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. The story is adapted from a short story written by Dorothy M. Johnson. Image File history File links The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) movie poster File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was an American film director famous for westerns such as Stagecoach and The Searchers and adaptations of such classic 20th century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath. ... John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was an American film director famous for westerns such as Stagecoach and The Searchers and adaptations of such classic 20th century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath. ... James Warner Bellah was a well-known popular author from the 1930s to the 50s. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979) was an iconic, Academy Award-winning, American film actor. ... James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an iconic, Academy Award-winning American film and stage actor, best known for his self-effacing screen persona. ... Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924 – August 29, 1987) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ... Cyril J. Mockridge (August 6, 1896 - January 18, 1979) was a film music composer who worked on such films as Nightmare Alley and Road House. ... Alfred Newman (March 17, 1900 – February 17, 1970) was a major American composer of music for films. ... William H. Clothier (February 21, 1903 – January 7, 1996) was an American film cinematographer and camera operator. ... Information in this article or section has not been verified against sources and may not be reliable. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Broncho Billy Anderson, from The Great Train Robbery The Western movie is one of the classic American film genres. ... // Events Dr. No launches the James Bond film series, the longest-running motion picture franchise of all time, running more than 40 years. ... James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an iconic, Academy Award-winning American film and stage actor, best known for his self-effacing screen persona. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979) was an iconic, Academy Award-winning, American film actor. ... Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924 – August 29, 1987) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ... John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was an American film director famous for westerns such as Stagecoach and The Searchers and adaptations of such classic 20th century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Plot

The film opens on preparations for a funeral. A U.S. Senator and his wife have come back to the small town of Shinbone, in an unnamed Western territory. The senator is prevailed upon by a newsman to explain why he has come to bury an apparent nobody. The senator explains and the film unfolds in flashback.

Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) is an attorney who believes in law and order, but refuses to carry a gun. His uneasy friendship with Tom Doniphon results in an unusual respect for one another. Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) is a gunslinger, who believes there is no law and one "needs a gun in these parts." Doniphon and Stoddard have a tenuous relationship; they respect each other but both apparently feel the other is hopelessly naive in their approach to the "modern world". Matters are confused by Hallie (Vera Miles), a woman both intend to court but are hesitant to do so in the presence of the other. Doniphon eventually threatens Stoddard, mildly, but neither man is willing to back down and the event ends inconclusively. As the movie continues, it becomes clear that Hallie favors Stoddard, and Doniphon appears bitter. James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an iconic, Academy Award-winning American film and stage actor, best known for his self-effacing screen persona. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979) was an iconic, Academy Award-winning, American film actor. ... Gunslinger from The Great Train Robbery Gunslinger, also gunfighter, is a name given to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation as being dangerous with a gun. ... Vera Miles (born August 23, 1929 or 1930[1]) is an American actress. ...

When the outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) comes to town, he is unruly, causes disturbances in saloons and restaurants, is feared by the people of the territory. Valance fears only one man, Tom Doniphon, and takes particular delight in embarrassing Stoddard in front of Hallie. In one instance, while causing problems in a restaurant where Stoddard works part-time, Liberty trips Stoddard causing him to drop a steak dinner. Doniphon quickly jumps back to his feet to inform Valance that it was his steak that Stoddard dropped on the floor and orders Liberty to pick it up. Valance thinks about drawing, but Doniphon's steely gaze makes Valance back down. Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924 – August 29, 1987) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ...

Valance continues to terrorize the town. After Valance nearly beats Mr. Peabody, the newspaperman, to death, Stoddard decides that the only way to settle differences with Valance is through violence; he challenges Valance to a shootout. Stoddard is completely unskilled with a gun and no match for the infamous gunfighter Valance, a fact that Doniphon is only too pleased to demonstrate. When the shootout eventually occurs, Stoddard miraculously kills Valance, a surprise to everyone involved, not the least of which is Stoddard, who apparently had resigned himself to being killed.

Stoddard becomes "the man who shot Liberty Valance", reaping hero status accorded him. At a convention to pick the delegate to Washington to lobby for statehood, Stoddard is nominated. But he has guilt pangs that he is a killer and runs from the meeting. It is then that Tom Doniphon tells him the "true" story: That Doniphon, sure Valance would kill Stoddard, hid in the shadows and when Valance challenged Stoddard and wounded him, Doniphon shot Valance with a rifle, timing his shot to coincide with Stoddard's. Stoddard returns to the convention and is chosen as representative.

