Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Lawman Wyatt Earp and outlaw Doc Holliday form an unlikely alliance which culminates in their participation in the legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
The film earned $11.8M at the global box office.
Nominated for 2 Oscars. 3 wins & 4 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) reveals meticulously timed plot construction, characteristic of John Sturges's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 2 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Wyatt Earp
Doc Holliday
Laura Denbow
Kate Fisher
Ike Clanton
Johnny Ringo
Main Cast & Characters
Wyatt Earp
Played by Burt Lancaster
Legendary lawman seeking justice and order in lawless frontier towns, driven by duty and a strict moral code.
Doc Holliday
Played by Kirk Douglas
Tubercular gambler and gunfighter whose unlikely friendship with Earp drives his loyalty despite his cynical worldview.
Laura Denbow
Played by Rhonda Fleming
Refined gambling woman who loves Doc Holliday and struggles with his dangerous lifestyle and deteriorating health.
Kate Fisher
Played by Jo Van Fleet
Saloon girl with a volatile relationship with Doc Holliday, driven by passion and jealousy.
Ike Clanton
Played by Lyle Bettger
Leader of the Clanton gang, a ruthless outlaw who becomes Earp's primary antagonist.
Johnny Ringo
Played by John Ireland
Deadly gunfighter and member of the Clanton gang, calm and calculating in his violence.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Wyatt Earp works as a lawman in Fort Griffin, Texas, bringing order to lawless frontier towns. His methodical, solitary approach to justice defines his world.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Wyatt encounters Doc Holliday when Doc is accused of murder. Though Doc saved his life years ago, Wyatt must investigate, creating a moral dilemma that disrupts his black-and-white worldview.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 29 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Wyatt accepts the marshal position in Dodge City and chooses to bring Doc Holliday along as his deputy, fully committing to their partnership and to cleaning up the most dangerous town in the West., moving from reaction to action.
At 61 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat The Clanton gang kills Wyatt's younger brother in Tombstone, Arizona. This false defeat raises the stakes enormously and makes the conflict deeply personal. Wyatt must now choose between duty and vengeance., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 92 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Doc collapses from his tuberculosis on the eve of the confrontation. Wyatt faces the possibility of losing his closest friend and facing the Clantons without him - both literal and metaphorical death threaten., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 100 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 82% of the runtime. Doc rises from his sickbed, choosing loyalty and friendship over self-preservation. Wyatt gains clarity that this fight isn't about vengeance but about establishing law. They walk together toward the O.K. Corral., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Gunfight at the O.K. Corral against these established plot points, we can identify how John Sturges utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Gunfight at the O.K. Corral within the western genre.
John Sturges's Structural Approach
Among the 5 John Sturges films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.5, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete John Sturges filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional western films include All the Pretty Horses, Shenandoah and Lone Star. For more John Sturges analyses, see The Great Escape, Joe Kidd and Ice Station Zebra.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Wyatt Earp works as a lawman in Fort Griffin, Texas, bringing order to lawless frontier towns. His methodical, solitary approach to justice defines his world.
Theme
Doc Holliday tells someone that "a man's got to have a code" - establishing the thematic question of what principles are worth dying for on the frontier.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the frontier world: Wyatt's reputation as a fearless marshal, Doc Holliday's gambling and tuberculosis, the dangerous Clanton gang, and the romantic interests (Laura Denbow for Wyatt, Kate Fisher for Doc).
Disruption
Wyatt encounters Doc Holliday when Doc is accused of murder. Though Doc saved his life years ago, Wyatt must investigate, creating a moral dilemma that disrupts his black-and-white worldview.
Resistance
Wyatt debates his path forward as he tracks various criminals and navigates his growing friendship with Doc despite their different approaches to life. Laura Denbow urges him to settle down and leave the dangerous marshal life.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Wyatt accepts the marshal position in Dodge City and chooses to bring Doc Holliday along as his deputy, fully committing to their partnership and to cleaning up the most dangerous town in the West.
Mirror World
The friendship between Wyatt and Doc deepens as they work together in Dodge City. Doc represents the thematic counterpoint - a man dying who lives fully, contrasting with Wyatt's emotionally closed existence.
Premise
The "buddy western" promise delivers: Wyatt and Doc taming Dodge City together, confronting outlaws, navigating romantic complications, and building mutual respect despite their differences. The town gradually becomes civilized.
Midpoint
The Clanton gang kills Wyatt's younger brother in Tombstone, Arizona. This false defeat raises the stakes enormously and makes the conflict deeply personal. Wyatt must now choose between duty and vengeance.
Opposition
Wyatt and his brothers head to Tombstone for a reckoning. The Clantons consolidate power and allies. Doc's health deteriorates. Laura begs Wyatt to abandon his quest. Tensions escalate as both sides prepare for inevitable confrontation.
Collapse
Doc collapses from his tuberculosis on the eve of the confrontation. Wyatt faces the possibility of losing his closest friend and facing the Clantons without him - both literal and metaphorical death threaten.
Crisis
Dark night as Wyatt contemplates the cost of his code. Doc struggles with whether he has the strength to stand with his friend. Both men face the reality that their principles may require the ultimate sacrifice.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Doc rises from his sickbed, choosing loyalty and friendship over self-preservation. Wyatt gains clarity that this fight isn't about vengeance but about establishing law. They walk together toward the O.K. Corral.
Synthesis
The legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Wyatt, Doc, and the Earp brothers face the Clantons in a brutal shootout. The synthesis of Wyatt's discipline and Doc's courage defeats the forces of chaos. Justice is served but at great cost.
Transformation
Wyatt stands with the dying Doc, having learned that his code means nothing without the human connections that give it purpose. The transformation: from solitary lawman to a man who understands that civilization requires both law and love.