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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

1962
Drama
Western
2h 3m
A senator, who became famous for killing a notorious outlaw, returns to a funeral of a homeless man and tells the truth about his deed. (imdb)
Directed by:
John Ford John Ford
Written by:
James Warner Bellah Willis Goldbeck Dorothy M. Johnson
+2 more
Starring:
Lee Marvin Lee Marvin Denver Pyle Denver Pyle Lee Van Cleef Lee Van Cleef John Carradine John Carradine Woody Strode Woody Strode Edmond O\ Edmond O'Brien James Stewart James Stewart Vera Miles Vera Miles John Wayne John Wayne John Qualen John Qualen Strother Martin Strother Martin Andy Devine Andy Devine
More
Genres:
Drama, Western
Country:
USA
Language:
English
imdb More information at IMDb
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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

1962
Drama
Western
2h 3m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 72.4% from 1911 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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mentaculusMentaculus
Rated 20 Nov 2019
94
94th
Stewart is constantly emasculated, Wayne plays second fiddle, Marvin's damnittohell false bravado - Ford is peeling away the mythos of the Western like sunburned skin and the result is as raw and flush with heat as Ford's cinematic language knew how to communicate it. "When fact becomes legend, print the legend" isn't what gets me: it's Stewart's and Mile's faces when confronted with the parlor trick of American idealism - exposed as charlatans even if only to themselves.
Rated 20 Nov 2019
ratedarghratedargh
Rated 22 Oct 2012
80
65th
Jimmy Stewart and Lee Marvin are the reasons to see this movie. Wayne is a lumbering, pouting jackass. He serves a functional purpose in the story but he's becoming obsolete and he knows it. The fate that befalls Valance is creeping up on him. They are more alike than his Doniphan and Stewart's lawman. It's a little long and after the showdown it stretches past its welcome for a good while longer than what was needed. Instead of expanding depth of meaning it meanders to an unsatisfying finale.
Rated 22 Oct 2012
paxtonPaxton
Rated 19 Feb 2021
73
74th
Possibly the greatest Western cast ever assembled. Do you think Lee Marvin and Lee Van Cleef gave each other advise on how to menace? Do you think Jimmy Stewart laughed when John Wayne told him he'd win an Oscar some day too? Do you think John Carradine regaled everyone with personal anecdotes from the 1700's?
Rated 19 Feb 2021
actionbergActionberg
Rated 07 Feb 2008
95
97th
I believe this is John Ford's greatest directorial achievement and the best of the classic westerns. James Stewart gives an amazing performance as a man out of place, forced to compromise himself to survive in a savage reality. It's such a beautiful expression of everything I respect about American ideology.
Rated 07 Feb 2008
thedenizenTheDenizen
Rated 31 Jan 2007
60
40th
It's got John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, and Lee Marvin, yet somehow fails to be as engaging as it should.
Rated 31 Jan 2007
nobletNoblet
Rated 06 Jul 2012
78
65th
Like The Searchers, I was completely engrossed in the main story but frustrated with annoying side characters and unfunny comic relief. However, I do think this has some real thematic heft, even if it presents a lot of ideas and doesn't really explore all of them thoroughly. Also, Lee Marvin really kills it as Liberty Valance.
Rated 06 Jul 2012
joseywalesjoseywales
Rated 04 May 2009
71
60th
John Wayne calls Jimmy Stewart "pilgrim" eleven times. A drinking game would probably make this film more interesting.
Rated 04 May 2009
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 17 Feb 2008
70
75th
Descriptions along the lines of "a swan song to the Old West" get thrown around a lot, but this is the real deal. This patient, meditative film can be read as an allegory with the gun totting John Wayne representing the old ways, and Jimmy Stewart (rehashing his Mr. Smith type thing a little bit) the new. Ford faces the subject with subtlety and ambivalence, and although the film is in many ways traditional, the added depth and nuance deliver it from overfamiliarity.
Rated 17 Feb 2008
icarusIcarus
Rated 02 Feb 2009
97
98th
An excellent late Ford film that alternately laments and accepts the coming of civilization to the West. This is Ford at his mythmaking best, and when one character states the famous "print the legend" line, we get an insight into a concern that runs through he entirety of Ford's work--for him, there is something essential about myths, the stuff society is built on. He recognizes their fundamental importance to a working society, even as they require some to be cast aside for the greater good.
