s dismay at Virgil’s injuries also served as a great show of how Paxton could perfectly blend into and enhance a scene that wasn’t really about his character.

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7 Sam Elliott As Virgil Earp

Elliott Is A Western Star Through And Through & He Perfectly Complemented Kurt Russell

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Sam Elliott is a legendary name in the Western genre, and he could normally lead a Western as big as Tombstone all by himself. The fact that he played Virgil Earp instead of Wyatt speaks to how deeply talented the cast of Tombstone was, but Elliott still got to show off why he’s considered one of the greats. Like Virgil, Elliott fit perfectly into the role of a lawman, and he perfectly conveyed Virgil’s need to protect the innocent and his discomfort at the idea of watching evil go unpunished.

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While he played the role of the older, wiser, brother in Tombstone admirably, Sam Elliott also got a few moments to shine on his own. When Virgil was shot and wounded by the Cowboys, Elliott’s physical acting made his injuries seem real and startling. Then, while the doctor examined him at home, Elliott expertly conveyed the strange mixture of emotions Virgil was feeling. It’s not easy to show a character’s pain and anger while they share a tender moment with their spouse, but Elliott was more than up to the task.

6 Stephen Lang As Ike Clanton

Playing A Cowardly Character Like Ike Clanton Isn’t Easy, But Stephen Lang Delivered

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Stephen Lang’s Ike Clanton, a senior member of the Cowboys and the tertiary antagonist of Tombstone, didn’t have many moments where he looked good in the film. Most of Ike’s scenes involved him cowering or fleeing, usually moments after putting on a tough act. While that doesn’t make Ike very likable, it is a testament to Lang’s performance, and one of the reasons he was so impressive in the role. Playing a cowardly character isn’t easy, but Lang made Ike’s grand posturing and subsequent cowardice look natural.

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Even though he was a coward, Ike had some important scenes in Tombstone, and Stephen Lang made sure they were as good as possible. For instance, his theatrics at the gunfight at the OK Corral added to the scene’s frantic energy and suspense. Likewise, Ike’s cowering at Wyatt’s threats helped sell the “Hell’s coming with me” scene, and he helped turn Kurt Russell’s performance into the stuff of legends. The mark of a truly talented actor is being able to play even a dislikable character so well that they lift their co-stars up, and Lang was certainly capable of that.

5 Michael Biehn As Johnny Ringo

Biehn Made Johnny Ringo Intimidating & His Chemistry With Doc Holliday Was Superb

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A great Western needs a great villain, and Michael Biehn provided the perfect antagonist in Johnny Ringo. Johnny Ringo made the Cowboys feel like a real threat, and Biehn’s performance really sold the idea that they were deadly. Without Biehn, Tombstone wouldn’t have had nearly as much tension or suspense, and its gunfights wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying. Plus, Biehn did a tremendous job of providing a villain to root against, which only helped cement Tombstone‘s legacy.

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There are several moments where Johnny and Doc face off, and while Kilmer’s performance is the standout, Biehn’s ability to be both defiant and secretly terrified put the cherry on top of them.

Where Biehn really shined, however, was in his on-screen chemistry with Val Kilmer’s Doc Holliday. The feud between Johnny and Doc was such an important part of Tombstone, and a big chunk of the movie wouldn’t have worked if Biehn wasn’t so good at going up against Kilmer. There are several moments where Johnny and Doc face off, and while Kilmer’s performance is the standout, Biehn’s ability to be both defiant and secretly terrified put the cherry on top of them. In a way, Doc Holliday wouldn’t have been nearly as iconic if he didn’t have a nearly even match with Johnny Ringo.

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4 Dana Delany As Josephine Marcus

Delany’s Josephine Was The Main Reason Tombstone’s Romance Worked So Well

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Tombstone isn’t nearly as well-remembered for its romantic subplot as it is for its action, but Dana Delany’s Josephine Marcus should be. Tombstone went to great lengths to show that Josephine wasn’t an ordinary woman, but it was Delany’s performance that proved how special she was. Delany could effortlessly go from a thrill-seeking, fun-loving performer to a serious, slightly melancholic lover caught up in her feelings for a married man. She also gave Josephine a lot of strength, such as when she stood up to Johnny Ringo and Billy Breckenridge (Jason Priestley).

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Like Dana Wheeler-Nicholson’s Mattie, one of the best parts of Delany’s performance as Josephine was what she could accomplish without a word. Josephine was a loud woman, a fact she wasn’t ashamed of in the slightest. However, near the end of Tombstone, after Josephine ran into Wyatt on her way out of town, the two shared a few tender and quiet moments together. With just a few words, Delany was able to show all the complex emotions Josephine was feeling for Wyatt in that moment, and her performance stirred up quite a few emotions.