Stoddard eventually becomes a congressman, then governor and senator. He marries Hallie, who does not know the secret that Stoddard and Doniphon never reveal.

Years later, Tom Doniphon dies, after leading a lonely secluded life, having loved Hallie from a distance to the end. Ransom and Hallie return to the little town for the funeral. Stoddard confesses the story to the local newspaper editor, who refuses to publish it and burns the notes the reporter took. "When the legend becomes fact," the editor says, "print the legend." The movie ends with the now-aged Senator Stoddard and Hallie returning to Washington, both melancholy about the cost of the lie that has allowed them their great fortune together. Stoddard, while riding on a train, asks a conductor how long it will take to get to Washington. The conductor tells them that he will make the train do 25 the whole way and mentions at an upcoming junction they've called ahead to stop all other train traffic. Stoddard thanks him and the conductor says, "nothin's too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance," and walks away. Stoddard lights a match for his pipe while he says this, watches it burn for a few seconds, then blows it out showing guilt for everything that has happened.

Reception

The film was an instant hit when released in April 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. Along with The Searchers, My Darling Clementine, and Stagecoach it is also widely considered to be one of director John Ford's best westerns. // Events Dr. No launches the James Bond film series, the longest-running motion picture franchise of all time, running more than 40 years. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... Edith Head on the cover of the book The Life and Times of Edith Head by David Chierichetti Edith Head (October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was an American costume designer who had a long career in Hollywood that garnered her more Academy Awards than any other woman in history. ... Broncho Billy Anderson, from The Great Train Robbery The Western movie is one of the classic American film genres. ... The Searchers may refer to: The Searchers – a 1956 epic Western movie The Searchers – a 1960s British rock band This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... My Darling Clementine is a 1946 western film, directed by John Ford, based on the story of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral between the Earp brothers and the Clanton gang. ... Stagecoach is a 1939 western film, starring Claire Trevor and John Wayne in his breakthrough role. ...

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, Wayne is given top billing. 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." Peter Bogdanovich Serbian Cyrillic Петар Богдановић(born July 30, 1939) is a Serbian-American film director, writer and actor. ...

Background Information

• The frequent references to the "Picket Wire" in the movie are not about a prairie fence. Rather, "Picket Wire" was the slang name for the Purgatoire River in southeastern Colorado. "South of the Picket Wire," as Shinbone is described, would tend to place the story either in New Mexico or southern Colorado. Saguaro cactus are visible in parts of the film, suggesting the contradictory possibility of Arizona as the location of Shinbone, as saguaro are native only to Arizona. There is, however, no overt mention in the film of a particular territory.

• Even though a date was never stated, the U.S. flag in the schoolroom scene has 38 stars, placing the movie after the 38th state of Colorado, August 1, 1876.

• Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote a title song for the movie, also called "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (song)". This was a top 10 hit for Gene Pitney, but it was never used in the movie. Instead, the main titles contain an original theme by the film's composer. James Taylor covered the Bacharach/David song on his 1985 album That's Why I'm Here. The Royal Guardsmen also covered the song in their 1967 album "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron."

• In certain scenes involving the character of Hallie, Ford used part of Alfred Newman's score from John Ford's earlier movie Young Mr. Lincoln, "The Ann Rutledge Theme". Ford told Peter Bogdanovich in the latter's book John Ford that the theme evoked the same meaning, lost love, in both movies.

• Before leaving the bar to meet Ransom Stoddard, Liberty Valance wins 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 allegedly held by Wild Bill Hickok when he was murdered by Jack McCall in Deadwood, South Dakota, on August 2, 1876.

Binomial name Carnegiea gigantea Britton & Rose Synonyms Cereus giganteus Engelm. ... This biographical article needs additional references for verification. ... Hal David (born May 25, 1921 in New York City, New York) is an American lyricist and songwriterFicticiousbyMichaelAlfredMontalbano. ... Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1941 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter. ... James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, born in Belmont, Massachusetts. ... Thats Why Im Here is singer-songwriter James Taylors twelfth album. ... The Royal Guardsmen were a rock band from Ocala, Florida, a sextet composed of Bill Balough (bass), John Burdette (drums), Chris Nunley (vocals), Tom Richards (guitar), Billy Taylor (organ), and Barry Winslow (vocals/guitar). ... Alfred Newman (March 17, 1900 – February 17, 1970) was a major American composer of music for films. ... Young Mr. ... Peter Bogdanovich Serbian Cyrillic Петар Богдановић(born July 30, 1939) is a Serbian-American film director, writer and actor. ... A game of Texas hold em in progress. ... This article is about the poker hand. ... For other people with similar names, see Wild Bill. ... Jack McCall Jack McCall (also known as Crooked Nose Jack) (born in the early 1850s in Jefferson County, Kentucky – died April i1, 1888 in Nacoma Texas, is the man who shot James Wild Bill Hickok from behind, an act that among admirers of Hickok and students of Hickoks history... A photograph of Deadwood in 1876. ... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,163 sq mi (199,905 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 380 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1876 Pick up Sticks(MDCCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Cast

