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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

  • 1962
  • Approved
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
86K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,942
67
James Stewart, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Andy Devine, Vera Miles, and Edmond O'Brien in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:38
4 Videos
99+ Photos
Classical WesternDramaWestern

A senator returns to a Western town for the funeral of an old friend and tells the story of his origins.A senator returns to a Western town for the funeral of an old friend and tells the story of his origins.A senator returns to a Western town for the funeral of an old friend and tells the story of his origins.

  • Director
    • John Ford
  • Writers
    • James Warner Bellah
    • Willis Goldbeck
    • Dorothy M. Johnson
  • Stars
    • James Stewart
    • John Wayne
    • Vera Miles
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    86K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,942
    67
    • Director
      • John Ford
    • Writers
      • James Warner Bellah
      • Willis Goldbeck
      • Dorothy M. Johnson
    • Stars
      • James Stewart
      • John Wayne
      • Vera Miles
    • 335User reviews
    • 97Critic reviews
    • 94Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 4 wins & 3 nominations total

    Videos4

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:38
    Official Trailer
    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Paramount Centennial Collection
    Clip 0:33
    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Paramount Centennial Collection
    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Paramount Centennial Collection
    Clip 0:33
    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Paramount Centennial Collection
    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Paramount Centennial Collection
    Clip 0:44
    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Paramount Centennial Collection
    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Paramount Centennial Collection
    Clip 1:17
    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Paramount Centennial Collection

    Photos170

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    + 162
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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    James Stewart
    James Stewart
    • Ransom Stoddard
    John Wayne
    John Wayne
    • Tom Doniphon
    Vera Miles
    Vera Miles
    • Hallie Stoddard
    Lee Marvin
    Lee Marvin
    • Liberty Valance
    Edmond O'Brien
    Edmond O'Brien
    • Dutton Peabody
    Andy Devine
    Andy Devine
    • Link Appleyard
    Ken Murray
    Ken Murray
    • Doc Willoughby
    John Carradine
    John Carradine
    • Maj. Cassius Starbuckle
    Jeanette Nolan
    Jeanette Nolan
    • Nora Ericson
    John Qualen
    John Qualen
    • Peter Ericson
    Willis Bouchey
    Willis Bouchey
    • Jason Tully - Conductor
    Carleton Young
    Carleton Young
    • Maxwell Scott
    Woody Strode
    Woody Strode
    • Pompey
    Denver Pyle
    Denver Pyle
    • Amos Carruthers
    Strother Martin
    Strother Martin
    • Floyd
    Lee Van Cleef
    Lee Van Cleef
    • Reese
    Robert F. Simon
    Robert F. Simon
    • Handy Strong
    O.Z. Whitehead
    O.Z. Whitehead
    • Herbert Carruthers
    • Director
      • John Ford
    • Writers
      • James Warner Bellah
      • Willis Goldbeck
      • Dorothy M. Johnson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      John Wayne suggested Lee Marvin for the role of Valance after working with him in The Comancheros (1961).
    • Goofs
      Ransom Stoddard, at the school scene, makes a reference to "truck farmer." This phrase refers not to the motorized vehicle, but to the much older use of "truck" meaning barter or commerce.
    • Quotes

      Ransom Stoddard: [after he tell Scott who really shot Liberty Valance] Well, you know the rest of it. l went to Washington, and we won statehood. l became the first governor.

      Maxwell Scott: Three terms as governor, two terms in the Senate, Ambassador to the Court of St James, back again to the Senate, and a man who, with the snap of his fingers, could be the next vice president of the United States.

      Ransom Stoddard: [Scott burns his notes] You're not going to use the story, Mr Scott?

      Maxwell Scott: No, sir. This is the west, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.

    • Connections
      Edited from Tales of Wells Fargo (1957)
    • Soundtracks
      Main Theme
      (The Dew Is On the Blossom) (1939) (uncredited)

      from Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

      Music by Alfred Newman

    User reviews335

    Featured review
    8/10

    Law or Guns?

    Every time I watch a movie from decades ago I realize that even without all the special effects, 4K cameras and all things Hollywood, they manage to tell stories in a masterful way.

    Here we follow Ransom (A lawyer) who after a robbery is rescued by Tom (A farmer) and arrives in the violent city of Shinbone that is dominated by the dangerous Liberty Valance, an unscrupulous bandit. At that moment we are introduced to the other main characters Hallie a waitress who likes Tom very much but is never proposed to her. Mr Peabody is the editor-in-chief of the local Shinbone Star newspaper in charge of covering the region's news. Link Appleyard the most cowardly sheriff who ever lived.

    Tormented by Liberty Valance, Shinbone, is just another place that hasn't developed due to lack of education in the city because apparently many people can't read and in a way this contributes to everything in the city being resolved through bullets being therefore a land no law.

    At that moment our character Stoddard seeks to apply a system of laws in that region and make the city a recognized state and not just a territory and somehow bring progress to that region, beforehand Ransom seeks to teach the people of the region to read and write , which includes Hallie, who at one point was enchanted by Tom's bravery and now begins to fall in love with Ransom's calmness and passivity. This approach obviously makes Doniphon jealous and from there we have the beginning of a somewhat confused friendship between a man who only believes in the power of the law and another in the power of bullets.

    Given this introduction, what intrigued me the most about this film is that both Ransom and Tom are heroes and anti-heroes in the same film, being practically impossible to say which is the good and the bad of the story, I preferred Tom, in a way he had more honor. A great movie, I recommend it to everyone.
    • igornveiga
    • Aug 15, 2022
    • Permalink

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    FAQ22

    • How long is The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance?Powered by Alexa
    • Why isn't "Tales of Wells Fargo" given credit for the closing train scene. The exact same footage is used for both The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence and Tales of Wells Fargo (years 4 and later). The ending scene involves footage of a train rounding the bend at end of movie. The same footage is the ending scene for both.
    • Who played Julietta
    • Is 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 22, 1962 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Un tiro en la noche
    • Filming locations
      • Janss Conejo Ranch, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
    • Production company
      • John Ford Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,200,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 3 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    James Stewart, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Andy Devine, Vera Miles, and Edmond O'Brien in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
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