3 Powers Boothe As Curly Bill Brocius

Boothe’s Performance Made Curly Bill An Even Better Villain Than Johnny Ringo

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Though he’s not the most directly antagonistic to the Earps and Doc, Curly Bill Brocius actually managed to outshine Johnny Ringo in many ways. The main reason Curly Bill was so entertaining to watch is because Powers Boothe gave a stellar performance as the leader of the Cowboys. Because of Boothe, Curly Bill was dripping with charisma and perfectly eccentric, yet he was still extremely easy to root against. Somehow, Boothe managed to combine flamboyancy and intimidation, and it worked to great effect for Curly Bill’s character.

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Because of Boothe, Curly Bill was dripping with charisma and perfectly eccentric, yet he was still extremely easy to root against.

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Nothing shows how well Boothe performed as Curly Bill better than the scene where the gang boss gets high on opium and shoots Marshal Fred White (Harry Carey Jr.). From the buildup to the scene and Curly Bill’s antics to the aftermath where he calls out to the Marshal as though he was surprised by his own actions, Boothe made that scene memorable. Really, Boothe made the entire character of Curly Bill memorable, as he easily could have been overshadowed by Johnny Ringo, a villain who was much more invested in the film’s plot.

2 Kurt Russell As Wyatt Earp

Russell’s Performance In Tombstone Made Him A Western Movie Legend

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Tombstone is, essentially, the story of Wyatt Earp, and Kurt Russell was the perfect choice to center the Western around. He can pull off all the essential parts of a Western star: his rendition of Wyatt was strong but vulnerable, calm but enraged, and tough but tender. Russell feels perfectly at place in Tombstone, and it almost feels like he was born to play Wyatt Earp. The scene where he throws Johnny (Billy Bob Thornton) out of the bar really cements just how well he fit as Wyatt, and it became the coolest moment of Kurt Russell’s career.

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Related “Hurts, Don’t It?”: Kurt Russell’s First Tombstone Scene Is Still One Of The Western Genre’s Best Character Introductions 31 Years Later

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One of the most impressive parts of Kurt Russell’s performance as Wyatt Earp was the sheer range he displayed. In the same film, he was a classic Western hero, a grieving brother, a vengeful anti-hero, and a romantic lead. Wyatt could go from firing off bullets and taunts like “Hell’s coming with me!” to showing Josephine softness or grieving Morgan’s death in a matter of minutes, and Russell is the reason all the sides of the complicated character felt so real and seamless.

1 Val Kilmer As Doc Holliday

Val Kilmer’s Doc Holliday Is One Of The Best Western Performances Ever

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Unsurprisingly, the best performance in Tombstone came from Val Kilmer for his portrayal of Doc Holliday. Kilmer’s performance has elevated Doc Holliday into a modern legend, and it’s now hard to imagine anyone else playing the real-world gunslinger. Many of Doc Holliday’s best quotes in Tombstone are only so beloved because of Val Kilmer’s expert delivery: the actor turned something as simple as the idiom “you look like somebody just walked over your grave” into a blood-curdling taunt. It’s a performance that has already gone down in history as one of the best in Western movie history, and for good reason.

Related Here’s Why Val Kilmer Is The Real Star Of Tombstone, Not Kurt Russell

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There really isn’t one scene that cements how well Val Kilmer played Doc Holliday, simply because they’re all so great. From his first card game to his last conversation with Wyatt, most of the best scenes in Tombstone include or are entirely focused on Doc Holliday, and it’s because Kilmer was absolutely magnetic in the role. It’s almost like the camera was drawn to him as much as the audience was, and it’s really difficult to overstate how impressive it is that Kilmer gave such a standout performance in Tombstone, a film that was packed to the gills with A-list actors.

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8/10 103 9.5/10 Tombstone RWesternBiographyDrama

Tombstone is a Western film loosely based on true events. When a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys ride into a town and slay several police officers for revenge for the death of two of their gang members, word of their misdeeds reaches the ears of a retired lawman. Gathering a group together, the new vigilantes will defend the town and aim to end the terror of the Cowboys.

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*Availability in US Director George P. Cosmatos , Kevin Jarre Release Date December 25, 1993 Writers Kevin Jarre Cast Bill Paxton , Charlton Heston , Sam Elliott , Powers Boothe , Val Kilmer , Kurt Russell , Michael Biehn , Jason Priestley Runtime 130 minutes Budget $25 million Main Genre Western Expand

Source: https://truongnguyenbinhkhiem.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment