Forget Tombstone, This Underrated Tom Selleck Western Has The Best Showdown Of The 1990s

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Everyone remembers the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral from the movie Tombstone, but another Western starring Tom Selleck is often considered the best showdown of the 1990s. It’s taken time, but Tombstone is now frequently named as one of the decade’s top Westerns.

The movie’s production was troubled, starting with the director being replaced and complicated by a rivalry with Kevin Costner’s competing film. Everyone expected Costner’s grander movie, Wyatt Earp, to be the bigger success in the showdown between the two Westerns. However, Tombstone came out first, earning positive reviews and doing well at the box office, while Costner’s lengthy film failed to connect with audiences.

Initially, Tombstone wasn’t a huge hit. However, over time, it gained recognition as a classic Western, eventually being considered as good as films like Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven or Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves.

The 1990s saw a revival of Western films after a slow period in the 80s. However, some excellent movies still slipped under the radar, like a truly outstanding Western starring Tom Selleck. In it, he plays a skilled gunslinger who travels to Australia in the 1860s.

Quigley Down Under Has The Best Western Showdown Of The 1990s

Despite initially failing with critics and audiences, the film Quigley Down Under gained a following through home video and television. It’s a surprisingly good movie that works as both an exciting Western and a thoughtful exploration of difficult issues, particularly the mistreatment of Aboriginal Australians during the colonial period.

This film is the second of three memorable roles for Alan Rickman as a villain, falling between his performances in Die Hard and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. In Quigley Down Under, Rickman plays a cruel cattle baron who brings Quigley to Australia with a deceptive offer: a job that actually involves harming the Indigenous population.

Quigley and Rickman’s characters quickly become rivals, culminating in an epic final duel. Quigley consistently avoids using a pistol, favoring his single-shot rifle instead. Believing Quigley is unskilled with revolvers, Marston challenges him to a fast-draw competition against himself and two of his men.

Marston was completely mistaken, as Quigley swiftly defeats all three of his opponents. The hero of Quigley Down Under then approaches the wounded Marston and wryly says, “I said I didn’t care for one. I never said I didn’t know how to use it.”

Quigley Down Under Was Buried By The Success Of Dances With Wolves

Despite costing $18 million to make, Quigley Down Under only earned a little over $21 million at the box office, which was considered a letdown for MGM, according to Box Office Mojo. Critics generally viewed the movie as a typical, lighthearted action film, and its release timing – right alongside the popular Western Dances with Wolves – didn’t help its chances.

Kevin Costner’s ambitious Western received critical acclaim and performed very well at the box office. It went on to win numerous Academy Awards in 1991, including the award for Best Picture. Ultimately, Dances with Wolves was far more successful than Quigley Down Under, despite the fact that Tom Selleck’s film also offers a fresh take on the Western genre.

Quigley Down Under Deserves A Bigger Fanbase

It’s a shame that Quigley Down Under hasn’t gotten the same renewed appreciation as Tombstone. While it doesn’t boast quite the same impressive cast or script, it’s a really fun and surprisingly gritty Western, and Tom Selleck is fantastic in it.

Despite being released in 1990 and gaining a dedicated fanbase, Quigley Down Under remains a surprisingly overlooked Western. It’s a film that deserves wider recognition, but it looks like it will continue to be a well-kept secret.

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2026-04-12 19:52