Wyatt Earp (1994)

TOMATOMETER

——

AUDIENCE SCORE

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

Movie Info

Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, this epic version of the legendary western sheriff-gunslinger's life story stars Kevin Costner as Earp, who lived from 1848 to 1929. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, Earp tries to run away to join the Union Army in the Civil War, but he is turned away because of his youth. Instead, he studies law and marries Urilla Sutherland (Annabeth Gish). But Urilla dies of typhoid fever before they can have children. Earp grows despondent and descends into drinking and petty … More

Rating: PG-13
Genre: Western, Drama, Action & Adventure
Directed By:
Written By: Lawrence Kasdan, Dan Gordon
In Theaters:
On DVD: May 18, 2004
Runtime:
Warner Home Video

Cast


as Wyatt Earp

as Doc Holliday

as Nicholas Earp

as Virgil Earp

as James Earp

as Morgan Earp

as Allie Earp

as Ed Masterson

as Josie Marcus

as Ike Clanton

as Sheriff Johnny Behan

as Big Nose Kate

as Bat Masterson

as Bessie Earp

as Mattie Earp

as Mr. Sutherland

as Frank McLaury

as John Clum

as Tom McLaury

as Urilla Sutherland

as Curly Bill Brocius

as Young Wyatt

as Virginia Earp

as Lou Earp

as Sherman McMasters

as Young Man on Boat

as Warren Earp

as Mrs. Sutherland

as Frank Stilwell

as Frank Stillwell

as Ed Ross

as Bob Hatch

as Pete Spence

as Johnny Ringo

as Marshall White

as Billy Clanton

as Billy Claiborne

as Judge Spicer

as Dutch Wiley

as Erwin Sutherland

as John Shanssey

as Young Morgan

as Gyp Clements

as Tom Chapman

as Bullwacker

as Dirty Sodbuster

as Friend of Bullwacker

as Mike Donovan

as Faro Dealer

as Camp Foreman

as Dr. Seger

as Stable Hand

as Pine Bluff Sheriff

as Tommy Behind-the-Deu...

as Tubercular Inmate

as Tent Saloon Bartende...

as Link Borland

as Mayor Wilson

as Deputy Ford

as Marshall Meagher

as Larry Deger

as Mannen Clements

as Big Cowboy

as Drunk Cowboy

as Drunk Cowboy

as Wagner

as Hotel Resident

as Delivery Boy

as Deputy Black

as Spangenberg

as Saddle Tramp

as Saloon Dealer

as Bar Regular

as Marshall White's Wif...

as Bar Patron

as Clem Hafford

as Texas Jack

as Turkey Creek Jack

as Billiard Parlor Patr...

as Barboy

as Station Master

as Camp Foreman

as McGee

as Dick Gird

as Texas Jack
Show More Cast

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Critic Reviews for Wyatt Earp

All Critics (34) | Top Critics (9)

Full Review… | January 1, 2000
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic

Full Review… | January 1, 2000
ReelViews
Top Critic

Though handsome to look at (cinematography is by Owen Roizman), the movie is overlong, stately, and too detailed for its own good; director Kasdan claims his version if more accurate, which may be true, but it doesn't make for a good picture.

Full Review… | December 21, 2006
EmanuelLevy.Com

A great Western that was unfairly disparaged back in 1994. The authentic Wyatt Earp is actually a much-better film than the pulpier, more-popular Tombstone.

January 25, 2006
Fantastica Daily

Costner's still shouting, but it's hard to hear him from all the way back there in 1940.

Full Review… | July 27, 2004
Film Freak Central

...hiding in this three-hour-plus extravaganza is a good two-hour movie. Too bad it's so hard to find.

Full Review… | June 1, 2004
Movie Metropolis

Audience Reviews for Wyatt Earp

½

After Kevin Costner's surprise hit "Dances with wolves" Hollywood considered him the king of Westerns. So it does not come as a surprise that him and director Kasdan tried to tackle the story of one of the great legends of that era. Some of the (beautifully filmed) shots seem to come right out of Costner's own movie. But this film starts out with Earp's youth and takes its time getting to Dodge City, a sheriff star and Doc Holliday. The cast is excellent and full of great names, but Dennis Quaid (who hungered himself down for the Doc role) steals every scene he is in. Sadly, the film is overly long, it would have been a great 2.5 hours movie. As it is, there is still an interesting characterization of a man who became a legend without being a shiny, perfect hero. He is flawed and sometimes even unlikable, much like most of the other characters. But that gives the film a much more realistic feel than most others from the genre. It also helps that James Newton Howard wrote one of the best Western scores ever. If only the film was a tdad shorter.

ironclad1609
Jens S.

Super Reviewer

Kasdan and Costner's version is indeed less B movie than Tombstone, made a year earlier, and is long but still effective once you get past the self-importance. What stands out particularly is how nobility is reached for by less than noble characters, which is as good a way to recall the West as any.

ApeneckFletcher
Kevin M. Williams

Super Reviewer

½

Pretty good Western, even if it seems to go on forever and bears some great flaws in the script. But first, let me start with what I liked about the film. For as far as the scenery, cinematography and music score goes, this was like delving into a really lush and beautiful painting. I love the atmosphere of the film, whether it's the prairies roamed by great Buffalo herds, or the smokey and vibrant air of the anything-can-happen saloons. But where the eyes are treated royally, the brain regrettably, is not. An example of that is the inconsistencies found in the presentation of our main character, Wyatt Earp. I wanted to sympathize with him, I really did, but when he goes from a goody-two-shoes gentleman to a raging alcoholic who takes out his anger on helpful strangers, I couldn't care less if he bettered himself along the way. It's one of those rare and unfortunate cases when a single scene nearly ruins the entire film. I wasn't very fond of the way Doc Holiday was written either. Tombstone did a much better job with these legends of the West, and made me care about them in way shorter of a running time. All in all though, I quite enjoyed it for what it was. It won't get a place among my all-time favourite Western films, but it was worth the 3 hours I spent within its world. In great need of some editing and a little overly bombastic, though I still thought it was a tad better than the ratings had me expect.

CloudStrife84
Mike S

Super Reviewer

Wyatt Earp Quotes

– Submitted by Alyssa B (17 months ago)
– Submitted by Alyssa B (17 months ago)
– Submitted by Alyssa B (17 months ago)
– Submitted by Alyssa B (17 months ago)

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