Western movies - history

Today was my last day of work, and I have been sitting here watching old movies on the TV. I wonder WHY they distort history so much. I finished watching "Shootout at the O.K. Corral" with Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster. It has as much to do with the history of that occurance as it does with the Civil War. I am watching "Hour of the Gun" with James Garner and the opening titles say "this is based on fact, this is the way it happened". Bullshit, it is only 20 minutes into the movie and the historical facts have been distorted so much already as to be laughable to any minor student of history. I must say, it's a good movie ... just that it has nothing (or very little) to do with the facts of the case. We who are students of western history are forever amazed at movies. We notice things like people using weapons that were not in use in the period the story takes place, or costumes that are highly inaccurate, or other equipment that is really out of place. We still enjoy the movies, but wonder why they cannot try and make them, at least, closer to reality. It would be like having a WWII movie with M-16's or F-16 fighter jets in it. I remember a movie called "The Culpepper Cattle Company"... it had realistic costumes, real attitudes and realistic tack of the era on the horses. No common movie goer noticed but I did. And I am certain that other western buffs noticed. Oh well, I shall sit and enjoy the movie and forget that I know anything about the west or southern Arizona I guess. The place in Mexico where they filmed this one is about as close to Cochise County as it is to Maryland.

Well anyway ... have a good week. And .... Happy NewYear to you all.

Love from the desert.