I have a tendency to run contrary to popular ways of doing things, so it is really no surprise that I chose to watch the latter of the two movies, El Dorado, released in 1966, first. Fully expecting to semi-doze through the movie, I found that I quickly became entranced with the film's aesthetic charm and the tremendous performances by the actors involved. Therefore, I was far more ready to sit back and enjoy The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and I was not disappointed.
The story is classic Western, set in a small town in a territory that is beginning to feel the pull of modernism and a movement towards statehood. However, the cattle interests who control the open range are against statehood and the free roam of the land that they would have to surrender should the territory become an official part of the United States. To this end, the ranchers hired gunmen to intimidate the local populace, making them too fearful to vote against the rancher's position. Led by a man named Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), these gunmen hold the town of Shinbone hostage to their whims. The only man in town brave enough to stand up to Valance is a rancher by the name of Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), but his interests lie elsewhere and as long as he is left alone, he seems disinclined to get involved. When young lawyer Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) is robbed and beaten by Valance on his way to town, the townsfolk begin to show their displeasure more and more. Throw in the rivalry over the love interest shared by Doniphon and Stoddard, two polar opposites in regards to their outlooks on how law and order should be maintained, and you have the basis of a fantastic film with powerful performances and an enduring storyline.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is directed by legendary filmmaker John Ford, who helmed some 140+ movies and won four Oscars during his career. In this film, perhaps one of his finest, he brings together two Hollywood juggernauts on the same screen. The obvious contrasts in acting styles between Wayne and Stewart are part of what make the film so intriguing. The supporting casts includes many notable actors including not only Lee Marvin, but names such as Lee Van Cleef, Vera Miles, John Carradine, Denver Pyle and Woody Strode, all Hollywood greats in their own rights. While the movie is filled with Western cliches such as sombrero-wearing Mexicans, busy-body newspaper men, a drunken doctor and a simpering sheriff, it is still a heartfelt look at a transitional West and the men who had a hand in the transformation. My only real complaint is that Wayne seemed almost a supporting character, because, although Doniphon is an archetypal role for him and the story doesn't exist without this character, he is out of the frame more than he is in it.
This release of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is part of the Paramount Centennial Collection and comes as a 2-disc set. The first DVD includes the movie as well as two commentary tracks. The first features filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, along with recordings of his interviews with John Ford and James Stewart. The second commentary track features an introduction by Dan Ford, along with recordings of John Ford, James Stewart and Lee Marvin. The second DVD contains other bonus features, the primary one being a 7-part featurette focusing on how legends shaped the Old West and the Western genre of films. Also included are the original theatrical trailers and several photo galleries that feature still images of lobby cards, production stills, images of John Ford and some publicity images from 1962. The movie is without a doubt one of John Ford's finest films and deserves a place in the library of any fan of the Western movie genre. While Wayne's screen-time is limited, it is a vintage performance and well worth viewing by all. Personally, I'm thrilled that these movies were re-released, as it reintroduced me to a section of the genre which I had up to this point avoided. Hopefully it will do the same to others of my generation of movie-watchers.