Rated 02 Feb 2009
perrystroikaPerryStroika
Rated 28 Feb 2015
75
93rd
In The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance the Western begins to deconstruct itself, presenting a fable of the way shared complicity in a crime can serve as the founding myth of a community. Civilization comes to the frontier; the Hobbesian state of nature yields to law and order which arrives by means of democracy, the banding together of the weak against the strong. An extraordinarily rich, ambivalent film full of tensions and contradictions.
Rated 28 Feb 2015
hawkinsHawkins
Rated 15 Jun 2016
66
38th
I found the characters unpalatable and I think the main conflict resolves half an hour too early. It looks great to be sure. Need to watch again with more Western genre context.
Rated 15 Jun 2016
ytadelYtadel
Rated 21 Jun 2017
8
93rd
(100 Westerns Project #1:) Really enjoyed my first John Wayne movie ever, ironically one that features him in more of a supporting role. It does have a bit of a cheap backlot sort of look to it, but the contrast in the two central men's views on civilization and law and how to solve the Liberty Valance issue makes for a consistently involving morality tale, one with an admirably bittersweet aftertaste and many memorable characters and moments.
Rated 21 Jun 2017
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 09 Feb 2007
4
74th
The End of the West would be done to death in the coming two decades, but Ford got to it early and under his direction it becomes something much more endearing, one of the better entries in his chronicle of American mythology. Jimmy Stewart encroaches on the Wild West in the name of law, education, and orderly civilization but struggles with these ideals. Told in flashback, the entire film affects a mood of nostalgia and mourning.
Rated 09 Feb 2007
katje_iikatje_
Rated 08 Jan 2010
69
35th
I mean, really? Best western ever made? I think it's shallow. Mediocre, even. And talk about a predictable plot twist.
Rated 08 Jan 2010
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 22 Nov 2007
46
7th
I suppose if you like Westerns, this is a good one for you. It's got all the hackneyed staples. I found something to get annoyed about roughly every three minutes. Of course, the main thorn in my side is John Wayne, again portraying an absolute prick. A petulant bully, a misogynist, a swaggering jackass. Also, the film climaxes with what must be one of the most predictable twists in Hollywood history. There is some decent photography and I wasn't bored by it, so it's not a total loss.
Rated 22 Nov 2007
difontaineDifontaine
Rated 01 Feb 2023
92
98th
Superb. Every actor just fits their role and character, hand in glove. It subverts the genre and mythos of the Western without sneering at it. The look at politics feels relevant 60 years later, which is remarkable and depressing.
Rated 01 Feb 2023
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 27 Jul 2012
100
99th
Outstanding western which improves on multiple viewings; Stewart and Wayne may be too old for their roles, but the casting of both actors was essential for Ford's deconstruction of the Western myth that he and Wayne perpetuated. It's interesting to note that Wayne performs a carbon of his usual persona but is crafted as an antagonist; of all the male characters in the film, Valance (in a savage performance from Marvin) is the only one free of ambivalence. Many subtle layers in this masterpiece!
Rated 27 Jul 2012
zoinkzoink
Rated 18 Aug 2020
60
25th
Finally learned where "pilgrim" came from. Didn't love it like I hoped. I just am not a fan of James Stewart apparently.
Rated 18 Aug 2020
worstcasesceworstcasesce
Rated 19 Jan 2012
1
0th
Almost a funeral dirge for the death of the classic Ford Western, Jimmy Stewart invades a classic white hat/black hat western, wearing no hat at all and an apron instead. "The Man Who Shot" deconstructs the Western in analyzing how the classic John Wayne is fun to watch, but ultimately perpetuates a cycle of violence that brings us Western after Western, leaving Jimmy Stewart to kill the system altogether. The pacing of the ending is off but it's fun. Score is not a grade.
Rated 19 Jan 2012
mwgerbmwgerb
Rated 04 Dec 2017
82
96th
A pure classic, with Jimmy Stewart playing his Jimmy Stewartiest and John Wayne playing his John Wayneiest. The script is what elevates this to what is possibly John Ford's best work. One of the boundary lines between classic Westerns and modern deconstructions: this succeeds as both.
Rated 04 Dec 2017
luna6ixLuna6ix
Rated 07 Jan 2010
80
74th
a bit uneven, there are extremely enveloping parts, but there are pieces of it that seem to float by without leaving any memory that something happened. who can deny stewart's acting prowess; but in this one here he just doesn't do anything special.
