A majority of films in the United States typically have the alpha male leader and a side kick who most generally wins the hearts of the audience. This is something that is also found in many western films. The strong alpha male cowboy usually leads himself and his sidekick through an adventure. Though the side kick may be a minor character they do usually play a significant role in their respective film.
The film Gun Fight at Ok Corral tends to shy away from the typical view of the sidekick. Doc Holliday is no minor character. He is an alpha male in his own right just as marshal Wyatt. Doc is well known among the town members and is has made a living being a serious gambler. Doc has money, but that cannot buy him out of trouble. Doc forms a friendship with Wyatt after Wyatt saves him from being hung by the town’s people. Doc tries to have Wyatt go into business with him, but instead Wyatt has Doc become a deputy.
Both men do their own things and the audience sees both men’s life stories rather than just one. Wyatt and Doc go out together and rid the town of crime. Doc has Wyatt’s back and is seen being very skilled with knives and guns. It is Doc who kills two of three men that try to sneak up and kill Wyatt and Doc as they are sleeping. Doc makes the comment to Wyatt that he thought he was really sleeping as the men were sneaking up. This moment shows Docs loyalty to Wyatt. At this point however both men do hide secrets from one another. Doc is very sick and Kate has left him and Wyatt has fallen in love with Laura and is going to stop being marshal. Doc secretly tries to leave town when he hears news that his brother needs help stopping a gang of cattle thieves. It appears Doc follows him out of town and tells him he is just leaving because of his health. Could it really be that he is getting away from Kate and wants to be with his friend?
In the new town the two men continue their old ways as before. Wyatt displays his strong mind and intimidates the gang, while Doc, who still has Wyatt’s back whenever he is in danger, continues to gamble. It is not until one of Wyatt’s family members is murdered by the gang and there is a schedule showdown that Wyatt realizes how important Doc is to him. Wyatt goes to Doc’s room to ask him for help and finds him slowly dying on his bed and Wyatt leaves in complete shock that his friend and wing man won’t be able to help him. This is the first point Wyatt questions his own ability, he is so used to having Doc with him. In the morning Doc gets up and says that he needs to go and help Wyatt, he says Wyatt is the only friend he has ever had and needs to be there for him. Doc and Wyatt fight side by side killing the gang members and their own personal enemies.
Doc is a unique sidekick in relation to the typical film sidekicks. This film focuses on the two separate lives of Wyatt and Doc and also shows their relationship with each other. Something that is different from other western sidekicks like Matthew (Red River), Martin (The Searchers), and Wolf (Rooster Cogburn), is the fact that Doc is an alpha male from the beginning and does not progress to one like these other characters. Doc is similar to these characters because he does stand by the side and helps the man who initially helped him. Doc is very powerful, but still needs his friend Wyatt. The interesting thing is that Wyatt needs him as well to survive and get by. The two men have a very interesting and unique relationship. Obviously Doc is much more than the typical sidekick.
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