Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is Doc volunteering to be the man who kills for Wyatt, a polite, cheerful offer of violence from a dying gambler with nothing to lose. 'Huckleberry' is old slang for the right man for a job, so the line says 'whatever you want, I am the one for it'. Val Kilmer's delivery made it the film's most quoted line, and fans use it to volunteer for any fight, however small.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for TombstoneShow the scene
In Tombstone, Arizona, a drunken Johnny Ringo of the Cowboys gang squares up to the Earp brothers in the street, shouting that he wants their blood and asking if none of them has the guts to play for it. Wyatt opens his coat to show he is unarmed and tells the brothers to walk away. Doc Holliday steps forward, one gun in plain view and the other hidden behind his back, and answers Ringo's challenge with this line, adding that it is just his game. Ringo threatens him, Doc says "Say when," and Curly Bill drags Ringo off.
Sources (2)
- Wikiquote: Tombstone (film)Street confrontation between Ringo and the EarpsReference checked
- Wikipedia: Tombstone (1993 film)Intro, plot and notes on 'huckleberry'Reference checked
Context reviewed
