Val Kilmer’s Best Doc Holliday Quote Is Not Historically Accurate

Actor Val Kilmer‘s passing is a tragic loss to the world of cinema. In a career of iconic performances that range from Jim Morrison to Batman, no other portrayal is more synonymous with Val Kilmer’s legacy than that of Doc Holiday in Tombstone. The mystique of the Old West, with its gunfighters, lawmen, and cowboys, has long been a staple of pop culture, but few films are as effective as Tombstone. The classic film depicts the exploits of Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) and their legendary gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Val Kilmer’s portrayal of the famous gunslinger gave us many quotable lines, but a certain fan favorite was altered slightly to reflect modern language.

A Cross Between Folklore, Mythology, and Historical Fact

Any film based on historical events is bound to take some creative liberties to entertain. Tombstone is unique in that it contains the larger-than-life personas that have graced many Western films, such as The Searchers, Once Upon a Time in the West, and Dead Man. However, the individuals who walk the dusty streets in Tombstone and exist on both sides of the law are all based on real people who once lived. The lore of the gunslingers, cowboys, and outlaws, which has always attracted audiences to the Western, all exist within Tombstone and are brought to life with a strong emphasis on historical accuracy.

Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday have since transcended their status as historical figures and have joined the rich pantheon of myths and legends. Tombstone might not be the first film to portray Earp and Holliday and their lives on the frontier, but many consider it the most definitive and accurate. Tombstone embraces Earp and Holiday’s legendary status but doesn’t shy away from the complexities and pitfalls of who they were as people. Tombstone shows Earp and Holiday for who they were: men of opportunity who weren’t above using others to gain the upper hand and operating outside the law with impunity. While some films might gloss over these less-than-admirable characteristics, Tombstone reminds us that all folk heroes and legends are flawed, just like anyone else.

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Memorable Lines of Dialogue and the Most Famous Gunfight in History

While being an accurate film that chronicles a time period ruled by cowboys, gunslingers, and lawmen, Tombstone is also one of the most quotable. Val Kilmer’s performance as Doc Holiday is accompanied by several memorable lines, such as “I’ll be your Huckleberry,” “It seems Mr. Ringo is an educated man, now I really hate him,” and the iconic, “You’re a daisy if you do.” While “You’re a daisy if you do” might not seem memorable on its own, the fact that it takes place during the legendary fight at the O.K. Corral makes it all the more endearing to our collective memory.

Along with the Alamo, the Gold Rush, and the doomed Donner Party expedition, the O.K. Corral gunfight truly galvanized the Old West as a permanent fixture of fascination and awe among many. The gunfight, which pitted the Earp brothers and Holiday against a group of cowboys, has been depicted in multiple films, and a reenactment of the event can even be found at the Gene Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, CA.

In Tombstone, there’s a pivotal moment during the gunfight when one of the cowboys tells Doc Holliday, “I’ve got you,” assuming he’s about to kill the famous gunslinger. Doc Holliday responds to this declaration of intent with “You’re a daisy if you do,” before felling his adversary with a gunshot. Historians have pointed out that Holiday actually stated, “Fire Away! You’re a daisy if you have!”

Taken out of context, referring to someone as a daisy might seem puzzling to our modern vernacular. In the 19th century, referring to someone as a “daisy” was tantamount to saying they’re the best or unique. Holiday uses a variation of the phrase after dispatching Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn): “You’re no daisy. You’re no daisy at all.” The slight alteration of the phrase during the gunfight at the O.K. Corral makes it more memorable and has certainly led to the line being one of the most quoted in the film.

Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone wearing a black hat

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Where Can I Watch ‘Tombstone’?

Tombstone is one of the greatest Westerns of the modern era. Accurate, thrilling, and, of course, highly quotable, revisiting Tombstone is a great way of honoring Val Kilmer’s memory. Tombstone is streaming on Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, and Apple TV.