The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Hi


European

I have to say this is one of my favorites... especially since I'm also a James Stewart fan. Just watched his Winchester '73 film this afternoon and reminded me of this movie he made with the Duke.

I just got through watching this film and here are a few random thoughts.

The story is good, but the leads are really a bit too old for their parts. I had trouble believing that the Duke was a young rancher although he did great in his part.

Also the format and texture of this film struck as if it was once intended for the stage as the musical score is very sparse and it's lacking that splashy Ford signature.

I did have a blast spotting all the familiar faces... Jack Pennick was a nice surprise. Woody Strode was excellent in his role and he brought a quite dignity to his role that played well off of Duke.

Once again, I felt that Duke should have beat the hell out of Valance and just when Valance looks like he's getting the upper hand Ranse could have shot him. But that's just me.

Over all this is a great collaboration between Pappy and Duke... all it was missing was Ward Bond.

I see some members in recent posts and threads(not just this one) are wondering about the theme music which plays several times in TMWSLV. Well pilgrims that music is an old time piece dating back to the civil war and quite possibly further yet.
The piece is titled "The Dew Is On The Blossom" !!!!!

Regards
Ethan

Isnt part of the music the same that was used in Young Lincoln with Henry Fonda?


Mike

Yes, Your exactly right !!!!! It also plays in " The Horse Soldiers" and a few others which rite now I'm at a loss to remember.

Regards
Ethan

Thanks for info Ethan

Watching that documenatary on Ford actually taught me something!!

Mike

This is a great movie with John Wayne playing arguably his most tragic character. Its clear from the outset of the film that Doniphan is not the traditional hero but someone who has little interest in maintaining law and order and who is more interested in their own personal affairs.

The black and white cinematography adds the necessary soberness and moodiness to the film and the film boasts many classic scenes not least the flashback within the flashback.

Overall I believe this movie is as close to perfection as a movie can get although its just not quite as good as the Searchers.

Just finished watching this movie on TCM and I was wondering if I was the only one who thinks this.

In the flashback sequence when Tom is telling Ransom that he didn't kill Valance, it looked like Ransom got off his shot before Tom did. I haven't put this in slo-mo yet, but I was wondering if anyone else noticed this or if I might have missed this topic in another thread.

Your absolutely right... Ransom did fire the first shot but remember, he was a bad shot and missed Valance. A second after Ransom (Stewart) fired Liberty (Lee Marvin) and Tom (John Wayne) fired second, simultaneously. See below:

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Click to Enlarge

Thanks DakotaSurfer, I had not taken into account that Ransom was such a bad shot and great stills by the way.

Remember when Wayne found out Ransom was practicing, he took him to his place and shot the paint cans and got Ransom full of paint. Ransom couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. For the movie it would have been better if duke's shot was timed with Ransom's. But then Liberty wouldn't have gotten off a shot. I guess it's all in the script. And it did all happen in a split second.

Another question about this movie. In the scene where Liberty Valance just finishes robbing the passengers of the stagecoach and sends them on their way, he has the lead horses cut loose. What was the purpose of that?

I would reckon it was to prevent the stagecoach from getting into town too quickly and notifying the sheriff who would organise a posse after Liberty & the gang.


Mike

Quote from DukePilgrim

I would reckon it was to prevent the stagecoach from getting into town too quickly and notifying the sheriff who would organise a posse after Liberty & the gang.

Mike

Exactly, the number of horses in front of a stagecoach determined how long it would take. If it was a long trip they might even have 6 so they don't get tired too quickly and or course the stations they would stop at to change horses for fresh ones. If you ever watch Encore Westerns, or read True West magazine, Bob Boze Bell has a lot of interesting info on things just like this. The longer it took to get back to town the more time Liberty had to get back south of the picket wire. There is a flaw in many westerns on just how fast a stage could go when being chased. Those chase scenes are just for our entertainment. Most stagecoaches were robbed bandits waiting for them and shooting to frighten the horses and they were easily stopped by someone grabbing the bit on one of the lead horses.

Wow, you learn something new everyday. Never thought I might learn how to drive a team of six horses.

Of course, Doing it, verses reading about it, may be a little different.

Chester

I read a little blurb in the paper today that Lee Marvin died on this date in 1987. It was amazing to me he had been dead that long.

I always thought Marvin was a great villan as Liberty Valance. The scene where Edmund O'Brien goes into his dark newspaper office, lights the lamp and Marvin is standing there made me jump the first time I saw it.

I wasn't that wild about the film the first time I saw it but it has grown on me. It's Ford's last great film. My only complaint is that everyone in it is 20 years too old for his part.

Quote from may2

I My only complaint is that everyone in it is 20 years too old for his part.

Can't agree with you. May be if it was real life - you might be right. But this dark and disillusioning Ford's masterpiece calls for older actors.

Regards,
Senta

Quote from chester7777

Wow, you learn something new everyday. Never thought I might learn how to drive a team of six horses.

Of course, Doing it, verses reading about it, may be a little different.

Chester

I gotta agree with you there. I never knew why they cut those lead horses loose until now.