Bill Tilghman was the last of the old frontier lawmen still working as a peace officer in the 1920's. At a time when Bat Masterson was a sportswriter for a New York newspaper and Wyatt Earp was a movie consultant in Hollywood, Tilghman was working as a special agent for the Governor of Oklahoma. This story picks up as he is talked into leaving that post to tackle the taming of Cromwell, Oklahoma, a wild oil boom town. It details that last few months in the life of the man Bat Masterson called "The greatest of us all."



It's hard to imagine anyone other than Sam Elliot doing this role. He closely matches the pictures of Tilghman late in life, and his portrayal matches the character of the man in every way. He manages to show not only the rawhide-tough lawman, but also the devoted husband and father, with a few glimpses of the man who was not out of place in the seats of power.



There are a few historical inaccuracies in the film, but that is to be expected; it is nearly impossible to condense months down into movie length without losing some detail. In my opinion it is still the most accurate of the western "bio-pics" that have been made in the last few years. Most have heard of the Earps, Cody, Masterson, and Hickock, but far fewer know of Tilghman. This film should go a long way to correcting this, as Tilghman was truly one of the giants in the taming of the lawless elements of the frontier west. I highly recommend this movie; anyone watching it will come away not only entertained, but with a better appreciation of one of the most highly regarded men this country has ever produced.You Know My Name