To me the film's of John Ford represent pure "Americana". His films are filled with an individual and uniquely American spirit which today feels both refreshing and nostalgic. Ford was all about the juxtaposition between the larger than life and the intimate. His favorite leading actor was as American and larger than life as it gets, John Wayne, yet Ford always gave Wayne complex characters which somehow both support the actor's mythic status and yet give him new parts to play. In the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Ford is once again reunited with Wayne and this time he, Wayne, has an equally iconic costar: James Stewart.
The Story follows an older Stewart recounting his days as a young lawyer coming into contact with the dark side of the American west in the form of a gang leader named Liberty Valance. Wayne plays a popular man in the territory and has a rivalry with Stewart over a woman played by Vera Miles.
The plot of this film feels both archetypal and unique. On the one hand, Wayne and Stewart are characters who represent different ideals and on the other they are fully realized characters with several nuances. the story itself can be read two ways as well both as an allegory and a specific narrative. It is clear that with this film Ford wanted to look more critically at the myth of the west, a myth which he had helped to create. The film seems to be caught in a struggle between myth and truth and really unable to decide which is more important. When you see the film yourself you will understand how this plays into the storyline as well.
Wayne and Stewart both give great performances, as does Vera Miles. It's great fun to see these two legends on the screen together and the pace of the film allows its story to suck you in. There may be some moments of overacting and melodrama but on the whole the cast acts tremendously well and the direction is everything you'd expect from the man who gave us the Searchers. It was great to see a classic like this one which lives up to that label 5/5!
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