Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
'Daisy' is Old West slang for something first-rate, so Doc is saying 'if you shoot me, you are a better man than me', a line that is half dare and half insult. He says it with an empty gun and a smile, and that composure is the point: the taunt works because he looks not to care. Fans use it as a dry challenge to anyone who threatens something they cannot back up.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for TombstoneShow the scene
The line is Doc Holliday's taunt at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Frank McLaury of the Cowboys gets the drop on Doc, gloating that he has got him. Doc, whose gun is empty, answers with a calm "Blaze away" and then this line, a dare that McLaury would be a fool to try. Tombstone, in which Val Kilmer plays Doc, opened on 25 December 1993. Fans pair it with the "huckleberry" line as the two things Doc says that everyone remembers.
Sources (2)
- No Film School: You're a Daisy If You DoArticle on the lineReference checked
- Wikipedia: Tombstone (1993 film)Intro and plotReference checked
Context reviewed
