Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The (1962)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), directed by John Ford.
One of John Ford's continuing themes is that the hard men who tame the West are not able to live in it after. Their fierce civilizing characteristics make them unsuited to actual civilization.
Such is his creative power that Ford can not only build this myth, he can take it apart again. What if time did not stop with the hero's triumph at the end of the film? Decades pass, men grow old and history is papered over with legend. What is the story of those who live long enough to see that?
Tremendous cast, an over-abundance of talent. James Stewart is too old to play the idealistic young lawyer, but maybe this is a second career. He's still has that earnest civic enthusiasm of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).
Lee Marvin is great as the crazed, sadistic villain with a whip. You'd think a role this vivid would have typed him permanently, but he was able to play a variety of characters after.
Notes:
I think the political convention scenes toward the end could have been condensed.
Mostly shot on sound-stages, but it seems to work this time.
I tried to count the number of times John Wayne calls James Stewart "Pilgrim", but lost track at 16.
I'd forgotten: Woody Strode enters the saloon, and the bartender is kind of apologetic. "Now, Pompey, you know I can't serve you..." Wayne isn't having that, insisting on Old West integrated drinking places! But Pompey isn't having it either.
It was a unhappy shoot. Ford was in a bad mood, irritated by studio interference, and took it out on the cast.
Edith Head costumes.
The famous Gene Pitney song (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David!) is not in the movie.
Available on a fine-looking Blu-ray.