Rated 07 Jan 2010
desertpunkDesertPunk
Rated 18 Dec 2013
75
60th
Stewart and Wayne are brilliant, and John Ford is a fantastic visual director, but I have no idea where this movie was trying to go half the time. It feels like the story got a backseat to the marquee value, but when it shines, I'm very glad to have been there to witness it.
Rated 18 Dec 2013
billkerwinbillkerwin
Rated 26 Jan 2010
96
96th
Over-the-top acting, a multiplicity of Ford cliches, and yet this sentimental movie has a political density and a core of folk wisdom (not to mention a touch of Roshomon-like ambiguity) that makes it a masterpiece.
Rated 26 Jan 2010
lexlex
Rated 30 Jul 2012
90
80th
A film actually about American politics merely dressed as a Western. Though not the most "epic" Ford film, it is the most intelligent and actually more thoroughly engrossed me than any other of his Westerns.
Rated 30 Jul 2012
omgfridgeomgfridge
Rated 04 May 2010
7
65th
James Stewart is perfect for his role and Wayne steps out of the limelight while giving a solid performance. By no means a surprising western but filled with enough charm and good direction to make it memorable.
Rated 04 May 2010
djrossdjross
Rated 01 Aug 2020
65
71st
Undoubtedly more thematically complex than most Westerns (in relation to race, freedom, progress, industry, politics, the press, and so on), and explicitly critical of the ideology of the genre (it is 1962, after all: not so early), so for Western aficionados it is undoubtedly interesting, and perhaps a milestone. The principals are all obviously too old for their parts, and despite the "self-critique" it is still very much in the "classic Western" mould, but it draws well on a talented cast.
Rated 01 Aug 2020
filliganFilligan
Rated 04 Dec 2008
82
47th
It's good. Wayne is good. Marvin is good. Jimmy is great. The story is good. But that's as far as it goes. Still, a GOOD western is hard to come by.
Rated 04 Dec 2008
seanberndorffSeanBerndorff
Rated 03 Mar 2011
55
33rd
I'm simply not a Ford guy. Prefer a Leone western anyday.
Rated 03 Mar 2011
mattorama12mattorama12
Rated 14 Jun 2021
70
61st
Watching this in the middle of a western marathon helps put this in the perspective as one of the first attempts at deconstructing the western, but I still can't help but compare to other deconstructions that were far more effective. It also drags at the beginning and after the showdown.
Rated 14 Jun 2021
sirstuckeySirStuckey
Rated 03 Jul 2014
85
87th
I don't like John Wayne that much. I do like James Stewart a whole hell of a lot. This is a pretty damn good movie. I have little else to say about it.
Rated 03 Jul 2014
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 06 Mar 2010
93
97th
A melancholic, intelligent and such a moving western, that would be matched (and overcame, I would say) years later by Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven in its richness of feelings and beauty.
Rated 06 Mar 2010
patmanpatman
Rated 10 May 2014
73
83rd
A civilized Stewart tries to fight back with books and law after a meeting with Valance. But as Stoddard learns, the old western is founded on manly courage and the gun. It's a good watch; funny characters, a good love story in a painful triangle. But a few too many minuses to be rated as a classic in my book.
Rated 10 May 2014
moncliviemonclivie
Rated 10 Dec 2013
70
41st
Holy fuck. James Stewart in his fifties, 23 years after Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, playing "youngster, fresh out of law school" is one of the most ridiculous things ever. Imagine Kevin Spacey playing a teenager in his next movie.
Rated 10 Dec 2013
pickpocketPickpocket
Rated 01 Jan 2010
7
68th
The beginning and ending of the film is too long, needed to be cut down a bit. John Wayne usually bugs me but he was good here, it was nice to see him get less screen time than the superior actor - Stewart. Probably my favorite John Ford movie so far.
Rated 01 Jan 2010
vv238vv238
Rated 25 Jan 2020
89
94th
Only John Ford, the man who spent most of his career creating the film version of American Western mythos, to expertly deconstruct those same ideas in one of his later works. Couple the aging Ford with a set of past-their-prime stars (Stewart and Wayne) to get a film which pits the ideas of the old west against the reality that legends very seldom reflect fact. Ford spent most of his career printing the legend but with this film he printed the fact, and the film itself became legend.
Rated 25 Jan 2020
thmertensth_mertens
Rated 17 May 2009
69
48th
Peer pressure does exists. This film is really half as good as it is portrayed to be. John Wayne is being an absolute douchebag, and has a too one dimensional character to deliver. James Stewart and Vera Miles on the other hand are again perfect. ... The big plot twist is ridiculously easy and the extra layer of east meets west and democracy versus chaos is too obvious. ... A good efford but lacks the subtilty too make it brilliant.
Rated 17 May 2009
eveeluneveelun
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
78th
I love the somber and bittersweet elements of this film, as well as the meditations on the nature of violence, law, and the west. I don't particularly care for the hokey stuff, though, such as the irritating Andy Devine and some mediocre comic relief.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
nilly_brownNilly Brown
Rated 01 Oct 2019
5
0th
That's a good one!
Rated 01 Oct 2019
scribScrib
Rated 04 Jul 2022
70
54th
I wasn't sold on this at first, but it slowly pulled me in. It's not well-paced and the villain is a bit lame (even semi-mute, background lackey Lee Van Cleef seems more threatening). It's also a bit high on the cornometer for me, even for the time. I wasn't keen on the love triangle, but to be fair, it ends up contributing to some pretty satisfying character arcs (if bittersweet). Stagecoach & The Searchers are superior Ford outings, but I think this will grow on me.
Rated 04 Jul 2022
theyshootpicTheyshootpic
Rated 17 Apr 2007
90
92nd
# 100
Rated 17 Apr 2007
damildamil
Rated 24 Jan 2012
70
67th
John Wayne sure likes to say "pilgrim" a lot. There's certainly something appealing about his swagger. James Stewart is pretty much his usual self here. This isn't quite your typical western - not so much of the sprawling vistas and wide-open spaces. Some of it was a bit dull, to be honest, but it had some nice lighting and music and was decent overall.
Rated 24 Jan 2012
joojooJooJoo
Rated 19 Aug 2008
6
95th
Jimmy Stewart is a little bit in the 'over-acting' zone early on (once the story actually begins, not the opener) but this comes together quite well. The parallels between Stewart / Wayne's iconic presence and Ford's eye for photography make this unmissable.
Rated 19 Aug 2008
pigletPiglet
Rated 27 Jul 2009
80
91st
A different kind of role for John Wayne. And Stewart is perhaps a bit miscast as the role is a much older man....but it doesn't matter much.
Rated 27 Jul 2009
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 29 Jun 2023
7
57th
If the film's central clash ends up feeling like a one-note, repetitive affair, the characters on the other hand and the various shades of personality they display grant the film its emotional core. There's both a blatant harshness yet creeping vulnerability to them, which added some welcome humanity to the film. It's classically made, but with enough punch to hold its own in an overcrowded genre.
Rated 29 Jun 2023
capodelnullacapodelnulla
Rated 05 Jun 2018
75
69th
vahşi sıfatı dönemin koşullarıyla ilişkili olduğu kadar bir düzeni sağlayışın da temelinde derken ortaya sürdüğü argüman mitleştiriciliğe uygun daha çok. ford için belli ki bu bir problem değil fakat zaman geçtikçe nostaljiden çok reaksiyonerlik uyandıran bir tarafı var filmin. yine de kurduğu üçgen ve dengelediği farklı yaklaşımlar bugünün siyaseti için dahi ilgi çekici.
Rated 05 Jun 2018
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 12 Dec 2006
92
97th
James Stewart is what makes this something special. The rest is rather predictable but enjoyable and Stewart's transformation is great.
Rated 12 Dec 2006
venicevenice
Rated 05 Dec 2009
95
96th
One of my favourite western ever. Everything fits.
Rated 05 Dec 2009
air0stormair0storm
Rated 27 Dec 2020
40
1st
Really overrated. The last scene is excellent. The rest of the film has aged horribly. I can't believe this film came out in the 60s not the 40s
Rated 27 Dec 2020
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 06 Nov 2011
90
80th
One of the better westerns I've seen. James Stewart is his typical likable self and John Wayne is also his typical self...I guess it's up to the viewer to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. The scene where Liberty Valance goes to the restaurant is great. My fourth John Ford film and the only one I love.
