The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) Movie REACTION!

[@BillO964]

Madison, as a 70 ish year old, watching old westerns with you is a joy.

[@Robert-un7br]

I just hit 60 and I couldn’t agree with you more. It seems most of the reactors out there are young and haven’t watched any westerns! The ones I enjoy, like Madison, are just starting to get into them. They overwhelmingly like them for the most part but it hasn’t been a part of their childhood, like it was for us. 🤠

[@purpleclaws202]

@@Robert-un7br OK boomer

[@_Common_Logic_]

@@purpleclaws202 Have you looked at your generation?... Is anyone even taking "boomer" as an insult anymore?😆

[@purpleclaws202]

@@_Common_Logic_ common logic doesn't seem to be so common. Bro chill out it was a joke

[@Robert-un7br]

@@purpleclaws202 i’m only a boomer officially by two years. I’ve always felt more like a Gen Xer. But my parents were older. They lived through depression and my dad fought in World War II and in Korea. So I have a lot of that knowledge too.

[@chetcarman3530]

Lee Marvin ranks with Jack Palance in Shane as iconic Bad Guy in Westerns here. His stagger & fall off the boardwalk is my favorite death scene ever!

[@waterbeauty85]

I remember in a retrospective documentary, James Stewart said he looked down the street at Lee Marvin in their face off scene, and he said he never saw anybody look meaner or scarier.

[@deadwood75]

@@waterbeauty85 They were both WWII combat veterans, Stewart as a B 17 pilot over Germany, and Marvin as a Marine in the Pacific. I don't think they had to dig too deep to find some rage.

[@chetcarman3530]

@@deadwood75 Marvin had been shot in the hip & groin.

[@chetcarman3530]

@@waterbeauty85 Marvin brought a dark, psychological element & sadism to the character. More than just a bad guy, he was like a constant presence even when he wasn't there & on the edge of exploding when he was. Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear & Night Of The Hunter was another.

[@philipstoddard1502]

So far, I don't have any grandsons named Rance, but at least my boys all shoot for themselves!

[@cuerpo869]

The Gunfighter 1950 with Gregory Peck, Hondo 1953 with John Wayne, and The Fastest Gun Alive 1956 with Glenn Ford are three very good westerns...

[@georgecoventry8441]

The Gunfighter is classic.

[@NPCRR]

As another 70 ish year old, I agree with Bill O. This particular western is one of my all-time favorites!! Great story, great cast, and great moral lesson. I'm so glad you got around to watching it Madison, and even more glad that you really enjoyed it!!! Congrats on your book!!!

[@michaelm6948]

Orson Welles was asked what directors he looked to for inspiration, he paused and said "the old masters", specifically, "John Ford, John Ford and John Ford". As an artist, you'd be interested in Ford's skills at composition with a camera. Ford witnessed the artist Winslow Homer for an entire summer, who was painting at the seaside of Maine, where Ford grew up. Ford took with him these lessons of composition from the rugged seascapes of Maine and applied them to western landscapes. You'll have to watch other Ford films, like the Searchers, to get a taste of his powers of landscape composition with a camera. Liberty Valance was almost exclusively filmed on sets.

[@benforshay]

Wow any books you could reccomend on Ford? specifically regarding these W. Homer connections? thanks in advance ..

[@michaelm6948]

@@benforshay I saw the references to Winslow Homer in Joseph McBride's "In Search of John Ford". McBride goes on to discuss the influence on Ford's visual sense of the seaside of St. Elizabeth Maine, his hometown, and McBride argues most importantly, his early trips to his parents' village in Connemara, Ireland. My parents both came from the same region in Ireland, and I was struck by the strange similarity of the desolate beauty of the craggy landscapes and seascapes of Connemara, Ireland and the same sense of desolate beauty of Ford's Monument Valley shots in his westerns.

[@cheeseburger12]

I can't believe he forgot John Ford, who was no doubt inspiring his final role as Unicron in Transformers the Movie. But perhaps he hadn't discovered him by that interview.

[@snootybaronet]

@@michaelm6948 Interesting info, I'll have to get that book. Thanks...

[@steelers6titles]

Ford was fond of Monument Valley.

