'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' | Critics' Picks | The New York Times
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- Опубліковано 9 тра 2011
- A. O. Scott discusses how truth and justice are sacrificed as order is brought to a lawless land in John Ford's 1962 film.
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'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' | Critics' Picks | The New York Times
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One of the all time great movies, with one of the all time great movie quotes
"This is the West. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
And the great misread interpretation of the film is that very line. The entire point of the film is to actually tell the truth and not let the legend become history.
This is without a doubt one of the greatest westerns ever made!
As some commentators have pointed out, Tom Donovan himself called his shooting of Valance "cold blooded murder" even if most people would see it as justifiable homicide to prevent the killing of Stoddard, who he knew didn't have a chance in a gunfight. I think John Wayne's character called it "murder" not from a legal standpoint but from his perspective as a gunfighter, since he virtually bushwhacked Valance instead of facing him in a gunfight. However, he realized that was necessary to boost Stoddard's position among the townspeople, because Tom saw him as the best hope for the future of the territory. That's why he said "I can live with that."
Exactly. You summed it up extremely well.
Wayne was the hero they needed jimmy was the hero the town would need. It also shows how goodness without strength will result in evil taking over
Very good summery of the crux of this story. I have been trying to figure it out for years. Thank you.
One of my favourites, and the Duke is simply GREATTT, Pilgrim...
Nothing's too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance.
A brilliant movie. A story for all ages, acted, and directed, by the best of the era. Lee Marvin was best villain I’ve sever seen.
The theme of "when is violence is justified?" is only one aspect of the film. The old west giving way to the modern world is another theme. The meaning of "truth" is another theme. The value of a free press, a justice system and voting rights is another theme. Sacrifices made for love is another theme. I find the last theme as the most compelling in the film.
Wrong. The great truth of this film is that those who lived by the gun sacrificed themselves in order that no one else had to live by the gun (civilization). Pioneer species...
One of the few Duke films i have not seen in all these years (i am almost 46). Should be a great one. Jimmy Stewart is also a favorite, so i look forward to seeing it. And u gotta love Lee Marvin- a real WW2 hero (USMC).
This film, along with Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, are the two most entertaining deconstructions of Western mythos I have ever seen. Great movie. Better Ford-Wayne pairing, in my opinion, even than the Searchers.
Ford wasn’t deconstructing anything, whatever that means, he was killing the western myth... killing it forever. Peckinpah buried the corpse and the rest, call it deconstruction or whatever, didn’t add nothing
Someone is clearly forgetting Leone's movies, who brillianttly balanced on the line between deconstrutionnism ( which is a too-easy toy for post-ados ) and homage.
This is a great movie, teaches many lessons. Some of which are applicable today. Thank-you John Ford.
One of my Ford and Duke's favorite films, tied with The Searchers. Every time I watch these films I enjoy them immensely.
That wasn't murder. That was frontier justice.
Team Fortress 2.
A masterpiece. In the Top 10 of the Best Movies Ever
Thank you for respecting the audience enough to let us know when a spoiler was coming. That's something pretty rare these days.
Three great stars in one of the finest Western movie directed by greatest director of golden era, John Ford. Equally fine composition of Cyril Mockridge n back ground music of Alfred Newman. Lee Marvin overpowering two greats John Wayne n James Stewart. Awesome.
I love this movie.
Going to watch and enjoy it tonight, thought James Stewart was one of the best actors ever, also a thoroughly good and decent man.
The man who shot library valance is to me the saddest film set in the west.
A brilliant exegesis of this film. Excellent. Thank you for the crystallization of its importance in our culture and in the power of cinema.
Maybe Donovan called it murder, but he knew it was justice. I can with it with.
Holy crap. Batman from the dark knight is John Wayne in liberty valence
Just that Batman is a psychopath and Tom just did the right thing
The story was so intense and the good and bad consequences were so huge, at the end of this story, there was a sense of rapture about this story that made me forget about all of my personal problems and worries from this life, while watching this film. So, in a pure sense, this movie was genuine entertainment at the box office and still is, were ever you are watching it.
Liberty Valance's phrase; "stand and deliver" worked well in a totally different context.
I love this movie so much. It might be in the top of the best films of all time. Bringing Up Baby, The Quiet Man, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Second Woman, It Happened One Night, and Charade.
I saw the movie as a boy in a small town in western Montana near home town of the woman who wrote the short story the movie was based on. It exploded in my mind as to the real world, the thin line between Wayne/Marvins characters, the choices men make. We owe more to the John Wayne’s of the world than we care to admit.
one of the greatest American Western movies
Hallie, not Nora.
The key is the "Stagecoach" covered in dust. This film is semi-autobiographical as Ford examines his own contribution to the truth v myth debate.
