The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

When the legend becomes fact, print the legend!

“The Man Whot Shot Liberty Valance” features an all-star cast including John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and Lee Marvin.

The train arrives in the small town of Shinbone with U.S. Senator Ransom Stoddard (Jimmy Stewart) and his wife Hallie Stoddard (Vera Miles).  They are in town for the funeral of a relatively unknown man named Tom Doniphon (John Wayne).

Surprised, the local newspaperman goes to see Stoddard to find out why he is in town. He wants to know why a U.S. Senator would come to such a small town for the funeral of a man that nobody really knew.

Jimmy Stewart agrees to tell them why.  And the story of “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” unfolds.

Considered one of the greatest western films ever made, “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” is a must-see movie for all western fans!

•  One of the most often quoted John Wayne expressions is the word “Pilgrim.”  The first time that John Wayne ever used this expression was in this movie, “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.”

•  When “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” was made, John Wayne was 54 years old and Jimmy Stewart was 53 years old.  They both play characters in the film that are much younger, so there has always been speculation that the movie was shot in Black and White in order to conceal their real ages.  (Apparently, age doesn’t show as much in Black and White.)

•   “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” is based on the short story of the same name by Dorothy M. Johnson.  The story can be found in her book, “Indian Country by Dorothy Johnson,” which was first published in 1953.

•   “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” is the winner of the 1963 Western Heritage Bronze Wrangler Award for Theatrical Motion Picture. Only one western film per year wins this award.

•  Selected in 2007 to the U.S. Library of Congress National Film Registry

•   Nominated in 1963 for an Academy Award for Best Black and White Costume Design.