Wild Bill Hickok

1923
1h 10m

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William S. Hart in Wild Bill Hickok (1923)

After the America Civil War ends, important political and military figures gather in Washington D.C. Gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok (William Hart) retires to Dodge City where he hangs up his gu... Read allAfter the America Civil War ends, important political and military figures gather in Washington D.C. Gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok (William Hart) retires to Dodge City where he hangs up his gun belt and takes over a card table. Local lawmen are unable to rid the town of lawless cow... Read allAfter the America Civil War ends, important political and military figures gather in Washington D.C. Gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok (William Hart) retires to Dodge City where he hangs up his gun belt and takes over a card table. Local lawmen are unable to rid the town of lawless cowboys. Hickok's arch-enemy and gang leader Jack McQueen accuses Hickok of losing his nerve.... Read all

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IMDb RATING

7.2/10

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See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
This was the first movie that depicted Wyatt Earp, and the only movie that included his character before he died in 1929. Earp's good friend William Hart produced and wrote the screen play with J.G. Hawks. Hart played Wild Bill Hickok and Bert Lindley played Earp. Earp's part in the movie was small. Lindley is not listed on some descriptions of the movie and this portrayal of Earp is often overlooked. Promotional copy for the film prominently mentioned Earp: "Back in the days when the West was young and wild, 'Wild Bill' fought and loved and adventured with such famous frontiersmen as Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp." Earp was described in the promotional copy as "deputy sheriff to Bat Masterson of Dodge City, known as one of the three greatest gun-men that ever lived, along with Bat Masterson and 'Wild Bill' Hickok."

Connections
Featured in The House That Shadows Built (1931)

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Review

Featured review

7/10

History Becoming Legend

William S. Hart's penultimate movie purports to be history. However, since he was a friend of Bat Masterson -- who first appeared as a movie character here -- and this was the first screen appearance of Hickock. We can see the skillful blending of fact and mythic archetype that Hart's movies made use of.

At least we can see hints of it. The version screened today at New York's Museum of Modern Art timed in at 55 minutes, fifteen less than the credited time. It's clear that a big hunk of the middle, covering his time with Custer is gone, causing a bit of a plot hole.

Looking at old movies, you get used to that, and in taking pleasure where you can. Here, it's in Joe August's camera work and Hart's usual fine job playing another version of the Good Bad Man, facing down true villains and leaving in just enough warts to let us know that people who are not even as good as we imagine ourselves, can be. If that be so, we can all be heroes.