Review of My Darling Clementine (1946) by Lucas Q — 02 Jun 2008

Far from accurate, but then again, Ford wasn't concerned with a historical re-creation of the O.K. Corral. An archetypical celebration of family values based on the classic Western conflict between civilization and savagery, it's one of Ford's finest works. Henry Fonda delivers a touching, eloquent portrayal of Wyatt Earp, and while Victor Mature lacked the emaciated look of his role (frequent Ford actor John Carradine would've fit the bill), he creates a fine and original interpretation of Doc Holliday.

Unfortunately, Zanuck had about 30 minutes of footage removed from Ford's initial edit, and he ordered some significant changes based on preview reactions. Archivists were unable to find the footage needed to reconstruct Ford's original vision, but the so-called "pre-release version" (included on the current DVD) is a significant if subtle improvement over the theatrical version - the ending alone is far more affecting than the pandering re-shoot.