• James Stewart ... Ransom Stoddard
• John Wayne ... Tom Doniphon
• Vera Miles ... Hallie Stoddard
• Lee Marvin ... Liberty Valance
• Edmond O'Brien ... Dutton Peabody
• Andy Devine ... Marshal Link Appleyard
• Ken Murray ... Doc Willoughby
• John Carradine ... Maj. Cassius Starbuckle
• Jeanette Nolan ... Nora Ericson
• John Qualen ... Peter Ericson
• Willis Bouchey ... Jason Tully (conductor)
• Carleton Young ... Maxwell Scott
• Woody Strode ... Pompey
• Denver Pyle ... Amos Carruthers
• Strother Martin ... Floyd
• Lee Van Cleef ... Reese
• Robert F. Simon ... Handy Strong
• O.Z. Whitehead ... Herbert Carruthers
• Paul Birch ... Mayor Winder
• Joseph Hoover ... Charlie Hasbrouck (reporter for 'The Star')

James Stewart is the name of: // Actors James Stewart (actor) (1908–1997), Hollywood movie star, widely known as Jimmy Stewart. ... John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979) was an iconic, Academy Award-winning, American film actor. ... Vera Miles (born August 23, 1929 or 1930[1]) is an American actress. ... Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924 – August 29, 1987) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ... Edmond OBrien (September 10, 1915–May 9, 1985) was an American film actor who is perhaps best remembered for his role in D.O.A.. Born in New York, New York, OBrien made his film debut in 1938, and gradually built a career as a highly regarded supporting... For the Emmerdale actor, see Andy Devine (actor). ... Ken Murray is: Ken Murray (hockey player) Ken Murray (entertainer) Ken Murray (alpine skier) Category: ... John Carradine (February 5, 1906 - November 27, 1988) was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns. ... Jeanette Nolan (December 30, 1911 – June 5, 1998) was an American actress, born in Los Angeles, California. ... John Qualen in Casablanca John Qualen (December 8, 1899 - September 12, 1987) was a film character actor. ... Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (born July 25, 1914, Los Angeles, California; died December 31, 1994) was a decathlete and football star at UCLA before becoming a pioneering African-American film actor. ... Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 - December 25, 1997) was born in Bethune, Colorado. ... Strother Martin, (March 26, 1919 – August 1, 1980) was an American character actor in numerous films and television programs. ... Lee Van Cleef (January 9, 1925 – December 16, 1989) was an American film actor, who appeared mostly in Western and action pictures. ...

Quotes

• Maxwell Scott: "This is the west, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

• Liberty Valance: "You lookin' for trouble, Doniphon?"

Tom Doniphon: "You aimin' to help me find some?"

• Tom Doniphon: "It ain't mannerly out west."

• Tom Doniphon: "It was cold blooded murder...but I can live with that."

• Pompey: (Reciting from the Declaration of Independence) "We hold these truths to be self-evident that, uh, that..."

Ransom Stoddard: "That all men are created equal."

Pompey nods.

Ransom Stoddard: "That's fine, Pompey."

Pompey: "I knew that, Mr. Rans, but I just plumb forgot it."

Ransom Stoddard: "That's all right, Pompey. A lot of people forget that part of it."

(Pompey is a black man (slaves were emancipated in 1865), and is standing beneath a portrait of Abraham Lincoln.) The United States Declaration of Independence was an act of the Second Continental Congress, adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the Eleven Colonies were independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ...

• 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" 23 times in the film. Though part of the John Wayne persona for many impressionists, Wayne used the term in only one other film, McLintock!, and then only once.

An impressionist is a performer whose act consists of giving the impression of being someone else by imitating the other persons voice and mannerisms. ... McLintock! is a 1963 comedy Western starring John Wayne and Maureen OHara, and loosely based on Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew. ...

External links and references

• Rotten Tomatoes on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
• filmcritic.com on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance