[.ca] Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Widescreen)

From Amazon.co.uk:
"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." That's more than the code of a newspaperman in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; it's practically the operating credo of director John Ford, the most honoured of American filmmakers. In this late film from a long career, Ford looks at the civilising of an Old West town, Shinbone, through the sad memories of settlers looking back. In the town's wide-open youth, two-fisted Westerner John Wayne and tenderfoot newcomer James Stewart clash over a woman (Vera Miles) but ultimately unite against the notorious outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). Ford's nostalgia for the past is tempered by his stark approach, unusual for the visual poet of Stagecoach and The Searchers. The two heavyweights, Wayne and Stewart, are good together, with Wayne the embodiment of rugged individualism and Stewart the idealistic prophet of the civilisation that will eventually tame the Wild West. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance may be the saddest Western ever made, closer to an elegy than an action movie, and as cleanly beautiful as its central symbol, the cactus rose. --Robert Horton

Amazon.com Essential Video:
"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." That's more than the code of a newspaperman in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; it's practically the operating credo of director John Ford, the most honored of American filmmakers. In this late film from a long career, Ford looks at the civilizing of an Old West town, Shinbone, through the sad memories of settlers looking back. In the town's wide-open youth, two-fisted Westerner John Wayne and tenderfoot newcomer James Stewart clash over a woman (Vera Miles) but ultimately unite against the notorious outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). Ford's nostalgia for the past is tempered by his stark approach, unusual for the visual poet of Stagecoach and The Searchers. The two heavyweights, Wayne and Stewart, are good together, with Wayne the embodiment of rugged individualism and Stewart the idealistic prophet of the civilization that will eventually tame the Wild West. This may be the saddest Western ever made, closer to an elegy than an action movie, and as cleanly beautiful as its central symbol, the cactus rose. --Robert Horton

The law, or the gun:
Director: John Ford Format: Black and white Studio: Paramount Video Release Date: April 7, 1998 Cast: John Wayne ... Tom Doniphon James Stewart ... Ransom Stoddard (attorney) Vera Miles ... Hallie Stoddard Lee Marvin ... Liberty Valance Edmond O'Brien ... Dutton Peabody (Editor of the Shinbone Star) 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') Robert Donner Larry Finley ... Bar X man Shug Fisher ... Kaintuck (drunk) Mario Arteaga ... Henchman Sam Harris Chuck Hayward ... Henchman William Henry Bryan 'Slim' Hightower ... Shotgun Earle Hodgins ... Clute Dumphries Stuart Holmes Mike Edward Jauregui ... Drummer Jack Kenny Leonard Baker ... Man Ted Mapes ... Highpockets Montie Montana ... Politician on horseback Bob Morgan ... Roughrider Charles Morton ... Drummer Jack Pennick ... Jack, Barman Chuck Roberson ... Henchman Buddy Roosevelt Charles Seel ... President, election council Slim Talbot Charles Akins Ralph Volkie ... Townsman Max Wagner ... Poker game dealer Blackie Whiteford Jack Williams ... Henchman Danny Borzage ... Townsman Helen Gibson Gertrude Astor Anna Lee ... Mrs. Prescott (widow in stage holdup) Jacqueline Malouf ... Lietta Appleyard Eva Novak Dorothy Phillips Stephanie Pond-Smith This movie is top heavy with some of the best stars in the business: John Wayne, James Stewart, Lee Marvin, Edmond O'Brien, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Denver Pyle and a host of lesser names. A classic tale of the old West, although it is in black and white--not a flaw for some of us. The story is about a young lawyer, Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) who comes West to practice law staright out of law school. He soon learns that in the West, the gun is more powerful than the law--although he is not willing to admit it, yet. He is robbed of all his money on the stagecoach, and discovers that almost everyone knows his robber, Liberty Valance, but no one, including the town Marshal, Link Appleyard (Andy Devine) is afraid to take on Liberty Valance. Everyone, that is, except Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), and he appears to be unwilling to get involved. This sets up the conflict, and the story proceeds from there. This is a fine Western, entertaining, well acted (as one might expect) and well directed by John Ford, also as might be expected. Joseph (Joe) Pierre author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance and other books

So what's all the fuss about?:
I've been searching for the "best" western, and a couple of people recommended this one. It does bring up some interesting issues, but I'm still searching. The movie, besides being stuffed with the usual cliches of the genre and the usual shoddy production values (obviously the whole thing was shot in a studio except for the train scenes at beginning and end), is a muddle. What exactly is the message? It seems to be that we need to murder bad guys in order to control them, and that what passes for civilization is just a lie. This would seem to support the silly interpretation of the film as an allegory for our war on terror, but that doesn't quite work either. Liberty was out in the street and easily identifiable, whereas most terrorists are in hiding or are unknown. "Taking the law into our own hands" is what Valance's thugs try to do after he's killed, and look where it gets them. Finally, neither way of life--the old Wild West nor the new more civilized West--looks like a very desirable condition. If we can believe this film (that is, take it as a metaphor), then in the old West everyone was too cowardly to stand up and face the bad guys except for the ineffectual representative of the new civilization, but Valance finally had to be shot from the shadows in a side street by the supposed "manly" John Wayne character--not a very nice allegory to base our country's behavior or character on. However that may be, it's another second-rate Western. I'm beginning to believe that the whole genre is second-rate.

Saddest western ever made -box of tissues:
So sad to die of a broken heart. The cactus rose will alway be of keen meaning. The ending is so tearfull. The simple musical chords tug on the heart. Nothings too good for the man who shot Libert Valance.

Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne's Definitive Western:
John Wayne was never more of a tough cowboy than in this John Ford Masterpiece, Pilgrim, and James Stewart was never more the aw-shucks embodiment of educated idealism. Together they are rivals for Vera Miles, but they are also united against the outlaw who terrorizes the territory, Lee Marvin's Liberty Valance. Marvin is almost over the top as the evil Valance, but that is sort of the point - that he is a man universally recognized as evil. The question isn't "is Liberty Valance bad?" but rather which approach is more appropriate to combat him - fighting fire with fire (as exemplified by John Wayne's Tom Doniphon, the only man in the territory who is not intimidated by Liberty Valance) or whether "law and order" should prevail, as personified by Mr. Stewart's newly arrived Eastern Lawyer, Ransom Stoddard. The first time I saw this film the way that this central conflict was resolved surprised me - one of the biggest "twists" in the Western genre. In my humble opinion it wasn't until Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven" that another Western even approached the stature of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

A parable of Americas war against terrorism:
The other day, in a conversation with my brother, he made mention that the underlying theme of this movie was a polemic against big business. Viewing the film again, I can see his point but I came away with quite another conclusion. Although unintentional, this movie demonstrates what America's response to our war in terror should be. Think about it, the idealist Ransom Stoddard (Jimmy Steward) comes west to make his fortune and to help civilize the frontier. Before he even arrives in Shinbone, his stagecoach is robbed and the outlaw Liberty Valance mercilessly beats him. Not only is Ransom beaten, but Stoddard's law books, which represent civilization, are torn and thrown into the dust. Ransom determines to find justice through the law, but to no avail. Throughout the movie, Stoddard endeavors to bring civilization to Shinbone, whether by opening his law practice, teaching people how to read, or accepting nomination for public office. In the end, however, it is not the law books nor the Sheriff that ends Libertys reign of terror, but Stoddard who must abandon his law books and pick up a gun. Of course, we know that it was actually Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) who shot Liberty Valance. Now about our war on terror. The liberal left has viewed the war on terror as a legal issue to be resolved through the court system. Preemptive strikes against terrorism are considered by the left as brutish Republican behavior. Evidence must be gathered, the terrorist rights must be protected, and courts of law must adjudicate the issues. But, terrorist, like Liberty Valance are evil. They feed off of the fear of others. Until we put the law books down, and pick up our .45s, terror will reign. Civilization was brought to Shinbone only after Liberty Valance lay dead in the street, his body riddled with bullets. The war of terror will only be won by the West when those who perpetrate it are killed. It is not a nice thought, but a necessary one.