The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Print The Legend

Stylistically, this is a very interesting film from director John Ford. The film begins with alot of colorful characterizations familiar to audiences with films as diverse as "Stagecoach" and "The Searchers". There's also alot of brutal realism which would anticipate the work of Sam Peckinpah. It's also interesting that Ford contrasts the traditional western as represented by John Wayne with the new west represented by James Stewart who made a series of "psychological" westerns in and around this time. Also noteworthy is the presence of Lee Van Cleef who made his mark in the terrific Sergio Leone westerns in the sixties. What is Ford trying to say here? Probably sensing that his days behind the camera were nearing an end he probably understood that a re-evaluation was in order. The paradox here is that the traditional hero represented by John Wayne is left to lick his wounds in the darkness while the more neurotic Stewart is the supposed victor. The law of the gun is being replaced by the law book. Ford sees this as a good thing but not without a touch of poignancy. This is a film that some viewers may be confused by but taken in the context of the Ford canon it makes perfect sense. October 21, 2008

A parody

This is an unintentional parody of the Western movie. The cliches, stereotypes, corny lines, and macho nonsense are present in abundance. There are signs of trouble from the beginning, when we learn immediately that there will be a flashback: Jimmy Stewart is shouting his lines. Later, John Wayne swaggers and sniggers, Andy Devine whimpers and attempts to be amusing, Edmund O'Brien does an awful drunk act, things are rowdy in the local saloon...well, you understand if you're over 13. Watch how fast Stewart recovers from a savage beating after he sips some brandy. And don't miss the by now obligatory civil rights salute. The ending is wholly predictable. My educated guess is that John Ford, Lee Marvin, and many others on the set were tipping the bottle a bit too much. This is a dreadful, if often quite funny, film. It was Ford's worst, Stewart's worst, and ranks at least fourth from the bottom in Wayne's career. August 14, 2008

One of the best

One of the best John Wayne movies, and Stewart is miscast, but still does a fine job. August 6, 2008

"Nothing is too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance!"

As the "Old West" is dying and statehood and a new, more complex society looms, a Senator, played by Jimmy Stewart returns to his humble beginnings of Shinbone to attend the funeral of his friend, played by John Wayne.

As a journalist interviews Stewart, he reveals how his career got it's ultimate boost because he was known as "the man who shot Liberty Valance," a violent criminal. In a flashback, we see what really happened. Stewart was not the man who shot the criminal, but it was John Wayne, who witnessed the gunfight from an alleyway and managed to kill Liberty Valance with a shotgun at the same moment that Stewart fired his own gun. He did this despite the fact that he had lost the love of his life to Stewart. He was doing the right thing!

When the journalist hears the truth, he refuses to print it, stating, "When the legend becomes fact, we print the legend." That statement captures the essence of this classic film.

Without a doubt, this is a movie is a classic that should not be missed. July 13, 2008

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

ESSENTIAL MOVIE!!! One of the greatest westerns ever filmed stars James Stewart & John Wayne & was directed by the incomparable John Ford. The character of the film's title isn't made clear until near the end of the movie. The film is shot in black & white which fits its moody atmosphere, it's like western/film noir.

The movie opens with Ranson Stoddard (James Stewart), known as Rance to his friends, & his wife, Hallie (Vera Miles), returning to the town where they had met 25 years before. They've returned to the sleepy hamlet to attend the funeral of a nobody. Stoddard is now a Senator of the unnamed state & it's big news to the local newspaper as to why he's there. When asked, Stoddard begins a story that becomes a film-long flashback.

Stoddard arrives in a wild west town as a green & mild mannered lawyer who has no idea of the ways in the unruly West. He runs afoul, almost immediately, of the outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). Their encounter leads eventually to the inevitable showdown. More than once, Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), steps in to thwart Valance's desire to harm the hapless Stoddard, who can't even handle a gun.

It's understood that Hallie is Doniphon's girl though nothing has been formally announced. Doniphon has even begun adding a room, with the help of his black ranch hand Pompey (Woody Strode), to his ranch home in preparation of the day they marry. But Stoddard, inept as he is, is appealing to Hallie because he's educated & she isn't. Stoddard, unable to have a thriving law business at the outset, washes dishes at the busy cafe that's owned by Hallie's parents & also begins teaching in a school he's started. None of this is viewed very highly because these were jobs almost exclusively handled by women at that time; Stoddard isn't a man's man. The conflict in the cafe sets the tone for the movie; Doniphon orders a steak & it's brought to him by Stoddard, another job not viewed as being masculine. He's tripped by Valance, who doesn't know the steak is Doniphon's. After Stoddard is tripped the steak ends up on the floor, an argument ensues between Valance & Doniphon over the steak. In order to stop the potential violent eruption, Stoddard picks up the steak. In this classic scene the entire stage is set for what is to follow.

Finally, there comes the showdown between Stoddard & Valance. Valance wounds Stoddard in the shoulder, like a cat toying with a mouse. Though Valance is drunk, he's still deadly accurate with a handgun. He taunts Stoddard into picking up the gun with his other hand, then he slowly takes aim to issue the coup de grace "right between the eyes." What follows is an incredible piece of luck when Stoddard fires the gun & kills Valance. The whole town now treats him as the conquering hero. At this time Doniphon kind of fades away, he gets to drinking, becomes bitter, finally burning down his ranch house, knowing he has lost Hallie.

The territory this all occurs in is seeking statehood, they turn to "the man who shot Liberty Valance" & send him as one of their represenatives to the territorial meeting that intends to seek statehood. In this regard Stoddard is well suited, able to handle the requirements of the job to represent the good folks of Shinbone. This leads to a political career in which Stoddard shines on the national stage, he's been Senator, Governor & an Ambassador.

But the truth is Rance Stoddard is NOT "the man who shot Liberty Valance", it was really Tom Doniphon, who had been standing in an nearby alley, witness to the gunfight. At the critical moment Doniphon shoots Valance himself with a rifle, managing to fire at the exact same moment as Stoddard, & killing Liberty Valance.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has a cast that is way beyond superb. In a major supporting role is Edmond O'Brien portraying the drunken editor of the Shinbone newspaper. John Carradine has a small role near the end as a voice the cattlemen speaking against statehood. There's also Denver Pyle in a small role. Strother Martin & Lee Van Cleef portray the two cronies of Valance. There's also Andy Devine playing the town sheriff who's scared of his own shadow. It all adds up to being one of Hollywood's greatest westerns. The role of Tom Doniphon was an excellent one for Wayne as he stepped outside his normal personna, giving one of his best acting portrayals of his entire career. June 22, 2008

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