Lee Marvin
For Lee Marvin's birthday I watched The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. The film starred James Stewart and John Wayne. I did not expect to like the film, but it was very good. Lee Marvin played Liberty Valance. A mean, evil, just plain cruel man. He first appears on screen as a stage coach robber. I am not sure that is obvious or not. He has a scarf over his face, but those eyes and voice are unmistakable. The scene is at night and very dark, hard to see all the action. That may have been on purpose by the director John Ford's part due to the nature of the scene of James being beaten and whipped by Marvin.
The outdoor scenery was great, but I liked the scene's in the bar the best. There is an election held in the bar and the bar can't serve alcohol until the election is officially over. Once it is everyone rushes to the bar and people climb over each other to get a drink. The Sheriff talks to Marvin to get him not to fight James that night. Marvin is playing poker as the Sheriff talks. Marvin knows he is going to kill James, so he is living his normal life. After Marvin is killed John realizes the the girl he loves actually loves James he goes to the bar and gets drunk. John Wayne drunk is a sight to see.
My favorite scene is probably at the end. James, now a Senator, comes back into town to attend the funeral of John. James gives the full story to newspaper and the newspaper editor tears up the story and puts in the fire. The editor states “When legend becomes fact, print the legend.” That type of journalistic respectability would not happen today in a TMZ world.
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