I think that the real moral to the story is that the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.
***** Why the man who shot Liberty Valance, of course.
yeah, right
18661873
...Agreed
I don't see Doniphon's act as murder, but rather as self sacrifice. By killing Valance but letting Stoddard take the credit, he helped Stoddard's political career but in the process lost Hallie to Stoddard. It's symbolic of the lawless and rough Old West (Doniphon) yielding to a more civilized era. Doniphon was a noble man but the modern era needed men of law and education like Stoddard, not gunslingers like Doniphon.
Tom Doniphon partageait avec Liberty Valance les valeurs du vieil Ouest:on règle ses problèmes le colt à la main. Mais il a pris le douloureux virage vers un Ouest civilisé en tuant Liberty Valance. Le vieux monde s'efface et Tom disparait dans la nuit. Un très grand film! Un chef d'oeuvre!
The dark knight has the same ending. The man of the law must become the hero while the amoral vigilante is cast down and forgotten.
BEER AIN'T DRINKIN'
It wasn't murder at all. It was in the defense of another. You should really look up the true definition of murder.
I have been locked in "dark rooms" for many years watching "gringo cinema." But I want to make it clear to the viewers of this NYT channel, 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' is the best metaphor for the construction of a country that has no name (yes, that has no name) and sympathetically known as "the United States." ". As Orson Welles said, my three favorite directors are, John Ford, John Ford and John Ford.
This is an instance when I wish a movie had digital effects. I am not saying that dislike Liberty Valance but digital de-aging has become a great asset to contemporary filmmakers.
Thanks for the spoiler alert. I am off to buy a DVD.
I stopped before he even said stop. Went and watched in Amazon prime, had my mouth open during the revelation of the truth! Awesome movie!!
Unfortunately critics keep getting the affections confused - it is Hallie , not her mother Nora , whose affections both the main characters compete for. No big deal but it just sounds so wrong.
"Welcome to the world of the Plastic Beach." Thank you, A.O.
Excellent review of an excellent movie
Great movie and I recommend this movie to friends that are not the biggest fan of the Western genre or most John Wayne movies. This was Unforgiven 30 years before that movie came out. It's very much the anti-Western and erases the rose-colored view of the Old West.
Articulate and intelligent. Thanks. My vote for 2nd greatest Western ever filmed, behind The Magnificent Seven.
This is one of those few movies that was blessed with a solid effort in every aspect of the film. The Fugitive, The Godfather, Crash are a few others in my opinion. This one has the deepest social implications, though. Crash is pretty deep, too.
Crash from 2006? That movie is a joke. Awful. Cheese galore.
@@rawpower12xu I agree, that was trash but Crash from the 90s starring James Spader was great. I'm guessing the OP was talking about the 2004 movie.
You could say that Tom Donavan was defending Ransom Stoddard, in which case I don't think it would be murder. But, since Donavan called it murder himself, I suppose it is murder.
That is not murder or frontier justice. Murder is the unlawful killing of another with malice aforethought. Defense of Others makes a killing lawful.
My dude, Ranse’s wife is Hallie.
His wife NORA ??? She was his mother-in-law. Hallie played by Vera Miles was his wife.
Absolute masterpiece. Stewart and Wayne in the same picture is just too good, they were both THE man.
Just a thought, does anyone else feel like Christopher Nolan maybe borrowed those two characters dynamics and positions for Batman and Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight? The whole anti-hero and white knight, veiling the truth for the necessary good. I really felt similarities watching this
More than just the anti-hero and white knight. Most of the characters in TMWSLV have an equivalent in TDK. You have the good but ultimately effectively impotent lawman. You have the love interest that loves both the anti-hero and white knight who ultimately chooses the white knight. You have the servant of the anti-hero who helps the anti-hero fight the bad guys. You even have a larger than life villain. I'd say The Dark Knight was heavily influenced by The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
The Dark Knight is more influenced by On Her Majesty's Secret Service than any other film, especially the scene where Rachel dies and the climactic battle with The Joker. It's literally one of Christopher Nolan's absolute favourite films, not just his favourite from the Bond Franchise. Bond defies his orders from M and engages in his own brutal vigilantism with the aid of his Mafioso soon to be father-in-law. In the climax he ruthlessly attempts to destroy his archenemy Blofeld forever and blow up his Alpine base Piz Gloria. Instead Blofeld survives and in an act of jealousy kills the one woman Bond really loves, leaving him devastated. The Dark Knight's finale was more influenced by that.
@@colliric haven't seen that movie since I was a kid. Might marathon the Bond collection soon, I'll be sure to keep your thoughts in mind when I get to Majesty.. I do recall it being one of the best ones
A great movie better than all the modern super hero crap we see now a days
Also has The Best Theme Song Not To Appear In A Movie
Anybody know why this was filmed at the studio, rather than on location?
probably cost
Love John Wayne.
