The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a classic Western movie made in 1962, starring James Stewart, John Wayne and Lee Marvin, and directed by John Ford.
Plot
Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) is an attorney who believes in law and order, but refuses to carry a gun. His friend, Tom Doniphan (John Wayne) is a gunslinger, who believes there is no law and one "needs a gun in these parts." When the outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) comes to town, Stoddard finds the only way to settle differences with Valance is through violence when he is challenged to a shootout. Stoddard is completely unskilled with a gun and no match for the infamous gunfighter Valance. But in what seems like a miraculous shot, Valance is killed in the duel. However, the deadly shot was really fired by Doniphon from across the street, saving Stoddard's life. Doniphan lets Stoddard and the public believe Stoddard was the shooter, but later tells him the truth in private. Stoddard will forever be known as the man who shot Liberty Valance, reaping the political rewards but grappling with his secret as he builds a political career and helps civilize the west.Themes
The movie explores and takes apart many of the idealized "morals" of Westerns, movies, and the USA. In this tale, everything is backward — the tone is set from the very start, when the man representing law, moral order and honesty, a lawyer played by Jimmy Stewart, ends up quickly washing dishes for a living. From then on, everything seems to come out the opposite of a straight-up Western, almost as if Ford put up a mirror to what a classic Western would be — almost as if he wanted to say that he knew very well what was what. The "hero" is mocked by the villain, he is constantly shown with an apron on, and his one "heroic" act is, in fact, a lie.There are a number of "couples" in the movie — the two man/woman ones, but also, as often in Westerns, ambiguous pairs of men — Stewart and Wayne, Wayne and Marvin.
The movie discusses "civilization" of the West but also "civilization" as a whole — what does it mean, what is it based on? That is, a veneer — here, in fact, an outright lie. The tale is told through flashback and when we come back to a "present day" Stewart, he is tired of carrying the load of the lie that he has built his life on.
Reception
The film was an instant hit when released in April of 1962, thanks to its classic story and popular stars John Wayne and James Stewart. At the 1963 Academy Awards, the film was nominated for Best Costume Design for Edith Head, one of the few westerns to ever be nominated for the award. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has continued its popularity through repeated television broadcasts and the rental market. It is also widely considered, along with The Searchers and My Darling Clementine, to be one of director John Ford's best Westerns.Billing
James Stewart was given top billing over John Wayne in the movie's posters and the previews (trailers) shown in theatres and on television prior to the film's release, but in the film itself, however, Wayne is given top billing over Stewart. Their names are displayed on pictures of signposts, one after the other, with Wayne's name shown first with his sign mounted slightly higher on its post than Stewart's. John Ford remarked in an interview with Peter Bogdanovich that he made it apparent to the audience that Vera Miles' character had never gotten over Tom Doniphon because "I wanted Wayne to be the lead."Cast
John Wayne as Tom DoniphanJames Stewart as Ransom Stoddard
Vera Miles as Hallie Stoddard
Lee Marvin as Liberty Valance
Edmond O'Brien as Dutton Peabody
Andy Devine as Marshal Link Appleyard
Ken Murray as Doc Willoughby
John Carradine as Maj. Cassius Starbuckle
Jeanette Nolan as Nora Ericson
John Qualen as Peter Ericson
Woody Strode as Pompey
Denver Pyle as Amos Carruthers
Strother Martin as Floyd
Lee Van Cleef as Reese
Trivia
- The constant references to the "Picket Wire" in the movie were not about a prairie fence. "Picket Wire" was the slang name for the Purgatoire River in southeastern Colorado.
- Even though a date was never stated, it can be assumed that the action takes place in 1875, the year before Colorado achieved statehood.
- Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote a ballad for the movie also titled "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". This was a top 10 hit for Gene Pitney, but because of a mistake between Paramount Pictures and their publishing company (Famous Music), it was never used in the movie. Instead, they reused the soundtrack from John Ford's earlier movie Young Mr. Lincoln.
- Before leaving the bar to meet Ransom Stoddard, Liberty Valance won a hand of poker with a pair of Aces and a pair of Eights. This is the famous "Dead Man's Hand," so called because it was the hand held by "Wild" Bill Hickock when he was murdered by Jack McCall in Deadwood, August 2, 1876.
Quotes
- Maxwell Scott: "This is the west, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
- Liberty Valance: "You lookin' for trouble, Doniphan?"
- Tom Doniphan: "You aimin' to help me find some?"
- Tom Doniphan: "It ain't mannerly out west."
- Tom Doniphan: "It was cold blooded murder...but I can live with that."
- The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is the source of the "Pilgrim" phrase that is commonly used in John Wayne impersonations; Wayne's character addresses James Stewart's character as "Pilgrim" several times in the film.
External links and references
- [Rotten Tomatoes on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance]
- [filmcritic.com on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance]
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