The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

1962 · 2 hr 3 min · Approved

Drama, Western

Directors

John Ford

Actors

  • James Stewart
  • John Wayne
  • Vera Miles

Credits: 2

Summary

A senator returns to a Western town for the funeral of an old friend and tells the story of his origins.

More about this movie

When Senator Ransom Stoddard returns home to Shinbone for the funeral of Tom Doniphon, he recounts to a local newspaper editor the story behind it all. He had come to town many years before, a lawyer by profession. The stage was robbed on its way in by the local ruffian, Liberty Valance, and Stoddard has nothing to his name left save a few law books. He gets a job in the kitchen at the Ericson's restaurant and there meets his future wife, Hallie. The territory is vying for Statehood and Stoddard is selected as a representative over Valance, who continues terrorizing the town. When he destroys the local newspaper office and attacks the editor, Stoddard calls him out, though the conclusion is not quite as straightforward as legend would have it.