[@JeffreyCantelope]

Liberty Valance was played by Lee Marvin. Another great actor

[@katwithattitude5062]

Andy Devine was not Piglet, although he was in a lot of movies and did a lot of voice acting. Piglet was originally voiced by John Fiedler. "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." One of the all-time great movie quotes.

[@BeeWhistler]

He played Friar Tuck, though.

[@glennwisniewski9536]

And John Fiedler was Juror #2 in 12 Angry Men.

[@Robert-un7br]

@@glennwisniewski9536 he also played in a Star Trek TOS episode as the spirit of Jack the ripper.

[@gawainethefirst]

Andy Devine did the voice for Friar Tuck in Disney’s Robin Hood.

[@greenporker]

So glad to see you watching these great films Madison. You may want to check out the great westerns that James Stewart made with director Anthony Mann..."Winchester 73"..."Bend of The River"...and "The Naked Spur". As well as Duke Wayne in his Oscar winning "True Grit" as well as his last film "The Shootist" (once more with James Stewart). Congratulations on your book! You are the best!

[@babybanchie7607]

I need to add “Destry Rides Again” to this list.

[@joelake7986]

Another vote for "The Naked Spur", my favourite Jimmy Stewart western, but all your suggestions are great films.

[@gregghelmberger]

I was just coming to suggest "Winchester '73." It's a genuinely great movie. But really any Anthony Mann western and you can't go wrong.

[@Rzo139]

Don't forget "Night Passage" and "The Rare Breed".

[@danielguy3528]

I'm glad you reacted to this, it is in my opinion one of the most underrated westerns.

[@jnagarya519]

It is actually very highly rated, and always has been.

[@jnagarya519]

It isn't at all underrated GAD, I wish people would learn to THINK instead of glomming on to wrong words.

[@mkl21bis]

Jimmy Stewart, highest ranking actor serving in military.

[@garytiptin6479]

John Wayne didn't! Ironic, yes?

[@gravitypronepart2201]

Lee Marvin was a WWII Marine, And Jimmy Stewart was a B-24 pilot in the 8th Air Force, also WWII. My favorite in this was Edmond OBrian as Dutton Peabody. His line; "Courage can be purchased in yon tavern. Was classic.

[@oldgeezer3324]

Henry Fonda and James Stewart were best friends, they started out together as roommates in Tinseltown. You haven't see James Stewart shine until you see him and Henry in Cheyenne Social club His best western Thanks!

[@MadisonKThames]

Thank you!!💖

[@philipstoddard1502]

It figures one Old Geezer would beat another old geezer to the punch. I was going to recommend Cheyenne Social Club. It was directed by Gene Kelly.

[@oldgeezer3324]

@@philipstoddard1502 hehe There are others, I thought that was the best one

[@BlueShadow777]

Gene Pitney recorded the title song “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” in 1962. The film was released before the song was finished recording and so it missed being included in the film. Great song. Worth listening to.

[@georgecoventry8441]

It was on the radio all the time back then.

[@lindajohnson4204]

It's a fine popular somg, but Ford did not want it for his movie! It would have diluted the points he was making in the film. The tender/tough score was adequate for that.

[@Gothondra]

when I was 15 I went to see this movie in a theatre in Buffalo with my sister, I always remembered that day because it was such an impactful movie western, a great story. Not too many westerns tell such a good story.

[@Gutslinger]

John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart were in another movie together 14 years later, called "The Shootist". Also staring Ron Howard. John Wayne knowingly had cancer while filming the movie, and it was his last movie.

[@rossdillon982]

Lee Marvin won his best actor Oscar for his role in Kat Ballou. You might consider that movie for one of your westerns.

[@luvlgs1]

Hilarious. Saw it at the movies. Also starring the young and scrumptious Jane Fonda

[@jeannoah2018]

Look for it as Cat Ballou. I totally agree on the recommendation - great, fun Western. Lee Marvin SO earned his Best Actor Oscar!

[@georgecoventry8441]

Cat Ballou is a lot of fun! And it's quite unique among westerns.

[@jamesrobertson2361]

Madison, The Reivers, 1969,William Faulkner story, 2 academy award nominations, John Williams, Steve McQueen and there's a 🐎.

