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Tombstone is often considered one of the greatest Westerns ever made, and for good reason. This is a movie that features a star-studded cast, including Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, plenty of intense fights, and some surprisingly emotional scenes between its hardened gunslingers. While there’s no shortage of moments that make Tombstone a worthwhile watch, it’s the final narration by Robert Mitchum — especially the final three words — that cements its place in the pantheon of great Westerns.
The closing moments of Tombstone are bittersweet, as Wyatt Earp (Russell) and his posse take down the notorious Cowboys. Earp then decides to pursue a quiet life with his lover, Josephine Marcus (Dana Delany). As Earp and Josephine start dancing in freshly fallen snow, Mitchum’s voice cuts in to reveal the legendary gunslinger’s fate. “Wyatt Earp died in Los Angeles in 1929. Among the pallbearers at his funeral were early Western stars William S. Hart and Tom Mix. Tom Mix wept,” the narration gravely intones. It’s those three words that hit hardest, especially if you know who Tom Mix is.
The final three words of Tombstone cement Wyatt Earp’s legacy
Tom Mix is one of the first actors to truly define the Western, thanks to his appearances in over 100 movies. Most portray Mix in a way that helped shape the Western protagonist — a white hat, carrying twin six-shooters, and driven by a desire for justice. Mix’s on-screen persona was modeled on Wyatt Earp, and the two even became friends later in life. Earp would often visit Mix on the set of his movies, and even gifted Mix one of his pocket watches. Not many people can say they became friends with an actual living legend, so it’s no surprise that Mix cried at Earp’s funeral.
“Tom Mix wept” also speaks to the depths of Earp’s legend, and how it continues to this day. Earp gained a reputation as a lawman without peers and as a skilled gunfighter, both traits that would continue to inspire heroes in Westerns and other genres. From Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name to Din Djarin in The Mandalorian, Earp’s legend casts a shadow over plenty of people, real and fictional. His death is more than just the passing of an iconic lawman; in effect, it was the end of an age, as he passed in 1929 — right before the Great Depression struck America with a vengeance.
Tombstone deserves all the praise it gets, as it crafts a compelling, action-packed narrative that makes for a must-see movie. It also captures Wyatt Earp’s legend in precise detail and shows how it influenced the Western genre. The final three words in the movie are proof enough of that.
