Landman's Billy Bob Thornton And Sam Elliott Starred In One Of The Greatest Westerns Ever

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Billy Bob Thornton and Sam Elliott are both acting legends in their own right. They've both been at this for decades, and their paths have crossed several times over the years. Most recently, the two starred opposite one another in "Landman," which is a big hit on Paramount+, albeit to Thornton's surprise. In any event, it's sort of a victory lap for the two veteran actors, with the modern Western about the oil industry heading into season 3. But long before they crossed paths within Taylor Sheridan's TV empire, they appeared together in one of the best Westerns ever made.

The movie in question is 1993's "Tombstone." Directed by George P. Cosmatos, of "Rambo: First Blood Part II" fame, it remains one of the most roundly-beloved Westerns of all time. While there are perhaps "better" examples of Westerns out there, such as "The Searchers" or "Once Upon a Time in the West," it's difficult to find a more downright entertaining entry in the canon of this popular genre.

The film centers on Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and his brothers, Morgan (Bill Paxton) and Virgil (Elliott), who have left their gunslinger ways behind them. Now, they're hoping to settle down and start a business in the town of Tombstone, Arizona. Trouble soon finds them anyhow when they become the targets of a ruthless gang known as the Cowboys. Along with Wyatt's best friend Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer), the brothers attempt to restore order to the town, leading to the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Elliott's Virgil is one of the main characters in the movie, whereas Thornton plays a much smaller role, namely that of Johnny Tyler, a hot-tempered card dealer. All the same, they were both part of the recipe that resulted in cinematic magic.

George P. Cosmatos was brought in to direct "Tombstone" after Kevin Jarre was fired. Mind you, this was after production had already been underway for several weeks. Typically, chaotic situations like that don't result in the best, most coherent displays of big-screen entertainment. Against the odds, though, Cosmatos and the crew managed to pull off something truly special.

"Tombstone" features arguably Val Kilmer's single greatest performance in a career filled with outstanding performances. It is one of Kurt Russell's finest hours. It's easily the best movie that Cosmatos ever directed. It's one of the movies that helped cement Sam Elliott as a Western icon. It's also one of Billy Bob Thornton's most subdued performances. Top to bottom, it features everyone on their A-game, resulting in an endlessly watchable, quotable, cheer-worthy piece of popcorn entertainment of the highest order.

The '90s weren't exactly a peak time for Westerns, overall, but there were some damn fine subversions of the genre to come forth that decade, such as Clint Eastwood's transformative "Unforgiven," which would go on to win Best Picture at the Oscars. There's also Kevin Costner's sweeping epic "Dances With Wolves" and the delightful comedy "City Slickers." All worthwhile additions to the Western canon, to be certain.

Though of all the Westerns to come about in the '90s, none of them carry the sheer rewatchability that "Tombstone" does. It strikes a balance and tone that is perfectly inviting yet by no means devoid of substance. It's the kind of movie that makes one go, "They don't make 'em like they used to." It really is that good. "Landman" fans who haven't seen it would do well to seek it out.

You can grab "Tombstone" on 4K, Blu-ray, or DVD from Amazon.