[@tomfrankiewicz4030]

Thank you so much for just watching a older black and white movie. My Dad and older brothers watched movies like this

[@BlueShadow777]

Here are some of MY favourite westerns (I highly recommend my first section for watching): • High Noon (1952) • Red River (1948) • The Shootist (1976) • The Searchers (1956) • Last Train From Gun Hill (1959) And… • The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) • Destry Rides Again (1939) • Wyatt Earp (1994) • Stagecoach (1939)

[@bugvswindshield]

Unforgiven and Tombstone must be on the list. While more modern, the greatness is undeniable. Also, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid , the Wild Bunch. Both really good, but they had 70's , just missed the mark due to the direction style of the time. oh, by the way....i own ever single one of the movies you listed!!!! Great Westerns one and all!

[@BlueShadow777]

@@bugvswindshield I’m afraid I don’t rate Tombstone highly at all. Everyone seems to rave about it, but I think it’s *grossly* overrated. In my opinion Costner’s “Wyatt Earp” (1994) is vastly superior. More gritty, down to earth, raw and realistic.

[@bugvswindshield]

@@BlueShadow777 meh

[@georgecoventry8441]

@@BlueShadow777 - I agree. Tombstone is flashy and exaggerated as well as highly entertaining if you suspend your judgement as to its accuracy, and went over great with audiences because of that...but Costner's Wyatt Earp is a far more realistic take on the life of Wyatt Earp. "Tombstone" is like the legend, perfectly made for mass consumption. "Wyatt Earp" is like the real thing. So Tombstone naturally did better at the box office.

[@jollyjakelovell4787]

Andy Divine our rotund City Marshal was not the voice of Piglet. You will however find the voice of Piglet in 1969's True Grit as Lawyer Daggett, the actor John Fielder.

[@nonagrey3422]

I absolutely LOVE your book being in the background! I'm so happy for you!

[@Mountain_Mutt]

Man I’m glad you enjoyed this one. It’s one of my favorites. As you talked about truth versus legend, it reminded me of Wyatt Earp and the stories about him. Late in his life, he worked as a consultant for one of the movie studios. He would often eat lunch in the commissary and was often joined by a very young John Wayne who was just doing odd jobs for the same studio. It is said that Wayne based his ‘style’ on Earp’s personality and the stories told to him by Earp.

[@paintedjaguar]

There's a fun little movie called "Sunset" (1988) set in 1929 Hollywood, in which Wyatt Earp (James Garner) and Tom Mix (Bruce Willis) team up to solve a murder.

[@thedealer777]

There aren't many actors that can stand with legends like Wayne and Stewart, " toe-to-toe," and practically steal the scenes with his own talent, while helping make a film a classic. Marvin was a HELL of an actor! (P.S. May I recommend 3 other John Wayne Western classics: Red River, Stagecoach, Rio Bravo)

[@jimearnest4342]

Lee Marvin was perfect in the roll of liberty valance,and Strother Martin is great in any roll,another really good Jimmy Stewart western that you may like is called "the naked spur" I enjoy your channel Madison, you have great reactions.

[@gawainethefirst]

Shenandoah, another good Jimmy Stewart western

[@jeffreyjeziorski1480]

Winchester 73....get to see the anger of Stewart, and horse riding skill.

[@deanjarva1373]

A few westerns that I like that you might consider: The Westerner (1940) The Wild Bunch (1969) The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) Little Big Man (1970) The Shootist (1976) Thank you for sharing your reactions with us.

[@bghoody5665]

Great reaction, Madison - I especially enjoy the commentaries you give at the end. I've said this before but I really think you should get into giving straight up reviews and/or recommendations (even of movies you've already seen). Your writer's ability to discern why a story, character etc. works or doesn't gives you better insight than most. Congratulations on 19K subs.

[@chetcarman3530]

The "Print the legend" quote is from William Randolph Hearst (Citizen Kane) newspaper magnate/power broker in the 1920s & 30s.

[@Catbytes]

While listening to your summery, I suddenly got a hankerin to watch Have Gun Will Travel.

[@gregorywilson1960]

Madison if you enjoyed the pairing of Jimmy Stewart and the Duke Jimmy is also in the Duke's last movie "THE SHOOTIST"

[@flerbus]

piglet was mostly played by John Fielder also threw off the emperors groove "beware the groove"

[@michaelm6948]

The last scene where the conducter says "nothing is too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance", brings the tragic personal themes of the film out fully in the open. Rance's political career has been made possible by Tom. Rance's marriage has been made possible by Tom. It's clear that Allie had the passionate love of Tom and Rance realizes she loved Tom. Tom Doniphon gave up everything he loved to help create the new west, someplace he didn't even belong. John Ford had the makings of a tragic poet.

