Doc

Doc

Year: 1971

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Director: Frank Perry

Western

Doc Holliday, weakened by tuberculosis, rides to Tombstone, Arizona, accompanied by prostitute Katie Elder. His journey ends when he reunites with friend Marshal Wyatt Earp, who is locked in a bitter conflict with the Clanton gang. As the feud escalates, the two lawmen prepare for the showdown that will define the town’s fate.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Doc (1971)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Doc (1971). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 19th century (1880s)

The story unfolds in the post-Civil War American West, a period of rapid expansion, frontier justice, and political maneuvering. Tombstone becomes a focal point for stagecoach robberies, rival factions, and the struggle for sheriff power. The era culminates in the infamous OK Corral showdown that defines the town’s fate.

Location

Tombstone, Arizona

Set in the rough frontier town of Tombstone, Arizona, a hub of saloons, gunplay, and shifting allegiances. The town sits on the edge of civilization, where lawmen, outlaws, and fortune seekers collide. Its dusty streets and crowded saloons form the crucible for the Earp–Holliday alliance and the Cowboys' resistance.

🏜 Western Town 🗺 Frontier Outpost 🏛 Lawless Town

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:57

Main Characters – Doc (1971)

Meet the key characters of Doc (1971), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Doc Holliday (Stacy Keach)

Doc Holliday is a witty, deadly gambler and former dentist who travels with Kate toward Tombstone. He battles tuberculosis and leans on laudanum, yet remains fiercely loyal to his friends, especially Wyatt Earp. He mentors the Kid in shooting and becomes a volatile but essential ally in the town's violence.

🧠 Witty 🗡️ Gunman 🤝 Loyal Companion

Katie Elder (Faye Dunaway)

Katie Elder is a tough, resourceful woman who works at a brothel and forms a complicated bond with Doc Holliday. She navigates the dangerous town with grit and independence, seeking safety and a better future. Her presence underscores the human cost of life on the frontier.

💪 Strong-willed 🧭 Resourceful 🎭 Complex

Wyatt Earp (Harris Yulin)

Wyatt Earp is a determined lawman who aims to bring order to Tombstone and secure his sheriff's seat. He leads with a mix of pragmatism and bravado, facing the Cowboys' resistance and balancing personal alliances with political ambitions. His pursuit of justice drives the central conflict of the town.

🗺️ Lawman 💼 Determined 🤝 Leader

Ike Clanton (Michael Witney)

Ike Clanton is the hot-headed outlaw who clashes with Wyatt Earp and tests the town's fragile peace. He combines brash bravado with a willingness to gamble and threaten, embodying the lawless side of Tombstone.

🤠 Outlaw 🔥 Hot-headed 🤥 Deceitful

Virgil Earp (John Bottoms)

Virgil Earp, Wyatt's brother, serves as a steady, law-and-order presence in the family. He participates in enforcement efforts and supports Wyatt's leadership, representing the pragmatic side of frontier justice.

🧭 Steady 🛡️ Protector ⚖️ Lawman

Johnny Ringo (Fred Dennis)

Johnny Ringo is the dangerous outlaw at the center of the pursuit, embodying a volatile West that tests Earp and Doc. His presence heightens the film's tension and sets the stage for the climactic showdown.

🤠 Outlaw 🔥 Charismatic ⚡ Impulsive

The Kid (Denver John Collins)

The Kid is a young, emerging gunslinger whom Doc mentors. He learns the ropes of quick drawing and survival in the frontier, illustrating Doc's influence and the passing of skills to a new generation.

🧒 Young 🎯 Apprentice 🧭 Learner

Mattie Earp (Penelope Allen)

Mattie Earp, a fixture in Wyatt's circle, embodies the tougher side of frontier life. Her presence adds grit and moral texture to the Earp network as events unfold, reflecting the town's social dynamics.

💁‍♀️ Independent 🧭 Street-smart 🎭 Complex

Morgan Earp (Philip Shafer)

Morgan Earp is one of the Earp brothers, aligning with family loyalties as the town's violence escalates. He participates in the tense power struggle of the town and meets a tragic end at the film's climactic events.

⚔️ Gunfighter 🎯 Loyal Brother 💔 Tragic End

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:57

Major Themes – Doc (1971)

Explore the central themes of Doc (1971), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🤝 Loyalty

Doc Holliday's loyalty to Wyatt Earp and his allies drives many key choices. The bond between Doc and Wyatt tests personal risk, while Doc's relationship with Kate Elder adds a complex layer of devotion versus self-preservation. Loyalty under pressure reveals the costs of standing with friends in a town ruled by violence. The pair navigate danger together, shaping the town's fragile order.

⚖️ Frontier Justice

The film frames law and order as a contested, often personal, pursuit. Wyatt Earp's bid for sheriff and the Cowboys' defiance show how justice is negotiated through force, politics, and leverage. Doc's moral compass is tested as the town prioritizes power and survival over due process. The OK Corral showdown crystallizes the uneasy balance between legal authority and vengeance.

💊 Illness & Addiction

Doc Holliday's tuberculosis drives his decisions as he travels west seeking a drier climate. He relies on laudanum and self-medication, which shape his judgment and longevity. The illness adds urgency to his relationships and ambitions, revealing vulnerability beneath a feared exterior. It humanizes a gunslinger by showing the fragility of life in a brutal frontier world.

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:57

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Grim Weary Westerns like Doc

Stories of tired gunslingers confronting fate in a harsh frontier.If the weary, fatalistic mood of Doc appealed to you, explore these similar Westerns. This list features movies with tired antiheroes, grim frontier settings, and stories where justice is murky and the emotional toll is high. Find more films that capture the bittersweet tone and steady pacing of classic revisionist Western tales.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives typically follow a seasoned protagonist, often an outlaw or lawman past their prime, who is drawn into one final conflict. The journey is less about glory and more about survival, duty, or personal code, culminating in a confrontation that highlights the high cost of frontier life.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on their shared mood of grim weariness, a bittersweet or melancholic tone, and a focus on character-driven drama over pure action. They often feature protagonists facing their mortality or the consequences of a violent life, set against a realistically harsh depiction of the West.

Movies about mortality and friendship like Doc

Character-driven stories where an impending end colors every action.For viewers who appreciated Doc Holliday's struggle with terminal illness in Doc, this collection highlights similar stories. Discover films where a character's looming mortality deeply influences the plot and their bonds with others. These narratives often have a bittersweet feel, steady pacing, and explore themes of legacy, friendship, and making peace with one's fate.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a character receiving or living with a terminal diagnosis or a similarly finite timeline. The story explores their emotional state and how this knowledge affects their decisions, relationships, and final acts. The ending typically acknowledges their loss but finds value in the journey, resulting in a mixed or bittersweet feeling.

Why These Movies?

This thread connects movies through the central theme of a character confronting their own death. This shared premise creates a specific emotional texture—melancholic, reflective, and often bittersweet—with a pacing that allows for character exploration rather than frantic action. The emotional weight is typically medium to heavy, focused on personal reflection and closure.

Unlock the Full Story of Doc

Don't stop at just watching — explore Doc in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Doc is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Doc Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Doc, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Doc Summary

Doc Timeline

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Doc Timeline

Doc Spoiler-Free Summary

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Doc Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Doc

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Doc: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

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