It's a caricature of a western set in a western territory, possibly Colorado, around 1900, with a flashback to the 1870s. It follows a young lawyer moving to the small town of Shinbone to open a law practice and encountering an outlaw who initially beats him and later bullies him into a gunfight.
Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) is an older Senator returning to Shinbone for the funeral of Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). The local newspaper asks for an interview about his time in Shinbone, and he tells the story in a lengthy flashback.
Ransom comes by stagecoach as a young lawyer to set up a law office in Shinbone. Before getting to town, a well-known local outlaw, Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), robs and beats him. With no money, he's forced to wash dishes in the kitchen of a Swedish restaurant run by Peter (John Qualen) and Nora Ericson (Jeanette Nolan). They have a beautiful but illiterate daughter, Hallie (Vera Miles). Tom Doniphon, a local horse trader, plans to marry Hallie after he gets an addition built to his small home with the help of his African American helper, Pompey (Woody Strode).
Ransom sets up his law office with the local newspaper publisher, Dutton Peabody (Edmond O'Brien), who is an alcoholic but brave reporter on the issue of the territory pursuing statehood against the opposition of the large ranchers north of the river. The ranchers utilize Valance to intimidate the townspeople and settlers south of the river, as well as the cowardly Marshall Link Appleyard (Andy Devine).
Despite the conflict with Liberty Valance, Ransom refuses to carry a gun, despite the warning of Tom, who has become a friend. Then Ransom starts to practice with an old revolver. After additional insults and challenges by Valance, they end up in a climactic confrontation. We then learn how Ransom Stoddard survived, why he ended up with Hallie, and what happened after the fight.
"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is a caricature bordering on satire because all the characters are exaggerations of believable people. James Stewart, in his 50s, tries to play a young lawyer with a love interest more than 20 years younger than he is. The town newspaperman and doctor are both drunks. The Marshall is afraid of his shadow. John Wayne, also in his 50s, is the tough guy made in his image. The townspeople play cards with Liberty Valance even though they're deathly afraid of him. Lee Marvin is an over-the-top outlaw. Twenty-five years after he began making classic westerns, John Ford should have done better. There's no nuance in the movie.
Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) is an older Senator returning to Shinbone for the funeral of Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). The local newspaper asks for an interview about his time in Shinbone, and he tells the story in a lengthy flashback.
Ransom comes by stagecoach as a young lawyer to set up a law office in Shinbone. Before getting to town, a well-known local outlaw, Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), robs and beats him. With no money, he's forced to wash dishes in the kitchen of a Swedish restaurant run by Peter (John Qualen) and Nora Ericson (Jeanette Nolan). They have a beautiful but illiterate daughter, Hallie (Vera Miles). Tom Doniphon, a local horse trader, plans to marry Hallie after he gets an addition built to his small home with the help of his African American helper, Pompey (Woody Strode).
Ransom sets up his law office with the local newspaper publisher, Dutton Peabody (Edmond O'Brien), who is an alcoholic but brave reporter on the issue of the territory pursuing statehood against the opposition of the large ranchers north of the river. The ranchers utilize Valance to intimidate the townspeople and settlers south of the river, as well as the cowardly Marshall Link Appleyard (Andy Devine).
Despite the conflict with Liberty Valance, Ransom refuses to carry a gun, despite the warning of Tom, who has become a friend. Then Ransom starts to practice with an old revolver. After additional insults and challenges by Valance, they end up in a climactic confrontation. We then learn how Ransom Stoddard survived, why he ended up with Hallie, and what happened after the fight.
"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is a caricature bordering on satire because all the characters are exaggerations of believable people. James Stewart, in his 50s, tries to play a young lawyer with a love interest more than 20 years younger than he is. The town newspaperman and doctor are both drunks. The Marshall is afraid of his shadow. John Wayne, also in his 50s, is the tough guy made in his image. The townspeople play cards with Liberty Valance even though they're deathly afraid of him. Lee Marvin is an over-the-top outlaw. Twenty-five years after he began making classic westerns, John Ford should have done better. There's no nuance in the movie.