[@georgecoventry8441]

Well said.

[@OcotilloTom]

The first date I ever had with a girl was to go see this movie in 1962. I'm 77 now. Great movie with some of the best Western actors ever. Thanks for reacting to it Madison. El Mirage, Arizona

[@lnwolf41]

There are 2 movies you should consider. "The Big Country" 1958 starring Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Chuck Connors, Jean Simmons, second movie "Silverado" 1985 starring Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, Brian Dennehy, Rosanna Arquette, Jeff Goldblum, Linda Hunt. Both movies show the pendulum about halfway point, there is civilization, but it is still ruled by the gun to a degree.

[@georgecoventry8441]

Agreed. Burl Ives does an amazing bit of acting as "rough around the edges" patriarch Rufus Hannassey in "The Big Country", and he won Best Supporting Actor for it. Gregory Peck, as usual, portrayed a man of great depth of character, and did it very well. And Jean Simmons was just lovely, also showing great depth of character.

[@mikerobertson4041]

John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Lee Marvin, Vera Miles, Andy Devine, Woody Strode...WOW! Not sure if you corrected this, but Liberty Valance was played by Lee Marvin, not Lee Van Cleef.

[@jackndew2]

John Wayne and Lee Marvin team up briefly in another western called 'The Comancheros', with Lee again playing a ruthless bad guy.

[@bigbow62]

Red River ( 1948 ) Voted one of the 10 best Westerns of all-time ! John Wayne,Montgomery Clift, Joanne Dru, Walter Brennan, Harry Carey Jr A movie about the first cattle drive up the Chisholm Trail Speaking of dark realism..this movie has it all, John Wayne is amazing

[@snootybaronet]

Thanks for the great reaction. Enjoyed your discussion of Western themes. When John Ford worked on silent westerns in the 19teens...Wyatt Earp was a consultant on the studio lot.

[@Carandini]

And John Wayne was an extra at the time. He claimed he based his swaggering walk after observing Wyatt Earp at the studio.

[@BDogg2023]

A large portion of the Earp extended family settled in and are buried in Colton, about an hour drive east of LA.

[@billbabcock1833]

You've seen John Wayne's best western, The Searchers. Now onto Jimmy's Stewart. He has a long list of very good movies, which includes some outstanding westerns. The Far Country being the best IMHO. BTW Jimmy Stewart rode the same horse, named Pie, in 17 westerns. Oh, and at the beginning of WW2 Jimmy Stewart left Hollywood and enlisted in the Army Air Corp, flew bomber missions over Europe, retired from the Air Force as a General AND made a ton of movies. Yeah, I like Jimmy Stewart.

[@raymeedc]

Jimmy Stewart did a handful of highly rated westerns with director Anthony Mann in the 50s. He also did an engaging western comedy of a sort with Marlena Dietrich early on in his career in the 30s.

[@billbabcock1833]

Destroy Rides Again. Good movie.

[@raymeedc]

Yes, I neglected to mention the title.✅

[@geniusjohn8280]

Madison looks great in a that type of hat. I said it before and its true.

[@StereoSpace]

"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." I recently read the memoirs of John Fremont (1813-1890) an explorer, military officer and later Senator of California. I also read Six Years With the Texas Rangers: 1875-1881 by James Gillett, along with several similar books. I wanted to hear the story of the opening of the West from the people who were there. I was actually surprised - not by the difference - by the similarities of the stories they told and these early Western films. They got a lot right.

[@CassandrashadowcassMorrison]

One of myy all-time favorites. I too am in my 70s. Love the theme song, even/ James Stewart westerns? Try TWO RODE TOGETHER with Stewart and Richard Widmark Andy Devine co-starred with Guy Madison (such a hunk) on WILD BILL HICKOCK a popular TV western when I was young. He played "Jingles"

[@rossjohnson5114]

You should check out Rio Bravo and True Grit, both with John Wayne.

[@mazza4190]

You will be hard pressed not to find this western in any top 10 greatest list presented by fans of the genre. Classic Western. One of the best.