Good thing Ransom and Tom shot their weapons at the same time.
bring back fronteir justice because it really did work!
I think that the issue is even more complicated than the critic: I invite readers to see an alternate view at my blog: Its ALL Blarney!! (wordpress)
My local high school newspaper could write a better review.
LOL I am sure there are those who would blame him :)
Lee Marvin as Donald J Trump If you print what I don't like , LOOK OUT!!!
yawn...try harder; keep chasing the laser pointer.
Love this movie ❤ im only 22 btw
How Does One Not. Say or Assume that the Killing of Liberty Valance Wasn't Necessary. IT'S almost as Black & White in the Film? As it is In Reality of Seeing Someone Push or Shove someone Else that Clearly wasn't Doing that Person any Harm or Wrong Doing what so Ever. To Start with.
Since We have been Taught Morally that it's Wrong too Do So. IN most similar Case's, a Person or Person's of that Majority Who's in Attendance. Will Then Step Up & Say Something just about it. To that ugh Offending Person. So the Incident is then Recognized by the Citizenry in Attendance. Thus making it Public Record.
Coincidentally in 1962 when this Movie was Released. I was Not Yet Four Year's Old then. But about Four to if Not Five Years Later On. I had by Then, Seen it a Couple of Time's on TV in B/W Watching it with Dad/Mom at Home 🏡☺️🏡. My Parents just Adored & Loved Western Movie's. & So did My Sister's and Me as well?
With the above All Said. This Film 📽️🎥 was Basically My First Real Introduction, & Also became My 1st Time Lesson into American History & it's Existence. From that Point On in My Lifetime. History became My Life.
Even My Favorite Subject, Topic's, or Interests were based on it Then & Now. Lol to Myself it's taken Me an Entire Lifetime too Come to this Realization About it. That may Seem Gullible, Naive, Idiotic, Simple Minded or Otherwise. But that's My Truth 😜🙂. I'm Now Guessing that Has been Revealed to Me. Well I'll be Damned, It's a Revelation, and True Realization Upon which I had, realized the Same thing Thirty Some Year's Ago. So in Closing the Film Above of Which we're Speaking. IS just Such an Excellent Example of America's History and Legacy. That if Someone or Anyone? Hasn't Already Seen it. IT'S an Absolute Must See Film for EVERYONE. Thank You.
Wasn't murder. 'Twas justice
SPOILER ALERT
Why did Tom lose it after liberty died. Drinking and burning down his own house?
I think it was symbolic suicide. Hailie was going to be his future, but he left it too late.
Because he made the decision to let go of the woman he loved to have a better life with another man. But in the begining of and end of the movie you could tell that she knew she made the wrong decision and really understood how Tom really loved her. Only she was 25 years to late to find it out
Clinton and Obama.
Valance's henchmen?
AO Scott... Overpaid & over rated . Loud & obnoxious.
"The Puke" was a Hollywood make believe hero. Lee Marvin was a real hero. Big difference!
john harris
What's that got to do with the movie?
And you are....?
Awwww how cute! A deconstructionist trying to be edgy. Do try harder.
John Wayne collected dolls. Don't believe me? Google it.
You still crying buttercup?
Saw this absurd movie a few days ago on plain old TV loaded with equally absurd commercials aimed at the elderly. John Wayne is the ultimate caricature of himself. Costuming is right out of silent movie days.
Right you are, Vladislov mine komrade. Zis is typical eggzample off kapitalistik lies created by liars who lie about the past and paint lying lies for the masses. John Wayne iss no heroe. True heroe Iss Karl Marx und Soviet Socialist Republik!
+matt walker Karl was not in this movie... Besides, it is just entertainment, not a political statement. I would not blame you if you did not even watch the movie again. In fact, I wonder why you watched it in the first place.
Actually, John Wayne playing a "caricature of himself" is kind of the point. The film is a deconstruction of the Western "legend". I think the "dated" costuming and B&W film used were also yo make a point. They could have colorised the film even when it was made (it was 1962) but the director was taking direct aim at the tropes of Western movies, including those he'd made himself.
To be honest, I've never been a fan of John Wayne. I watched this movie mostly because my dad was a fan of the Gene Pitney song and I'm not sure if I became a fan of Jimmy Stewart before or after I watched it. And because I adore Jimmy S, I adore this film now (I can even put up with Wayne, to see Jimmy turn another flawed but decent hero performance).
It’s an old western the bad guys always loses in those movies you’re not giving away the ending everybody knows liberty valance got killed
That of course, is given away in the title of the film. What's not clear unless you've seen it is who shot Liberty Valance.