Louis L’Amour’s The Sacketts feels like a prototype for Tombstone. It’s a two-part miniseries that came out in 1979, 14 years before Tombstone. Both have Sam Elliott playing one of three brothers who get into a shootout with some bad guys who want revenge. The Sacketts is set in the late 1860s, and Tombstone is set in the late 1870s. But the similarities go deeper than that.

I had wanted to talk about The Sacketts as a Forgotten Film Gem. But the more I thought about it, the more I compared it to my favorite western. So let’s go ahead and see how these two great films match up.

Bloody Wedding

Both films start with a murder at a wedding. Orrin Sackett is getting married in Tennessee. Suddenly, a bloodthirsty man shows up seeking revenge for his brother who Orrin killed in self-defense. The man kills Orrin’s bride, and is then killed by Orrin’s younger brother Tyrell.

Johnny Ringo and his fellow Cowboys show up at a Mexican wedding seeking revenge for two of their gang they claim the groom had killed. They kill the bride, groom, and all their relations in a bloody gunfight.

Brothers Go West

The main part of the story takes place in the American Frontier. After his bride is killed, Orrin goes west to escape more attempts on his life. He and Tyrell meet up and get lucrative jobs as cattle wranglers. Eventually, they join their oldest brother Tell.

Joined by his wife, Wyatt Earp arrives in Arizona to escape his old life as a lawman. He and his brothers Virgil and Morgan meet up and get lucrative jobs at a local bar and casino. Eventually, they are joined by their old friend Doc Holliday.

Poker Game Gone Wrong

One of the brothers calls out a liar at a card game. Tell Sackett starts to play a game of poker with a wanderer. However, Tell quickly realizes the man is a cheater and calls him out. Then he shoots him. I guess the card sharp had quite a tell.

Wyatt Earp stands up to a bully who’s playing poker in a casino. He quickly realizes the man is a coward and calls him out. Then he slaps the man, grabs him by the ear and runs him out of the casino. I guess that’s why he’s called Wyatt EARp.

Doing the Right Thing

All of the brothers are dedicated to doing the right thing. When Orrin and Tyrell find a massacred wagon train, they discover a large amount of money among the remains. They immediately decide to send it to the family’s daughter, even though they could easily keep the money for themselves. This shows that they are men of integrity.

When Wyatt’s marriage starts to fall apart, he’s tempted to pursue a young woman who’s interested in him. He resists the urge to break his marriage vows, even though he does get to know her better. He only marries her after his wife divorces him, showing his level of integrity.

New Sheriff in Town

One of the brothers becomes the sheriff of a town shortly after moving to it. Orrin Sackett sees trouble brewing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, between the Mexicans and Americans. So he gets elected as sheriff, deputizes his brother Tyrell, and quells the troublemakers.

Virgil Earp sees trouble brewing in Tombstone, Arizona, between its peaceful citizens and the Cowboys. So he becomes sheriff, deputizes his brothers, and does his best to quell the troublemakers.

The Showdown

Three brothers and one friend join a big gunfight. The climax of The Sacketts takes place in a town called Purgatorie. Orrin and Tyrell join Tell and a friend of theirs for a big showdown with some brothers who want to kill Tell for shooting their brother. The good guys win the fight.

The legendary showdown at the O.K. Corral takes place in the town of Tombstone. Wyatt and Morgan join Virgil and their friend Doc Holliday for a big showdown with some Cowboys who want to kill Virgil for arresting their friend. The good guys win the fight.

Hurt Friend Takes Down the Bad Guy

None of the brothers kill the bad guy. Their friend does. A wild man has it in for Tell Sackett because he’s just plain crazy. Tell’s friend, despite having a wounded leg, joins the gunfight and shoots the man dead before he can take a shot at Tell.

The leader of the Cowboys, Johnny Ringo, has it in for Wyatt Earp because he’s a little crazy. Wyatt’s friend Doc Holliday, despite being deathly ill, engages Ringo in a quickdraw and shoots the man dead before he can take a shot at Wyatt.

Final Shot

Both films end with a shot of the four heroes walking in a line. Tell, Orrin, and Tyrell Sackett walk next to their friend after their epic gunfight.

Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp walk next to Doc Holliday on their way to an epic gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

If You Like Westerns, Check Out The Sacketts

The Sacketts is a good movie. Not exactly on the same level as Tombstone, but a delightful ride, nonetheless. There are other similarities, but those are the ones that stood out the most to me. It’s so fun to see Tom Selleck before he starred in Quigley Down Under handling himself in a Western like a pro. And Sam Elliott seems to have been born for movies like this.

If you’re interested in spending three hours with good people who do the right thing and come up with creative solutions to dire situations, The Sacketts is worth a watch.

Plus, this movie has Superman’s Earth father Glenn Ford, the bad guy from Ernest Goes to Camp John Vernon, and so many other familiar faces and voices. It’s a joy to watch from beginning to end.

This is the Deja Reviewer bidding you farewell until we meet again.

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