[@robertjewell9727]

John Ford's earlier Western FORT APACHE you should see as well also starring John Wayne with Henry Fonda has similar themes and is kind of a seedbed for how Ford looked at the Western mythology. Great reaction. My friends Joseph McBride and Tag Gallagher both wrote critical biographies about John Ford you might enjoy reading. Best wishes. Looking forward big time to getting the hard copy of GONE OUTLAW.

[@benjauron5873]

I would be so bold as to say that "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is the American "A Tale of Two Cities." Though Doniphon didn't sacrifice his life the way Sydney Carton did, he did sacrifice the happiness that he would have had being married to Hallie for the sake of saving Stoddard and turning him into a hero. I mean, he never even had the heart to rebuild the room he built for her and burned down after he realized she wouldn't be needing it. The implication that his final years were very sad indeed. At the end, when Stoddard is at his low point and saying that "I'm going to go back east where I belong," Doniphon reveals his secret to him, thus persuading him to go back to the convention hall and dedicate himself to serving his constituents. Basically, "The reason you have the fame and prestige that you have, indeed the very reason you're still alive, is because of me. So get your ass back in there, become the best version of yourself that you can be and marry the woman I love." If that's not a "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known" statement, I don't know what is.

[@briankearns976]

Thanks!

[@MadisonKThames]

Thank you, Brian!🙏🏻

[@christopherbaldwin2005]

By chance, there is a western to add to an understanding of the "West". The film is "The Shootist", and stars John Wayne, with co-star's Jimmy Stewart; Ron Howard; Lauren BaCall; Richard Boone;John Carradine; Hugh O'Brien and Harry Morgan. It was the last film by Wayne; Stewart and Carradin. It is set in 1901 Carson City, Nevada. So, the dying day's of the "Old West. A modern western of note is "3:10 to Yuma". Or, "Unforgiven", if you have not seen it. It's one of Clint Eastwood's more modern (1992) western's. I love that these are getting some new fan's of the genre, and reacting. My Grandpa brought me to my first western to watch on the big screen at "Shines Theater" .It was the "Spaghetti Western" "For a Few Dollar's More", starring Eastwood and Van Cleef. Thank you and sorry for rambling!

[@floorticket]

John Wayne appeared as himself in season 5, episode 2 of I Love Lucy. The episode: "Lucy and John Wayne" aired October 10th, 1955.

[@CoastalNomad]

Actually John Wayne was on "Lucy" more than once......

[@MrGpschmidt]

Deep Cut Mads; solid oater. FYI: Andy Devine (the marshall) voiced Friar Tuck in Disney's animated ROBIN HOOD; oddly enough - today is John Fiedler's birthday (and he voiced Piglet!)

[@waterbeauty85]

I love this movie. It's one of my favorites. Here are three more westerns I highly recommend: Sergeant Rutledge (1960) - action, courtroom drama, social commentary against bigotry; Fort Apache (1948) - colorful, likable protagonists at odds with a complex, humanly relatable antagonist who is fatally flawed by pride, ambition, dogmatism, and prejudices about class and race; High Noon (1952) - a favorite of many American presidents who related to its theme of standing firm on what you believe in even when the people who said they'd stand by you abandon you.

[@mikecaetano]

When you ready for more classic Westerns, check out John Wayne in Stagecoach (1939) and Red River (1948), check out James Stewart in Winchester '73 (1950) and The Naked Spur (1953) -- where Stewart plays against type -- and also check out Joel McCrea in Colorado Territory (1949) and Ride the High Country (1962).

[@vovindequasahi]

Great actors in this one!

[@jollyjakelovell6822]

Piglet is in 1969s True Grit.

[@raymeedc]

Vera Miles (Halle) plays Laurie in The Searchers, by the way.

[@danlucas8706]

Great watching old movies with you. Maybe try John Wayne in his only Oscar winning perfomance, True Grit.

[@janescribner8258]

Also with Robert Duvall as Ned Pepper.

[@steelers6titles]

‘Cause the point of a gun was the only law that Liberty understood…

[@BlueShadow777]

Just checked your book out on Amazon uk. Seems it’s available here from 7th July and apparently only on Kindle 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@MadisonKThames]

Yes, only the ebook is available for preorder. Paperback and hardcover become available on July 7th.

