Senator Ransom Stoddard returns to
the small town of Shinbone where he got his start as a lawyer to attend the
funeral of friend Tom Doniphon. Stoddard built his career on his legend as the
man who shot vicious local ruffian Liberty Valance, but now back in town he
feels the need to finally tell the truth about what really happened – to put
the legend to bed.
Auteur John Ford is known
as the master of the classic western with such films as Stagecoach,
My Darling Clementine, Fort Apache, She
Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and The
Searchers all starring John Wayne (in
addition to his other classics: The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley, and The Quiet Man). It is only
fitting that Ford would be the one to usher in the end of the classic western
with The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, a film that looks back on the legend and
myth of the old west only to see its heroes out-of-date. He worked with
composer Cyril
Mockridge, cinematographer William Clothier,
and art directors Eddie
Imazu and Hal
Pereira.
In addition to John Wayne, the
film stars James
Stewart (who made many westerns too – but this is his best). Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, Edmond O’Brien,
Andy Devine,
John Carradine,
Woody Strode,
and Lee Van
Cleef feature in support.
I have always loved westerns, and
cinema has so many great classics in the genre. But, The Man Who Shot Liberty
Valance marked the end of the genre, giving birth to a new modernized vision of
the west, pulling down the legends. It is, however, one of my favorite westerns
none the less, and among the best
films of the 20th century. It is a must-see of fans of the
genre.
Trailer: Here
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