My Darling Clementine (1946)
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My Darling Clementine Movie Review
My Darling Clementine is a 1946 western film directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda. It’s a different kind of western flick that really appealed to me.
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“Ma’am, I sure like that name… Clementine“
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Yes, even though the movie is about the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and a rivalry between Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday, the movie ultimately is much better than the eponymous later film about this same story because it’s a unique take on it.
This is a much more character-driven movie and certainly that is its standout aspect. I really liked Henry Fonda’s portrayal of Earp as he was excellent and very memorable in this role. He is the acting showcase here, but Clementine is also a very memorable character and the focus on women alone is respectable for this genre in this era. Very refreshing to witness.
The movie is very romantic at times which I did not expect at all. It caught me by surprise how incredibly charming this whole cinematic experience is as the filmmakers really brought to life vividly this time period in all of its glory. That meant a lot of romanticizing and glorifying which made it unrealistic, but in cinematic terms, it more than delivered.
Its biggest problem is the second act. The first is interesting and the third act is quite powerful with that last shot being simply incredibly cinematic and moving. But that second act is where the movie dropped to a halt which was really unfortunate. I simply lost my interest as it became too talkative even for me and its focus was all wrong. It focused on way too many characters to make a bigger impact overall.
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But what My Darling Clementine gets right is the western atmosphere. This film oozes in its atmosphere so much that it literally transports you to this setting and time period. The cinematography simply is amazing, polished and absolutely stunning to behold and so crisp. The score is also so wonderful as they used such classic, sweet songs from the 19th century. And the direction from John Ford is truly stupendous. I just wish that the pacing was better.
My Darling Clementine has a somewhat less interesting, overly slow second act, but it remains one of the most refreshing and different westerns from this period. Instead of action, it focuses a lot on dialogue, it is character-driven and oh so charming. This picture exudes charm in its every frame as the cinematography is among the best of the genre, the score is so wonderful and John Ford’s direction is stellar.
