Review of My Darling Clementine (1946) by Chris E — 16 Feb 2010

A couple months back, I created a list entitled "My 50 Favorite Movies". As I read back over that list, I had an urge to delete it and completely renovate the selections. The reason for this (and all lovers of film can hopefully relate) is because, as I see more films, my favorites are constantly changing. Why am I bringing this up in my review of "My Darling Clementine"? Because, after viewing this classic John Ford western, I found that the movie was pretty damn good. In fact, this film was good enough to slither it's way into favorites. While, as most younger readers know, there are many occasions in which film critic's perception of a movie can be a tad overblown (i.e, "The Great Escape", "The Graduate", "The African Queen". At least in my opinion, these movies are overblown). But I found that "My Darling Clementine" deserves all of the praise it receives.

If you are keen on your epic old-west gunfights, than you know the basic outline of this film's plot; California lawman and surgeon (though in reality he was a dentist) Doc Holiday and the infamous Wyatt Earp engage in a gunfight with Billy Clanton and his clan. Ford also throws in some good old-fashioned romance to boot.

Although the plot basically divulges into a run-of-the-mill good versus evil story (that's not always entirely accurate), the power and presence the film contains cannot be ignored. The actors, the costumes, the sets, the cimenatography, the script, the characters, the action, almost everything is flawless. John Ford is able to take every setpiece and every shot and make it vivid and perhaps even gorgeous. Even in black-and-white, there are certain colors that jump out off the screen. For example, Linda Darnell (who plays the O.K. Corral's entertainment, Chihuahua) wears a large dress throughout the entire film, and though not colored on the screen, it can clearly be perceived as light-blue.

The actors and characters are what bring this film to life though. Ford regulars Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell are definantly the most likable actors in this movie. But that doesn't mean that I'm downsizing the rest of the cast; everyone involved does a magnificent job. Even the smallest roles have they're overall significance.

If you know Ford, then you know his distinct style. Everything that can be said about his sense of cinematography has been said. It sure does look purty. Alright, that's all I have to say.

Final overview:

Though not always historically accurate, "My Darling Clementine" is an almost flawless piece of American filmmaking. A must-see.

Rating: 10 ten-gallon hats out of 10.