Tombstone’s star-studded cast has helped cement it as one of thebest Westerns ever made, but another classic of the genre has an even more impressive ensemble.Tombstone’s story of Wyatt Earp and Doc Hollidayis brought to life by some amazing actors, many of them playing real-life figures of the Old West.
Kurt Russell shines as the heroic lawman Earp, setting the stage for him to become one of the best modern Western actors.Val Kilmer’s performance as Hollidayis the highlight ofTombstoneand is often considered the best work the late actor delivered. They lead the ensemble that includes Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Powers Booth, Michael Rooker, and Michael Biehn.
Tombstonehas only grown in popularity over time, being seen as a Western masterpiece by many. However, there is another Western that hasTombstonebeat in terms of the sheer star power of its ensemble, making it hard to believe one movie managed to bring all these stars together.
Some Of The Biggest Western Stars Assemble In One Movie
How the West Was Wonis an epic Western adventure that spans the history of America in the Old West through the experiences of one family. The directing duties for the movie are shared between three directors known for their Western movies: Henry Hathaway (True Grit), John Ford (The Searchers), and George Marshall (Destry Rides Again).
However, the real star power is on the screen withbig-name stars of the Western genreappearing, like John Wayne (Red River), Gregory Peck (The Gunfighter), James Stewart (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), Henry Fonda (Once Upon a Time in the West), Eli Wallach (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly), and many more.
Eli Wallach
Charlie Gant
TheTombstonecastis exceptional, but there is simply no competing with the ensemble thatHow the West Was Wonputs together. Also, aside from Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, theTombstonecast was largely made up of up-and-coming actors. By contrast,most of the stars ofHow the West Was Wonwere already the biggest stars in Hollywood.
How The West Was Won Only Worked Because Of Its Unique Chapter Format
Don’t Expect To See These Stars Sharing The Screen
While it might seem impossible that one movie could feature so many big-name actors, it is the unique structure ofHow the West Was Wonthat allowed the cast to come together.The movie is divided into five chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of American history and how the country was shaped.
Others take on smaller roles that require less time for them, with Fonda playing a supporting role and Wayne appearing in little more than a cameo.
“The Rivers” is set in 1939 andfeatures James Stewartas an adventurer crossing paths with the Prescotts, a family of settlers. “The Plains” in 1951 features one of the adult Prescott daughters heading to the gold rush with Gregory Peck’s gambler trying to woo her.
“The Civil War” features George Peppard as the grown son of Stewart’s mountain man, heading out to fight in the war. He continues to lead the story in “The Railroads”, crossing paths with Henry Fonda’s hunter. Peppard leads the final story, “The Outlaws,” taking on Eli Wallach’s train robber in the dying days of the Wild West.
It is an expansive story that also allowed for so many stars to participate.Few of the big-name actors appear on-screen together, with the likes of Stewart and Peck leading their own stories. Others take on smaller roles that require less time for them, with Fonda playing a supporting role andJohn Wayne appearingin little more than a cameo.
In that sense,Tombstonedoes have the advantage of actually allowing the audience to see these great actors interacting. However,even with the star power spread throughout the big story, it is a thrill to see so many of these actors inHow the West Was Wontogether.
Like Tombstone, How The West Was Won Is One Of The Best Westerns Ever Made
How The West Was Won Is A Western Of A Bygone Era
TombstoneandHow the West Was Woncome from two very different eras of Western movies, but both are highlights of the genre. Already fading away by the end of the 1980s,Unforgivenmarked the end of traditional Westerns, withTombstoneoffering a stylized take on Westerns.How the West Was Woncomes right from the era of Western epics.
It is simply a celebration of the perceived heroes who helped shape the country across the American Frontier, told on as big a scale as possible.
It does not feature the moral grayness of the Revisionist Westerns, nor the violence ofthe Spaghetti Westerns. It is simply a celebration of the perceived heroes who helped shape the country across the American Frontier, told on as big a scale as possible. There is action, music, romance, and comedy, all wrapped up in one giant saga.
Certainly, there are outdated aspects of the movie, and the romanticization of certain aspects of this history glosses over some of the uglier aspects.Yet it is hard not to get swept up in the grand presentation of it all, including the massive set pieces that are more ambitious than virtually anything you are likely to see in movies today.
There is real emotion to seeing the movie unfold like it does, with one family experiencing the growth of America. It builds to a very effective final montage, narrated by Spencer Tracy, that glides over the untouched West before showing the skyscrapers and cities that came once the story ofHow the West Was Woncomes to an end.
