“Comparing Kurt Russell’s ‘Tombstone’ and Kevin Costner’s ‘Wyatt Earp’: A Wild West Expert Weighs In on O.K. Corral Accuracy and Shared Anachronisms”

An Old West historian has analyzed whether the 1993 film Tombstone or the 1994 film Wyatt Earp offers a more accurate portrayal of the iconic O.K. Corral gunfight. Both movies, released just six months apart, chronicle the life of lawman Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and his close friend Doc Holliday as they confront the McLaury gang. While many fans favor Kurt Russell’s Tombstone, historian Mark Lee Gardner argues that Kevin Costner’s Wyatt Earp may provide a more faithful depiction of the gunfight itself.

In a recent episode of WIRED’s Tech Support YouTube series, Gardner addressed which film represented the O.K. Corral scene most authentically. He indicated that Wyatt Earp is more precise in showing the gunfighters’ proximity, noting they were actually just a few feet apart during the confrontation. He explained that the setting in Tombstone appears much larger, whereas the historical site is estimated to be only about 15 feet across.

Gardner praised both films for incorporating dialogue derived from witness testimonies recorded after the gunfight. For instance, the iconic line where Doc Holliday tells one of the McLaurys, “You’re a daisy if you do,” is based on actual historical accounts.

However, he pointed out a significant inaccuracy in both films: the portrayal of the Earps and Doc Holliday drawing their guns from holsters. In reality, Wyatt Earp retrieved his revolver from a coat pocket, a common practice at the time, as many tailors made special pockets for firearms. Gardner noted that Earp’s pocket was likely lined with canvas to facilitate smooth access to his revolver without snagging on the hammer.