The Perfect Western Is On Prime Video And Paramount+

As the title The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance indicates, someone shoots the titular character at some point in the film. But it starts with the funeral of Tom Doniphon, whose death prompts U.S. Senator Stoddard and wife Hallie Stoddard (Vera Miles) to return to the fictional town of Shinbone from the nation’s capital to pay their respects to Doniphon. The visit draws the interest of a local newspaper reporter and his editor, who insist on knowing why a U.S. senator rode the rails to Shinbone to see off a man whose memory few in the town can recall.

The editor demands to know who Doniphon was and why it was so important for Stoddard to return from Washington D.C. As the film’s director and chief storyteller, Ford, is using the editor to cultivate the audience’s interest in Doniphon. Stoddard tells the story, which sends the story and audience to a flashback that lasts nearly the entire length of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

The film does more than tell the story of Doniphon, the imminent heel Liberty Valance, and the rise of Stoddard from a penniless lawyer to his final status as a well-respected U.S. senator. The film tells the story of the West, from its frontier beginnings to the eventual triumph of civilized society and the rule of law over chaos, fear, and lawlessness. Careful pacing and a terrific blend of action, dark humor, and Ford’s unique storytelling capabilities make The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance a compelling story.

The first flashback scene in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance shows Valance robbing a stagecoach in which Stoddard is traveling with his law books. Valance tells Stoddard “Western law” is what counts, and gives Stoddard a vicious beating to show how it works. When the stagecoach arrives in town, Stoddard meets the woman who would become his wife, Hallie Stoddard, as played by Vera Miles.

The flashback continues as we learn Doniphon is sweet on Hallie and is building a ranch home in which he hopes to make her his wife. As the story progresses, so does the conflict between Valance (Lee Marvin) and his henchmen, played by Lee Van Cleef and Strother Martin. Doniphon’s “man” Pompey is played by legendary Black actor Woody Strode, and esteemed actors John Carradine, Edmond O’Brien, and Andy Devine are among the more recognizable actors in the outstanding film.

We learn exactly who is the man who shot Liberty Valance and why toward the end of the story. We also learn about the importance of a free press in a growing community and why some might resist the civilizing efforts of those like Stoddard, who becomes an important and respected man in Shinbone for all the right reasons. We also learn that when the legend becomes fact, you print the legend. You can find out why by streaming the perfect Western on Paramount+ or Prime Video.