Western Film Series: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne star in this pensive and thoughtful Western directed by John Ford. The film’s central story, shown as a flashback, looks at the Old West with a slightly cynical eye. “The film takes place at that turning point in the West when the rule of force gave way to the rule of law, and when literacy began to gain a foothold,” said Roger Ebert in his review of the film. “It asks the question: Does a man need to carry a gun in order to disagree or state an opinion?” With its gripping story around an enduring political subject, humorous characters, a poignant romance, and a magnificent Southwestern setting, the film has taken its place as a classic of the genre perfected by the Ford/Wayne partnership.

This film runs 123 minutes in the Ransom Center’s Prothro Theater. The program is free and open to the public, but donations are welcome. Seating is first-come, first-served, and doors open at 2:30 p.m.