Review of My Darling Clementine (1946) by Chris O — 27 Feb 2008

Classic John Ford. Simple obviously good guys vs. obviously bad guys storyline, with an interesting twist in Doc Holiday's character, which offers some interesting grey ground for the film to develop.

Honestly, though, American westerns aren't about stroryline, they're about directing. And though I thought the story sure as hell disappointed, the directing doesn't. The film moves at a great pace, always keeping the audience interested, mixing in the suspense and comedy quite naturally.

Beyond that, the composition is simply stunning, and the most memorable part of the movie. The way the shadows work with the actors, hiding emotions in darkness, and how the natural lighting is affected by the characters and not an obviously fake studio set-up give the film a sort of gritty feel that you don't see in, say, High Noon or other westerns of the period.

The acting is a mixed bag. The real star of the show is Victor Mature, who manages to pull off the complex Doc Holiday character very well. Henry Fonda seems flat at first, but develops well by film's end.

The scenes with him and Cathy Downs are his best, since Wyatt Earp clearly doesn't know how to speak with girls. The rest of the cast is strong, but none of the roles are particularly challenging: bartender, hotel boy, bad guy, side kick, etc.

In the end, it's more an exceptional exercise in film-making than a great story, so if you're into that kind of thing, I highly recommend it.