What do you think?
Should I hate him?
When Holliday poses that question, a shiver runs through everyone in the saloon.
Ringo prepares for the battle by showing off his gun skills, twirling his pistol in an ostentations pattern.
Brief But Brilliant
Tombstonecame at the height of an impressive run of fantastic performances from Kilmer.
(1984) and his earliest hits.
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But Kilmer soon showed that he could do much more than look cool and handsome.
In 1991, Kilmer played pop icon Jim Morrison forOliver Stones iconoclastic biopicThe Doors.
Yet just as soon asThe DoorsandTombstonemade him into a Hollywood favorite, Kilmers star began to fall.
He repeatedly got overshadowed by his co-stars, even when he was cast in the lead.
1997sThe Saintmade money, but critics hated it.
None of us would disagree.
Despite all the interesting performances that Kilmer gave throughout his lifetime, none topped Doc Holliday.
The part required Kilmer to play two contrasting conditions.
First he had to be a man suffering from constant malaisehot spells, chills, shortness of breath.
Kilmer displays those qualities in an early scene fromTombstone, in which Doc wins a game of cards.
Docs opponent Ed (Frank Stallone) tries to bluff, which Holliday calls with aplomb.
Doc reveals his winning hand and coos, Isnt that a daisy?
In the hands of a lesser actor, Holliday in this scene would be a disaster.
But Kilmer doesnt give in, doesnt distract from the character.
He keeps his Holliday cool and collected, even when Ed stands up and accuses Doc of cheating.
There, he declares.
Now we can be friends again.
TheTombstonescript, written originally by Kevin Jarre, is full of moments such as these.
Killer one-liners, acting showcases, exchanges full of meaning.
And Kilmer approaches them all with calm control.
He never lets the audience forget that Doc is sick and dying.
Im your Huckleberry, snaps back Doc after taking a drag of his cigarette.
Again Doc gets an incredible line, one so iconic that it continues to be quoted today.
Kilmer even used it as the title of his autobiography.
And yet, Kilmer doesnt say the line like hes delivering an iconic movie quote.
He delivers it like hes Doc Holliday, a guy who says stuff like this every day.
Kilmer modulates his performance to make Doc Holliday a person first and an icon second.
Thats why Doc Holliday one of the legendary screen characters.
Thats why Val Kilmer will always be our huckleberry.
