Review: Doc

As the title suggests, a film about ‘Doc’ Holliday (Stacy Keach), the tubercular gunslinger and gambler. However, this time, the film deals more with his romantic relationship with prostitute Katie Elder (Faye Dunaway), with sheriff Wyatt Earp (Harris Yulin) somewhat on the sidelines. Michael Witney plays Ike Clanton, whom ‘Doc’ won Katie from early in the film in a game of poker, and who stirs up trouble in Tombstone for Doc and the politically ambitious Wyatt. Denver John Collins plays The Kid, attached to Ike’s gang, who wants to be a gunslinger.

 

The majority of the films about Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp have been pretty good, if not even better, with “Tombstone”, “Gunfight at the OK Corral” and “Hour of the Gun” being especially memorable. This 1971 film from director Frank Perry (“The Swimmer”, ““Mommie Dearest”) and writer Pete Hamill (“Laguna Heat”, a TV movie with Harry Hamlin, Jason Robards, and Rip Torn) offers a lower rung than those films and isn’t entirely successful. It is, however, still an interesting film, with terrific work by Stacy Keach and Faye Dunaway in what is essentially a character study of Doc Holliday and Katie Elder. Yes, Katie Elder has been roped into the Wyatt Earp/Doc Holliday story in this revisionist film, and I’m not entirely certain it was necessary to do so, to be honest. Dunaway’s Katie Elder is miles removed from “The Sons of Katie Elder”, who surely wasn’t the dirty hooker Dunaway plays here. Why not just go along with the generally accepted character of Kate Fisher? Certainly nothing of significance is gained from the inclusion of Elder, though Dunaway, as I said, plays the role excellently. So even though it’s possible that Elder went from hooker to frontier woman, it was too much of a leap for me, having already seen the earlier film. ****UPDATE 01/03/14**** Kate Elder is believed to have been an alias Kate Fisher/Big Nose Kate used, albeit not for very long, and from further research "The Sons of Katie Elder" isn't exactly based on fact, either, and is likely not meant to be the same character. But since the alias wasn't used all that much, I don't see why they bothered with it here. Strange.

 

The other big problem with the film is the character of Wyatt Earp, and the miscasting of character actor Harris Yulin in that role. Yulin is a decent supporting actor, but his niche is villains or functionary/bureaucrat parts, not Wyatt Fuckin’ Earp, and he’s just plain wrong here, as is the character itself. The character has been re-imagined as somewhat more political and ambitious than we’ve been used to in other films, but overall I never got the feeling that Yulin or the film ever managed to get a handle on Wyatt and what we were supposed to make of him. Anti-hero? I hope not, because Wyatt Earp isn’t a frigging anti-hero. Sure, James Garner gave him a ruthlessness in “Hour of the Gun” (and was wonderful), but Wyatt should in my view always be the upstanding lawman. Even if it’s more legend than truth, I say print the legend. I also thought maybe Wyatt’s the one who should’ve had the soft spot for young Kid (Denver John Collins) instead of Doc. In “Gunfight at the OK Corral” it was Wyatt who tried to teach the youngest Clanton a lesson, but here it’s Doc, since it’s his movie. At any rate, poor Yulin looks alternately bored and confused throughout. It’s a dull performance from a guy who can act, but cannot play Wyatt Earp, even a re-imagined one. He might’ve made a good Ike Clanton, however.

 

Unfortunately, none of the other actors are able to help Keach and Dunaway carry Yulin’s slack, either. The actors playing the other Earps, in particular, are appalling. The best of the lot is Michael Witney as Ike Clanton, and he’s merely OK at best. Thankfully, Doc and Katie are the main focus here, and although I have my misgivings about Katie being here, the relationship is an interesting, “African Queen”-ish one. The film has a nice, dry sense of humour that is much appreciated in a somewhat low-key film. Keach’s Doc isn’t as flashy a performance as Val Kilmer’s, but he’s definitely as forceful as Kirk Douglas, and there’s afford a softer and more mature side to Doc here, with still a touch of his trademark volatility underneath the surface too (Not to mention a touch of ruthlessness, evidenced during the gunfight at the OK Corral). The underrated Keach definitely deserved an Oscar nomination here if you ask me, but perhaps not enough people saw the film. The pairing of Keach and Dunaway is excellent, even if Dunaway’s idea of unglamorous appears to be messy hair and fake soot on her face. A movie star to the end, I suppose, but she’s a damn good actress too and gets even better here the longer the film goes on.

 

Some might find this film a touch slow or uneventful, but it’s more of a character study really. It’s not entirely successful, but it’s certainly not worthless. The casting of Harris Yulin stinks, and the revisionism bothered me, but otherwise, this is still an interesting film and Earp/Holliday buffs will definitely want to check it out.

 

Rating: B-