[@gitchegumee]

If you want to continue with B&W classics, try "Stagecoach", "Red River", "My Darling Clementine" or "High Noon"

[@michaelstach5744]

Great list

[@gitchegumee]

@@michaelstach5744 Our love affair with westerns gives us so many possibilities. I could rattle off dozens more. You could literally have a channel that is nothing but westerns.

[@djgrant8761]

John Fiedler who starred in the 1957 film 12 Angry Men voiced Piglet in Winnie the Pooh. Andy Devine who played Marshal Link Appleyard in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance voiced Friar Tuck in Walt Disney’s 1973 animated film Robin Hood.

[@sonnypeek6418]

One of the Great Pictures. That man talking at the State meeting was John Carradine- father of the Carradine Brothers - and a great character actor

[@custardflan]

Westerns, westerns and more westerns. On my birthday, I was going to play baseball all with all my friends in our back yeard. But it rained. So instead my dad took me and my friends to the theater and we saw this movie. One of the greatest of all times. I'm 67, btw, after a career in journalism, like my dad. This movie has a lot to say about newspapering.

[@singlechristiancowboy]

A great western movie and an AMAZIN and rare young lady......heck of a good day!

[@MrRondonmon]

Vera Miles was also in the Searchers, and she was in Psycho. She played the nagging girlfriend who started the fight, and loved it, and on Psycho she played the sister of the woman killed in the shower. She is a chirpy 93. P.S. Andy Devine's played Friar Tuck in Robin Hood 1973 Animated film, and his last movie was The Mouse and his Child, he voiced the Frog, great movie not just for kids, but it doesn't get much recognition today for some reason.

[@luvlgs1]

Vera Miles was quite the beauty

[@stupidsmart-phone6911]

Andy Devine (the Marshall) was the voice of Friar Tuck in Disney's Robin Hood. John Fiedler was the voice of Piglet, but he also was a church mouse in Robin Hood, and Juror #2 in 12 Angry Men. Both had great film and TV careers. Andy Devine was a prominent character on Flipper. I think he also did radio and a lot of B westerns. I read somewhere something caused him throat damage which is why his voice was so distinct that way.

[@BDUBZ49]

Andy Devine who plays the pathetic Marshal Appleyard also starred in "Stagecoach", John Ford's landmark 1939 western, which was John Wayne's breakout film. It also stars legendary actor John Carradine (father of actors David, Keith and Robert), who appeared in over 200 films (not including tv appearances). *Edit- Robert Carradine's first film role was at the age of 18 in The Cowboys (1972) with John Wayne. A definite "must watch" in the John Wayne catalog. It also stars a creepy/evil Bruce Dern, Slim Pickens and the unmistakable Roscoe Lee Browne.

[@garychambers6848]

Another good "western" was a different style by Clint Eastwood.... Bronco Billy!!! Cotton candy circus wild west show..... It has all the feels of a western and lots of charm....

[@robwealer5416]

Liberty Valance... I think the name is not something random... like he's the unfortunate bastard son of Manifest Destiny that must be dealt with. "Valance" means "a length of decorative drapery hung above a window to screen the curtain fittings." There was a huge body of modern myth study coming out of academia in the 1950s, questioning iconic imagery. To me, this movie is a critique of simplistic western myths... and a brilliant one at that.

[@ecclesrice9789]

This was one of dad's favorite westerns. His (and mine) others were the mini series Lonesome Dove and Open Range

[@nealhoffman7518]

You would love the Sons of Katie Elder for classic John Wayne. For Jimmy Stewart, Harvey and Philadelphia Story. For both of them together again... The Shootist

[@lucagiovanetti9870]

Dear Madison, have you ever watched the Sergio Leone's movies? He made lots of great westerns. He invented the so-called Spaghetti western genre. "A fistful of dollars", "For a few dollars more", The Good, the Bad and the Ugy", "Once upon a time in the West", "A fistful of dynamite"...to name a few!

