The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) Review: John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, John Ford Western

Mother and Daughter hosts Debbie and Janna are back with Let's Get Lost in Classic Movies - this week to discuss John Ford’s 1962 Western The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, starring John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, and framed as a flashback told to a newspaperman.   They recap how Eastern attorney Ransome Stoddard arrives in the lawless West, is brutalized by Liberty Valance, and faces a cowardly sheriff and a territory pushing toward statehood and law and order, opposed by cattlemen who employ Valance. They compare Wayne’s tough yet tender Tom Doniphon with Stewart’s underestimated but resilient Stoddard, note key scenes (the steak-floor confrontation, paint-can incident, beatings, the flowering cactus), praise supporting characters like Poppy and Mr. Peabody, and highlight the ending where Stoddard is honored as “the man who shot Liberty Valance” despite the secret truth.   NOW TAKING FANMAIL, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS: [email protected]   THINGS TO PONDER WITH YOUR POPCORN: Learn more AND watch the movie Follow LGL in Classic Movies Hosts Debbie and Janna on Instagram LISTEN on YOUTUBE Meet the Production Team - Dee Daniels Media   FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:21 Movie Setup and Cast 00:47 Plot Primer and Flashback 02:25 Watch and Enjoy 02:53 Clip Arrest Liberty Valance 03:42 Post Movie Reactions 04:33 Wayne vs Stewart Dynamic 06:18 When We Got Lost 09:42 Steak Scene and Poppy 11:05 Town Characters and School 13:53 Statehood and Open Range 14:54 Hallie and Romance 18:01 Comedy and Daily Life 21:08 Cinematography and John Ford 23:10 Villains and Martini Shots 25:43 Ending Twist and Legacy 28:20 Final Thoughts and Goodbye