Review of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) by Speck C — 19 Apr 2009
Another favorite John Wayne film. I love the films where he is flawed and is not perfect (The Searchers, True Grit, The Cowboys, The Shootist, etc.). In so many of his films he could do no wrong, and those just all blend together.
But the change Wayne and Stewart go through in this film, one on the rise and the other on the way down are super. Wayne's broodiness in the last half of this one is close to his tormented character in The Searchers.
The screenplay is adapted from a short story written by Dorothy M. Johnson. It doesn't quite make it to five stars, another story were it was "bigger" than could be done in two hours with full justice.
Woody Strode, Lee Marvin, Edmond O'Brien, Andy Devine, and Strother Martin are great in supporting roles here. John Ford did a very good job with the supporting cast performances. Please see this film, it is a historical film about the changing West.
This review of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) was written by Speck C on 19 Apr 2009.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