Rated 06 Nov 2011
tjrenotjreno
Rated 19 May 2016
91
83rd
We must include one John Wayne movie, the quintessential cowboy hero. Good friend Jimmy Stewart is also in this story as the small town lawyer forced to pick up a gun to battle the evil Liberty Valence. The Duke joins in the quest which brings them friendship but unfortunately fall in love with the same woman.
Rated 19 May 2016
knorozknoroz
Rated 28 Jan 2024
90
84th
Simple story that mean so much for the US history and for the history of every person.
Rated 28 Jan 2024
theyshoot07theyshoot07
Rated 01 Mar 2008
96
93rd
# 85
Rated 01 Mar 2008
fra_paolofra paolo
Rated 02 Sep 2013
66
74th
This film seems insincere, relying on histrionics and cliché to get through the plot. It is basically, to paraphrase Byron, a butchery job to make a character actor's holiday.
Rated 02 Sep 2013
kavuKavu
Rated 11 Mar 2013
80
69th
Decent story and at times brilliant dialogue. Stewart is his usual self and Wayne is better than I've ever seen him.
Rated 11 Mar 2013
nepetaNepeta
Rated 12 Mar 2013
80
68th
It's slightly hurt by some irritating comic relief and also that John Wayne is a bad actor (though his character isn't meant to be likeable meaning his obnoxiousness isn't too big an issue), but for the most part it is a riveting tale that is both emotionally and thematically rich and also not afraid to cross in to some darker territory. Jimmy Stewart is, as is usually the case, brilliant.
Rated 12 Mar 2013
yiannosYiannos
Rated 17 Aug 2016
85
97th
Proving that the revisionist Western did not begin in the late 60's, T.M.W.S.L.V deconstucts the myths of the Old West and by extension, the entire myth making enterprise that is synonymous with nationhood, without being overly loud or preachy. Wayne and Stewart were undeniably too old for their roles---Stewart playing a fresh college graduate in 1962 is just laughable--but the performances ring true and the set pieces are memorable, while the ironic ending is thoughtful and moving.
Rated 17 Aug 2016
mohanmohan
Rated 18 Jan 2009
80
22nd
An OK-see-once-film with some good acting.
Rated 18 Jan 2009
bookhouseboybookhouseboy
Rated 10 Jan 2023
35
38th
#23#, exp3, rw2, "Project 100-80-60-40-20"-1962#1
Rated 10 Jan 2023
braddad68braddad68
Rated 17 Jan 2023
100
97th
Just seeing this Western classic for the first time. A great movie for sure. Stewart and Wayne are perfect, as was Lee Marvin as the despicable Liberty Valance.
Rated 17 Jan 2023
jacoiiiJacoIII
Rated 28 Apr 2015
42
69th
I quite liked this film although I have to say I expected something different knowing the reputations of Wayne and Ford. I'm excited to dive more fully into their respective filmographies. This has some great acting and storytelling. It's smart, maybe a little smarter than me, which means I'll probably like it more in a few weeks once I've had some time to think on it.
Rated 28 Apr 2015
zealot185Zealot185
Rated 31 Aug 2009
80
72nd
I'd say it's definitely worth a watch at least once in your lifetime, but only after having seen a few of the Ford-Wayne Westerns that preceded this, as it offers a completely new perspective on the myths that made John Wayne an icon.
Rated 31 Aug 2009
bownBown
Rated 17 Feb 2024
87
84th
Whoa! I am definitively not an old Hollywood Western guy but I loved this. Fascinating dynamics, excellent performances, and very thoughtful and political, with great photography and some classic lines of dialogue. The big reveal is super fucking obvious, though - even for 1962 it seems odd to act like that’s a big twist.
Rated 17 Feb 2024
ccslickerccslicker
Rated 08 Jun 2023
70
24th
When I first saw this film as an early teenager I wanted to be a lawyer and thought this film was perfect. Now, I find Jimmy Stewart to be obnoxiously preachy. John Wayne is now my preferred character in the film, which is very good, but not as wonderful as I thought 17 years ago.
Rated 08 Jun 2023
ceekay19Ceekay19
Rated 13 Nov 2018
60
26th
Maxwell Scott: "This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Rated 13 Nov 2018
judo_koalaJudo Koala
Rated 13 Sep 2011
80
75th
A deconstruction of the western film as we know it. Quite possibly Ford's masterpiece.
