The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Year:

1962

Duration:

123 min | Brazil:124 min | West Germany:113 min (cut version)

Genres:

Drama | Western

IMDB rate:

8.1

Director:

John Ford

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1962-04-22

Filming Locations: California, USA

Earnings

Budget: $3,200,000

Gross: $7,891,143 (USA) ( 1963)

Cast

Actor

Character

Gertrude Astor

Jacqueline Malouf

John Wayne

Tom Doniphon

James Stewart

Ransom Stoddard

Vera Miles

Hallie Stoddard

Lee Marvin

Liberty Valance

Edmond O'Brien

Dutton Peabody

Andy Devine

Link Appleyard

Ken Murray

Doc Willoughby

John Carradine

Maj. Cassius Starbuckle

Jeanette Nolan

Nora Ericson

John Qualen

Peter Ericson

Willis Bouchey

Jason Tully - Conductor

Carleton Young

Maxwell Scott

Woody Strode

Pompey

Denver Pyle

Amos Carruthers

Strother Martin

Floyd

Lee Van Cleef

Reese

Robert F. Simon

Handy Strong

O.Z. Whitehead

Herbert Carruthers

Paul Birch

Mayor Winder

Joseph Hoover

Charlie Hasbrouck - Reporter for 'The Star'

Charles Akins

Townsman (uncredited)

Mario Arteaga

Henchman (uncredited)

Frank Baker

Gambler (uncredited)

Leonard Baker

Man (uncredited)

Danny Borzage

Musician (uncredited)

Chet Brandenburg

Townsman (uncredited)

George Bruggeman

Townsman (uncredited)

Dick Cherney

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Russell Custer

Townsman (uncredited)

Robert Donner

Doubtful (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

Larry Finley

Bar X Man (uncredited)

Shug Fisher

Kaintuck (uncredited)

Duke Fishman

Townsman (uncredited)

Fritz Ford

Townsman (uncredited)

Ben Frommer

Cantina Bartender (uncredited)

Helen Gibson

Townswoman (uncredited)

Herman Hack

Townsman (uncredited)

Chuck Hamilton

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Sam Harris

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Chuck Hayward

Henchman (uncredited)

Tom Hennesy

Buck Langhorn

William Henry

Gambler (uncredited)

Lars Hensen

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Bryan 'Slim' Hightower

Shotgun

Earle Hodgins

Clute Dumfries (uncredited)

Tex Holden

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Stuart Holmes

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Jimmie Horan

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Michael Jeffers

Barfly (uncredited)

Eddie Juaregui

Drummer (uncredited)

Jack Kenny

Townsman (uncredited)

Ethan Laidlaw

Party Member at Convention (uncredited)

Richard LaMarr

Townsman (uncredited)

Anna Lee

Mrs. Prescott - Widow in Stage Holdup (uncredited)

Carl M. Leviness

Statehood Council Member (uncredited)

Jack Lilley

Townsman (uncredited)

Ted Mapes

Highpockets (uncredited)

Rod McGaughy

Statehood Council Member (uncredited)

Charles McQuary

Statesman (uncredited)

King Mojave

Statehood Council Member (uncredited)

Montie Montana

Cowboy on Pinto Pony (uncredited)

Bob Morgan

Roughrider (uncredited)

Charles Morton

Drummer (uncredited)

Noble "Kid" Chissell

Townsman (uncredited)

Eva Novak

Townswoman (uncredited)

Jack Pennick

Jack - Bartender (uncredited)

Jack Perrin

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Dorothy Phillips

Townswoman (uncredited)

'Snub' Pollard

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Stephanie Pond-Smith

Doubtful (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

John Quijada

Townsman (uncredited)

Chuck Roberson

Henchman (uncredited)

Robert Robinson

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Buddy Roosevelt

Townsman (uncredited)

Phil Schumacher

Bartender (uncredited)

Scott Seaton

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Charles Seel

Election Council President (uncredited)

Tom Smith

Barfly (uncredited)

Cap Somers

Barfly (uncredited)

Rudy Sooter

Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

Slim Talbot

Cowboy (uncredited)

Jack Tornek

Townsman (uncredited)

George Tracy

Townsman (uncredited)

Ralph Volkie

Townsman (uncredited)

Max Wagner

Townsman (uncredited)

Blackie Whiteford

Townsman (uncredited)

Jack Williams

Henchman (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

With the last poker hand Valance plays before he is shot, he won with Aces and Eights - Wild Bill Hickok's "Dead Man's Hand".

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John Ford: [cards] Liberty Valance plays the Dead Man's Hand (Aces and Eights) before going out to duel Ransom Stoddard.

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Several reasons have been put forward for the film being in black and white. John Ford once claimed it added to the tension, but others involved with the production said Paramount was cutting costs, which was why the film was shot on sound stages at the studio. Without the budget restraints, Ford would have been in Monument Valley using Technicolor stock. It has also been suggested that since both John Wayne and James Stewart were playing characters 30 years younger than their actual age (Wayne was 54 when the movie was filmed in the autumn of 1961 and Stewart was 53), the movie needed to be in black and white because they would never have got away with it in color. The age difference was particularly noticeable in Stewart's case, since he was playing a young lawyer who had only just graduated from law school and had moved west without even practicing law back east.

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Goofs

When Tom Doniphon enters the room that the territorial convention is held, we can see several women watching the convention from outside the room. However, later when Tom and Ransom Stoddard leave the room (and when Ransom re-enters the room), the women are gone.

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When Stoddard is setting the paint cans on the fence posts, they make a tinny sound that clearly indicates they're empty. Yet when shot by Doniphon, they discharge a great amount of paint.

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During the train ride back with Stoddard and his wife, the scenery is going by so fast that it is hardly recognizable, however the conductor states that they'll be there in no time because they'll be going 25mph. At 25 mph you could easily view the countryside. Additionally, as the conductor was talking with Stoddad he was perfectly still, no swaying back and forth, as anyone would've done on a train in the 1800s.

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Quotes

Ransom Stoddard: [descending from railway carriage and consulting pocket watch] Thanks, Jason. On time.

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Dutton Peabody: Give me a drink.

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Dutton Peabody: Liberty Valance defeated. D-E-F-E-E... T-E-D? The unsteady hand betrays. What's the matter, Mr. Peabody? Are you afraid? The answer is indub... yes. No courage left. Well, courage can be purchased at yon tavern. But have we credit? That is the question. Have we credit? Well, credit is cheap. Wait for me, old servant of the public weal. Our shining hour is yet to come. As for you, Horace Greeley, go west, old man, and grow young with the country.

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Faq

Q

A Note Regarding Spoilers

A

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

Q

Is this movie a musical?

A

Gene Pitney did have a hit recording of a song with the title The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, but this film is not a musical. Pitney's song is not even featured in the movie.

Q

Is this movie based on a novel?

A

The screenplay for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was based on a 1949 short story of the same name by American fiction writer Dorothy M. Johnson [1905-1984].

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