[@wingedbuffalo4670]

Thanks for reviewing this movie -- one I always liked from the time I first saw it several years ago, with my two favorite actors of all time (Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne). I also believe this movie is more powerful because it's shot in Black & White. As for your "print the legend" line, it's a good one certainly. BUT the one that always gets me as the train fades into the distance is the double entendre of the closing line by the conductor telling Sen Rance Stoddard "Nothing's too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance" (thinking that he's "scoring points" by brown-nosing the Senator with the special treatment on the train). With respect to Shinbone and the characters, truer words were never spoken than "nothing's too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance" -- which is exactly why Rance dropped everything he was doing in the Senate at the drop of a hat and came all the way West from Washington D.C. on an express train just to pay his debt of respect to a now-long-forgotten (in Shinbone and the State) Tom Donafan. It's also exactly why Hallie left the cactus rose on Tom's coffin. Long ago, Hallie's love of cactus roses had prompted Tom to plant them in abundance for Hallie near the ranch addition he was building for what was supposed to be their home ... so by bringing a cactus rose to the coffin, she left Tom a symbolic part of her heart to be planted by his grave. She knew Tom loved her, and owing to that love, he had let her go and at her request he saved the man who she would wed (she probably intuited it, but if not, certainly she knew without a doubt once Rance confessed to her long ago [as he surely would have] that Tom had secretly saved his life by taking out Liberty Valance with a perfect bullseye shot fired from the dark alley). I also suspect Hallie always maintained some measure of love for Tom too throughout her entire life -- even if she was no longer "in love" with him.

[@randallshuck2976]

There were very few one-on-one shoot outs in the mid 1800s west. Most of the settlers had been in the army on one side or the other of the Civil War and all of them could shoot. If a bad guy had the guts or bad judgment to threaten the town often, he was shot from a lot of directions from cover. It's like the Ken McElroy shooting in Skidmore, Mo in 1981. He, a career criminal and local bully ended up dead from wounds from several different guns and to this day no one will say who shot him. although he was shot in, broad daylight, sitting in his truck next to his wife. Good reaction, glad you enjoy westerns.

[@abramsalinas1004]

I'd have to say the westerns made in the 30's and 40's and 50s and 60s are the best. They were closer to the time of the west and more accurate and are not as focused on the gun effects to "western" the movie as todays films are. John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Robert Mitchum, Audie Murphy, Joel McCrea, Stewart Granger, Henry Fonda, Glenn Ford and Burt Lancaster are in some great ones. Thanks for watching these.

[@bradvalentine1564]

Winchester 73' is another great Jimmy Stewart film and imo has the best marksman scene in any western.

[@jeffdetmer4681]

Madison, though Andy Devine was not the voice of Piglet, he was the voice of Friar Tuck in Disney's animated Robin Hood. Maybe you heard him in that?? For some other great John Wayne movies, you might want to try The Shootist, The Cowboys, True Grit, Big Jake or a non western The Quiet Man.

[@georgeorwell4534]

This movie has become my favorite western. It's grown on me. John Wayne's portrayal may be his best. After shooting Liberty Valance he just falls apart. I don't know if John Ford really understands what a legendary movie he created. Tom Doniphon was a moral individual who would not stop Ranson Stoddard, which he could have done by simply walking away. He could have had everything including his girl by simply leaving everything alone. Instead he had to strike and it doing so he destroyed himself.

[@georgecoventry8441]

Dead right! He had the courage to do the right thing, and it destroyed his whole life. That's moral courage above and beyond "the call of duty", as they say.

[@walterfechter8080]

"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" is my favorite John Wayne film. To me, there are scenes which hearken back to Wayne's films from the 1930s. Director John Ford captured the "feel" the nuances of Wayne's earlier films, notably, "Stagecoach.' James Stewart and John Wayne were brilliant. Lee Marvin was like a rattlesnake -- coiled and ready to strike. The ancillary characters were truly great - the kind of folks who helped settle the American West. Paramount studios were hesitant to film "westerns", but they struck gold with this gem. Oh yeah, I first saw this movie on NBC's Saturday Night at the Movies. It was first run on TV back then. I recommend, "Hombre," with Paul Newman. Many thanks, Madison K. Thames!

[@robertmaez6706]

Just another 70ish adding my vote to watch "The Treasure of Sierra Madre". Action, greed, Banditos(We don't need no stinkin' badges") and a great ending. Love great westerns.