Rated 13 Sep 2011
lintonmyroxylintonmyroxy
Rated 20 Oct 2020
82
40th
Aside from Peckinpah's work, I think most all American Westerns are just too hokey for me
Rated 20 Oct 2020
eldred08Eldred08
Rated 13 Oct 2008
90
81st
Stewart and Wayne together is really interesting... Both was amazing, epecialy Wayne...
Rated 13 Oct 2008
theyshoot08theyshoot08
Rated 19 Dec 2008
96
92nd
76
Rated 19 Dec 2008
shahram_fshahram f
Rated 08 Jan 2011
80
50th
greate and beatiful from john ford
Rated 08 Jan 2011
3drevelation3dRevelation
Rated 31 Dec 2012
77
73rd
I expected to hate this after the somber/ I need the world's smallest violin intro, but once the flashback comes it gets a lot better. John Wayne was mostly annoying with his pilgrim shit every 5 minutes, and I thought the acting could have been stronger. Edmond O'Brien I thought was pretty good here though. Maybe could have taken itself more seriously too, with all the comedy that seemed to be infused.
Rated 31 Dec 2012
darrenDarren
Rated 15 Mar 2017
90
92nd
I don't normally care about aged politics but this was a little much. Still a great performance by Stewart. Also my uncle who is a schizophrenic has the exact same voice as Lee Marvin
Rated 15 Mar 2017
sheddlesheddle
Rated 08 Jul 2010
95
95th
Ford's last, and greatest masterpiece.
Rated 08 Jul 2010
stanthecaddystanthecaddy
Rated 03 Jan 2010
90
88th
A great movie. The cast is superb, the story is engaging, and it ends on a memorable note. A few weak points, but those are overshadowed by Ford's direction, Wayne, Stewart, Marvin, Miles, the rest of the cast, and the engaging story.
Rated 03 Jan 2010
war_machineWar Machine
Rated 19 Jun 2022
50
9th
Trynahandlelikelawyerlol+abeeraintdrinkin!lol+trynamakestatehood-onenominatesvalance:P+killedguysowentafterhim-gotarmshot-thenkillshim+votehimdelegatebutjudgesayskiller-Jrevealsikilledhim
Rated 19 Jun 2022
aflickeringAFlickering
Rated 16 Apr 2014
5
73rd
solid deadwood prequel
Rated 16 Apr 2014
st_bernaSt. Berna
Rated 01 Sep 2013
80
71st
beklentim yuksekti ama bir "Rio Bravo" degil. ayrica John Ford'un dramatik konulari isledigi filmlere karikaturize mizah yedirisini sevemedim bir turlu. -haddim olmayarak ^^- bir yonetmen olarak da John Ford'u yeterince sevmedigimi soyleyebilirim.
Rated 01 Sep 2013
jimmy_suedeJimmy Suede
Rated 09 Jan 2017
95
98th
"This is the west. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." The first time I saw the movie I enjoyed a great western with great cinematography, characters and story. The second time I found more depth and allegory. I appreciated Wayne's character especially even more. Sure, Stewart was too old for his role, but you forget this as you become absorbed, unless you're looking for reasons to dislike. I believe Stewart and Wayne themselves are crucial to the tale. John Ford is a master.
Rated 09 Jan 2017
uksubsUKSubs
Rated 24 Feb 2007
82
82nd
An enthralling Western that makes even Jimmy Stewart likable. Unlike most westerns, I felt drawn into the characters, making for a better viewing experience.
Rated 24 Feb 2007
thegoodboyThegoodboy
Rated 09 Feb 2021
63
54th
catechism of the democraty and other recent and nowdays ideologies), Advocacy for lawyers... ***Liked mostly Wayne characters and his restained evolution and inner antagoniism ***and ofc "we hold these truths to be...uh...self-evident, that, uh..." - "all men are created equal". "- I knew that, but I plumb forgot it"
Rated 09 Feb 2021
napolenbradynapolenbrady
Rated 23 Feb 2019
91
84th
91.00
Rated 23 Feb 2019
glm01glm01
Rated 22 Sep 2013
87
91st
87.000
Rated 22 Sep 2013
jschlanskyJSchlansky
Rated 08 May 2022
84
84th
Jimmy Stewart and Lee Marvin are excellent, John Wayne does his John Wayne thing, and Andy Devine is fucking awful as Marshall Appleyard. The cinematography is excellent with great use of high-contrast shadows in a way that almost feels evocative of the film-noir genre. I question if the benefits of the forward-in-time bookends outweigh the losses since they tell us who lives and what happens to them all, removing any real mystery or suspense in some of the most pivotal moments.
