Written by Donald Cotton
Directed by Rex Tucker
Main Cast:
The Doctor - William Hartnell
Steven Taylor - Peter Purves
Dodo Chaplet - Jackie Lane
Key Guest Stars-
Doc Holliday - Anthony Jacobs
Kate - Sheena Marshe
Wyatt Earp - John Alderson
Virgil Earp - Victor Carin
Bat Masterson - Richard Beale
Johnny Ringo - Laurence Payne
Synopsis:
The Doctor and his companions arrive in Tombstone, Arizona in the 1880's. The Doctor has a toothache and seeks out a dentist. The dentist turns out to be none other than Doc Holliday. It also turns out that the Clanton brothers are in town and gunning for Holliday. One of the Clanton brothers mistakes The Doctor for Doc Holliday and intends to gun him down when he arrives at the Last Chance Saloon, where Steven and Dodo have decided to stay while awaiting The Doctor.
Steven and Dodo are forced to sing and perform at gunpoint by the Clantons. The Doctor then arrives at the Last Chance Saloon but is taken into custody for his protection by the local sheriffs Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp. Dodo is forced to travel with Doc Holliday and his sometime girlfriend and Last Chance Saloon singer Kate as they leave town under orders from Wyatt Earp. Steven is taken to the jailhouse, where the Clantons threaten to hang him unless Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson release The Doctor to their custody. Wyatt gets the drop on the Clantons, and frees Steven along with taking Phin Clanton into custody.
The Clantons decide to bust Phil out of jail, killing Warren Earp in the process. This causes Wyatt Earp to send his brother Virgil to the Clantons, challenging them to a duel to be fought the next day at the OK Corral. Dodo, meanwhile, gets the drop on Doc Holliday, who returns Dodo to Tombstone.
The next day, the Clantons, along with their ally and recent arrival Johnny Ringo, meet the Earp Brothers and Doc Holliday at the OK Corral. The Earps and Doc Holliday are victorious, as the Clantons and Johnny Ringo are all killed in the shootout.
Review:
I'm a sucker for any western, so I was naturally disposed to like this particular story. The last time that a historical story tried to use humor was the second series/season story The Romans. That time, I felt that the humor didn't work. This time around, The Gunfighters is able to use the humor to diffuse the tension. It's simply quite hilarious watching Steven and Dodo perform "The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon" at gunpoint. Having this "ballad" playing throughout the story did get a bit tedious at points, but not overly so.
Things do eventually get serious, especially as we approach the impending battle at the OK Corral. I wouldn't look for too much historical accuracy in The Gunfighters. No mention is made of Morgan Earp or the McLaury brothers, both of whom were present at the actual gunfight. Johnny Ringo and Bat Masterson were nowhere near Tombstone during the gunfight either.
However, for sheer entertainment value, the Gunfighters definitely hits the mark, if you'll pardon the pun. A definite change of pace from the previous historical, The Massacre, but just as enjoyable. Highly recommended, and a great choice since unlike The Massacre it still exists in its entirety and can be viewed on DVD.