[@gregzaffuto4507]

John Wayne made a lot of westerns... here are some of note other than this one and the Searchers: John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart again in "The Shootist"... Wayne's last film playing a dying of cancer gunfighter and Stewart playing a town doctor. "McClintock... a western rom-com with Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.... "Stagecoach" and "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" were other classic John Ford directed movies. Other genres he made were war movies like "Sands of Iwo Jima" .... and a post war rom-com starring again with Lee Marvin in "Donovan's Reef".

[@singlechristiancowboy]

Nora also played a leadin lady on the western series High Chaparral and "Dirty" Sally Ferguson on the long runnin series Gunsmoke. Lee Marvin "Liberty" also played an awesome character in a World War 2 war movie called The Dirty Dozen.

[@christopherschafer7675]

Vera Miles, Lee Marvin and Edmond O'Brien, all actors you should know. Good reaction again.

[@mojomegaman]

I wish SOMEONE would react to the Searchers on KZbin. Such an amazing story and non-traditional role for John Wayne. For it's time, it exposed and challenged prejudices against Native Americans.

[@danielemlet7885]

My favorite Jimmy Stewart movie is Harvey

[@arthurrubiera8029]

Another James Steward western that is worth watching is Bend in the River. Steward has done many Western

[@GaryLBlakeley]

Great reaction to one of the greatest westerns. John Wayne born as Marion Robert Morrison is a national treasure. He was also known as The Duke. I’m glad you have decided to go down this path. Too bad we have to wait another month for a new western.

[@west-Co_exploration]

I've always wondered if this was one that you had already seen, but I'm so glad that we got to share it with you. In my opinion this is the best Western movie ever made. Thank you for the reaction If you're looking for another similar movie, there's an obscure one that is fantastic called, "The ballad of Lefty Brown" (2017) And I think it would be right up your alley

[@jimspetdragons3737]

John Wayne also did many war films. My fav is In Harms Way (naval film). The Shootist (western also w/ Ron Howard) is the only other Wayne/Stewart film they did together. Wayne's final film. True Grit is a true classic western. Andy Devine did voice Friar Tuck in Disney's animated movie Robin Hood, but not piglet. (I thought he might have been Pooh, but not him either).

[@jaylong3581]

One of my favorite western is Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda in the Cheyenne Social Club, It's hilarious!

[@jimmyc3755]

A film that has one of the most famous lines in a movie. Only Wayne and Stewart know the truth of who killed Valance. How it plays out makes this a true classic Western. Great reaction! A few other classic Westerns I would recommend - The Ox-bow Incident, Fort Apache (Wayne and Fonda), Red River, High Plains Drifter, and Once upon a time in the west (The opening scene is incredible).

[@Britcarjunkie]

One of my favorite Jimmy Stewart westerns, is "Bandolero!".

[@rebo2610]

I'm the 1000th like! I love all your reactions, especially the older movies. Kicking back to watch this one... I'll be back later. Well this was wonderful! I hadnt seen this movie in forever, and watching your reaction brings back all the emotions of this film. So iconic!

[@robertwease1656]

My favorite quote in this movie is (do you print the truth about a man or the legend? You print the legend because it sells more newspapers)

[@BlueShadow777]

You may recognise Vera Miles from Psycho (1960). Here she plays Hallie, Tom’s girlfriend.

[@colinglen4505]

Lee Van Cleef only took his first leading role in the Movie called For a Few Dollars More; alongside Clint Eastwood. The man who played Vallance's other follower was Strother Martin, who appears in many Westerns and always puts in an interesting performance.

[@Soundhypno]

Madison, great reaction and analysis. Lee Marvin was also a great actor of the time, he was in a few westerns including The Professionals and a musical western with Clint Eastwood called Paint Your Wagon. A song he sang Wand'rin Star hit #1 in the UK. both films worth a watch. Thanks for this!

[@raymeedc]

Vera Miles, besides being in the Searchers, appeared in another film you reacted to, Psycho, where she played the sister.

[@kennethrussell1158]

66 year old grandfather. My wife and I grew up watching classic films like this when we born in the late 50's and grew up in the early to mid 1960's. Enjoy 👍🙏 "Ken And Brenda Russell"

[@justgladimhere9281]

Things are more realistic now that the people who were there are gone LOL

[@shawnzzz]

Glad you watched this great movie. It was a great reation too. Keep em' coming.

[@MadisonKThames]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!