Rated 08 May 2022
nothingsgoodNothingsGood
Rated 18 Jul 2011
90
96th
Arguably the greatest western ever made, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance walks a dark line that borders on Noir.
Rated 18 Jul 2011
mrarnmrarn
Rated 20 Jul 2020
85
98th
This film is all about choices and the codes that guide the cliche western characters. At first, I saw this as a flaw, but instead, it gave an expected framework for their action. They also filled each scene with standard western imagery, including some sidekick comic relief that was a little disconnected. John Ford made some great movies, and this is one his best.
Rated 20 Jul 2020
krf7krf7
Rated 24 Apr 2011
80
63rd
Overacting from most, no acting from Wayne, and Stewart being Stewart. Despite that, pretty good.
Rated 24 Apr 2011
troothTrooth
Rated 25 Nov 2011
85
91st
This was possibly the first western I ever saw, and it's a very good one. Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, and Lee Marvin all play great characters. I'm surprised we haven't had a recent remake, given how Hollywood has been lately.
Rated 25 Nov 2011
pzinggpzingg
Rated 31 Jan 2012
83
35th
Have to agree with David Thomson that Valence (Lee Marvin) with his Myrmidons, played by Strother Martin and Lee Van Cleef, are the most interesting characters. Wayne looks convincing only in the house-burning scene, and the rest of the ensemble saw much fresher days in Stagecoach and The Searchers.
Rated 31 Jan 2012
frederFreder
Rated 12 Mar 2010
93
90th
A great classic and the moment when the so-called classical western began to morph into the modern.
Rated 12 Mar 2010
puyaPuya
Rated 29 Dec 2009
90
90th
20 pionts for the ending only!
Rated 29 Dec 2009
radovanovicsradovanovics
Rated 11 Apr 2024
60
48th
hulothulot
Rated 19 Jan 2010
100
96th
watched: 2010, 2014, 2017
Rated 19 Jan 2010
vialov3sgyuvia_lov3sgyu
Rated 10 May 2022
100
70th
have the poster, bought the movie on amazon, was my whole personality for a while. f a n t a s t i c
Rated 10 May 2022
dardandardan
Rated 28 Jul 2015
70
71st
One of the rare films in which I would consider the term heavy-handed a valid criticism, in terms of both direction and acting.
Rated 28 Jul 2015
lisa_iilisa-
Rated 10 Oct 2015
3
30th
BLACK MAN: "we hold these truths to be...uh...self-evident, that, uh..." WHITE MAN: "all men are created equal". you worthless, condescending fuck, ford. oh well, i suppose this isn't the worst of the johnny duo's westerns.
Rated 10 Oct 2015
kasperlKasperL
Rated 18 Jan 2008
80
86th
Very good western with a dream cast.
Rated 18 Jan 2008
boomdiddlyboomdiddly
Rated 20 Nov 2023
87
91st
May be Ford's finest, and that's saying something.
Rated 20 Nov 2023
cinegeekdecinegeek.de
Rated 17 Mar 2016
90
85th
Das, was den Western vom Abenteuerfilm unterscheidet, ist der Mythos. Für John Ford muss der "Westen" ein mystischer Ort gewesen sein, an dem seine Träume hingen. Historische Fakten spielen in seinen Filmen deshalb auch nur eine untergeordnete Rolle. Er war ein konservativer Utopist... die ganze Rezension sowie die für fesselndsten Western der klassischen Phase ab 1946 auf cinegeek.de
Rated 17 Mar 2016
neurophateneurophate
Rated 27 Oct 2019
80
74th
I don't really like old westerns, but as I can tell after the screening, it is an anti-western, so it works in favor of a full film rating (I didn't read anything about it before watching). The plot is interesting and entertaining, it seems to me that the final was resolved too quickly, but It didn't made me lose focus. It's a movie that connects the classics and modern westerns.
Rated 27 Oct 2019
mb9607mb9607
Rated 09 Jan 2014
80
0th
2x
Rated 09 Jan 2014
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 27 Nov 2009
75
89th
Classic.
Rated 27 Nov 2009

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