Top 250 Challenge: 135*

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Number 214 on IMDb's Top 250
Nominated by Lynn

Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) is an attorney who believes in law and order, but refuses to carry a gun. His friend, Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) is a gunslinger, who believes there is no law and one "needs a gun in these parts." When the outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) comes to town, Stoddard finds the only way to settle differences with Valance is through violence when he is challenged to a shootout. Stoddard is completely unskilled with a gun and no match for the infamous gunfighter Valance. But in what seems like a miraculous shot, Valance is killed in the duel. However, the deadly shot was really fired by Doniphon from across the street, saving Stoddard's life. Doniphon lets Stoddard and the public believe Stoddard was the shooter, but later tells him the truth in private. Stoddard will forever be known as the man who shot Liberty Valance, and has to deal with the reputation, and his secret, as he tries to build a political career and civilize the west. Hilarity ensues

Trivia: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is the source of the "Pilgrim" phrase that is commonly used in John Wayne impersonations; Wayne's character addresses James Stewart's character as "Pilgrim" several times in the film.

Just like All The President's Men, this movie has two major male stars that work very well together. Wayne and Stewart are very well matched in thier roles. Wayne, the hard nosed rough but fair man's man cowboy, Stewart the quiet greenhorne from back east who "couldn't shot the hat off his own head with the gun in his hand. Lee Marvin is also good as Liberty Valance. Andy Devine and his very recognizable voice (besides his westerns, he was the voice of Friar Tuck in Disney's Robin Hood) is also good as the reluctant Marshall Link Appleyard. Thanks Lynn.

*Once again, a movie that I have seen has made it into the top 250 list, becoming my 134 movie, in this case it was Walk The Line.