Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The

The last western collaboration between John Ford and John Wayne, this movie was dismissed as second rate when it was first released. It has since acquired a reputation as one of the great director's finest works and rightfully so. Lee Marvin plays the title character, a town bully, who does the bidding of big landowners trying to keep the territory from gaining statehood. James Stewart plays an idealistic lawyer, who wants to stop Valance with the law. Wayne opts for a gun. Wonderful touches from Ford and many of his stock company of players appear in supporting roles, including Andy Devine, John Qualen, John Carradine, and Woody Strode.