Liberty Valance / Goodguys and Badguys ….
Category: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Liberty Valance / Goodguys and Badguys …
Liberty Valance / Marvin – “Right between the eyes”
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Trailer
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Reviews
It’s often interesting to read reviews from when the time the film was originally released – and see how they bear up as to how the film is presently regarded.
Several movies that are now regarded as Classics were savagely ripped by reviewers of the day. But time often tells a different story. However …
Wikipedia tells us (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Shot_Liberty_Valance)
“The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was an instant hit when released in April 1962, thanks to its classic story and popular stars John Wayne and James Stewart. Produced on a budget of $3.2 million, the film grossed $8,000,000 at the box office, making it the 16th highest grossing film of 1962. Edith Head‘s costumes for the film were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, one of the few westerns to ever be nominated for the award. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has continued its popularity through repeated television broadcasts and the rental market. It is also widely considered to be one of director John Ford‘s best westerns and generally ranks alongside Red River, The Searchers, The Big Trail, and Stagecoach as one of John Wayne‘s best films.”

The Critics liked – and the People liked it.


Below: A nice video presentation with a nice rendition of song The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance written by songsters Burt Bacharach and Hal Davis.
Warning: possible huge spoilers … if you’ve never seen the movie.
Marvin’s Icon … The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Music: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – Gene Pitney
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Directed by John Ford
The Posters
Between The Comancheros and Cat Ballou (Oscar), Lee continued his meteoric climb to the Hollywood heights with perhaps his most famous role as Liberty Valence in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Many will agree that Lees viscous performance easily upstages Hollywood greats John Wayne and James Stewart – and perhaps establishing an iconic benchmark for Western villainy. YET, on the official poster (below) we still see Marvin billed a distant 4th behind Stewart (billed first over Wayne?), Wayne, and Vera Miles – with no notable image of Marvin – even though his character (Valance) is in the movies title !!! I’ll never figure out Hollywood marketing.
Look for another furure Western Badguy superstar (yet to emerge) Lee (Van Cleef) as one of Marvin’s henchmen.


(Above) That’s Lee at the bottom … I guess








Love him or hate him, you’d really have to search for a long time to find a lousy picture of John Wayne. This guy was charisma personified.



