The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

1962

2h 2m

Western

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

92%

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10,000+ Ratings

Questions arise when Senator Stoddard (James Stewart) attends the funeral of a local man named Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) in a small Western town. Flashing back, we learn Doniphon saved Stoddard, then a lawyer, when he was roughed up by a crew of outlaws terrorizing the town, led by Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). As the territory's safety hung in the balance, Doniphon and Stoddard, two of the only people standing up to him, proved to be very important, but different, foes to Valance.

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Critics Consensus

Featuring a trio of classic leading men and a rich story captured by a director at the peak of his craft, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is one of the finest Westerns ever filmed.

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Jake Cole

Slant Magazine

05/16/2022

John Ford regularly made such clear-eyed, unsentimental assessments of the Old West and the lies that forged its mythology that one may wonder how the concept of a “revisionist western” ever took root when the original was already so bleak.

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

04/29/2013

There's much to say about it; the simplest is that it's both the most romantic of Westerns and the greatest American political movie.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

12/30/2011

4/4

There is a purity to the John Ford style. His composition is classical. He arranges his characters within the frame to reflect power dynamics -- or sometimes to suggest a balance is changing.

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Michael J. Casey

Michael J. Cinema

Nov 3

4.5

"Liberty Valance" illuminates how unrest in the 20th century reached back to the 19th century to uncover the lies America has been telling itself ever since.

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Ian Kane

Epoch Times

07/02/2023

4.5/5

Many believe “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” to be John Ford’s greatest film. It’s somewhat of a farewell letter to a way of life that has faded into history...

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Zita Short

InSession Film

02/03/2023

B-

The finale gives you so much to chew on in the way of deconstruction of Western myths and the eternal conflict between anarchism and civilized society...

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Chris B

@Papa13070 Apr 20

This western is yet another stellar Ford/Wayne movie. John Wayne is great, because in this movie, he is the unknown hero. Not only does he lose recognition for killing Liberty Valance to Jimmy Stewart, but he also loses his girl to the same man. Stewart also gives a brilliant performance as a man who gets everything, but doesn't truly deserve any of it. The supporting cast deserves a lot of recognition for making this film better. Fantastic writing of James Bellah who also wrote Fort Apache. This is a must watch.

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Allen S.

@HonestAl Dec 21

Tied with the Searchers at the top of my list of greatest westerns ever made.

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Douglas G

@Moviefandrg 05/13/2025

It is not a perfect movie, but it is close.

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Vitor O

@RT19027067 03/19/2025

In a career full of westerns, this is possibly the best one by John Ford. Also, it manages to be, arguably, the best role ever played by John Wayne. It's just an outstanding movie, that merits repetitive watching.

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Lars N

@movie_douche 03/16/2025

I get it. It has a whole myth-deconstruction thing going on that was probably pretty wild at the time of its release. And though it's pretty good it also drags in certain places.

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richard a

@RT13924681 02/03/2025

It’s one of the best westerns ever made as good as Shane , Stardust is difficult to catch , after watching The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance for a short while you will see a glimpse of something special treasure that moment

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John Ford

Director

James Stewart

Ransom Stoddard

John Wayne

Tom Doniphon

Vera Miles

Hallie Stoddard

Lee Marvin

Liberty Valance

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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Official Clip - Showdown with Liberty Valance

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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Official Clip - Ransom Stoddard, Attorney at Law

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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Official Clip - Burning Down Dreams

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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Official Clip - I Hate Tricks

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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Official Clip - A Persistent Cuss

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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Official Clip - Print the Legend

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The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Official Clip - Appetite Suppressant

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Synopsis

Questions arise when Senator Stoddard (James Stewart) attends the funeral of a local man named Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) in a small Western town. Flashing back, we learn Doniphon saved Stoddard, then a lawyer, when he was roughed up by a crew of outlaws terrorizing the town, led by Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). As the territory's safety hung in the balance, Doniphon and Stoddard, two of the only people standing up to him, proved to be very important, but different, foes to Valance.

Director: John Ford
Producer: Willis Goldbeck, John Ford
Screenwriter: James Warner Bellah, Willis Goldbeck, Dorothy M. Johnson
Distributor: CIC-Taft Home Video, Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, John Ford Productions
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 22, 1962, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2011
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)