tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post933033310481841921..comments2024-03-22T14:48:09.697-04:00Comments on Dell on Movies: 2017 Blind Spot Series: The Man Who Shot Liberty ValanceDellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-58405376051524628662017-06-02T05:11:02.784-04:002017-06-02T05:11:02.784-04:00Marvin is excellent. Marvin is excellent. Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-83959497320669159792017-06-01T16:41:26.316-04:002017-06-01T16:41:26.316-04:00Good point about the tension and imminence of viol...Good point about the tension and imminence of violence. Lee Marvin sure is one mean villain, I’ll say that much.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09395044055566348346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-422584758683740592017-05-31T18:35:55.082-04:002017-05-31T18:35:55.082-04:00Glad you decided to revisit this. It deserves its ...Glad you decided to revisit this. It deserves its lofty status. You bring up lots of other great things, but I'll only focus on one... <br /><br />It's shot in black and white. <br /><br />After writing my review I started poking around the net for a little bit of info on the movie and it seems there are lots of theories on why it was shot this way. Most offer some variation on Ford taking artistic license and choosing to go b&w to enhance the narrative. The other, seemingly more likely theory, is that the studio was being stingy with the bucks. William Clothier, the movie's cinematographer, sides with the latter. He says Ford wanted color, but was told make it in b&w or don't make it at all. Luckily, it all worked out because, as you alluded to, it's a perfect fit. Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-9086707051507633202017-05-31T10:15:40.372-04:002017-05-31T10:15:40.372-04:00Hi Dell,
So glad you were finally able to see thi...Hi Dell,<br /><br />So glad you were finally able to see this and that you thought so highly of it!! You know I’m a huge fan of the film and could go on and on about it but I’ll try to keep it under control. <br /><br />You make many salient points about the underlying currents that run through the picture so I’ll mention some of the other things I love about the film. When I saw your review was up it led me to give the film another look, I own it, before I commented, it’s been some time since I last watched it. <br /><br />The main foursome of Wayne, Stewart, Marvin and Vera Miles are all wonderful and perfectly cast to fill the part in the film they are responsible to interpret, vital in an allegory such as this. But the strength of most Ford films and this one in particular is the surrounding cast to the main story. Edmond O’Brien is spot on as the dissolute newspaper man who while he is at times a comic figure retains enough of his dignity to remain a force in Shinbone and effectuate the change that slowly happens. <br /><br />John Carradine as the marvelously named Maj. Cassius Starbuckle is again exactly right as that florid windbag and makes what could have been a tiny bit into a memorable piece of the story. Even Andy Devine handed the most annoying character, the oaf sheriff manages to make him understandably endearing in his fear and ultimately another important piece of the puzzle. <br /><br />While I was watching I was struck by the rightness of the film being in black & white at a time when that was going out of fashion. Just as color added so much to Ford’s The Searchers the harsher greys and blacks of this amplified the harshness of the prairie town and the starkness that was still part of the West even at the film’s conclusion. <br /><br />A great film and as it always does the ending just killed me with the way it wraps its message up with a powerful understated simplicity. joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-12400173751946150772017-05-30T21:06:58.988-04:002017-05-30T21:06:58.988-04:00Absolutely, so if you ever find yourself in the mo...Absolutely, so if you ever find yourself in the mood for a western, give it a shot. Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-64866486205268626912017-05-30T17:06:57.758-04:002017-05-30T17:06:57.758-04:00I'm not a Western person so I doubt I'll e...I'm not a Western person so I doubt I'll ever see this, but it's nice to step out of our comfort zones from time to time. Great write up!Brittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-50286914995905514332017-05-30T04:58:57.713-04:002017-05-30T04:58:57.713-04:00Same here. This one works on multiple levels which...Same here. This one works on multiple levels which I really enjoyed. The Ox-Bow Incident is another I need to see. Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-26161057126221256032017-05-30T00:26:29.971-04:002017-05-30T00:26:29.971-04:00I tend to think of this movie the same way I think...I tend to think of this movie the same way I think of The Ox-Bow Incident. Both are Western films in their outer trappings, but they are actually deep dramas underneath the horses and six-guns. Since this genre has a tendency to fall prey to tropes and cliche, when one doesn't, I tend to like it. SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-8993791294862303302017-05-30T00:02:04.276-04:002017-05-30T00:02:04.276-04:00Most certainly, unless you're one of those peo...Most certainly, unless you're one of those people who have an adverse reaction to either westerns or black and white movies. Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-51547490283910542412017-05-30T00:00:27.634-04:002017-05-30T00:00:27.634-04:00Interesting, I didn't really see sadness, but ...Interesting, I didn't really see sadness, but a passing of the baton from one man to the next. It felt like what was done was done for the sake of necessary progress. It's excellent in either case, though. Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-5699149409299833972017-05-29T23:55:37.830-04:002017-05-29T23:55:37.830-04:00I hope you get to watch it. It's well worth it...I hope you get to watch it. It's well worth it. Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-7539777199902113642017-05-29T21:14:29.489-04:002017-05-29T21:14:29.489-04:00I'm blind to this one as well. Dare I give it ...I'm blind to this one as well. Dare I give it a try?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-88982772598600555062017-05-29T19:54:15.727-04:002017-05-29T19:54:15.727-04:00I love this movie! It has so much sadness in this ...I love this movie! It has so much sadness in this film that I usually end up crying. The acting is excellent and there is real tension throughout. You know the girl makes the wrong choice and I am a Jimmy Stewart fan. I guess it is true...print the legendBirgithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09439720285857050428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227751790693713235.post-78333123295522741662017-05-29T16:54:43.765-04:002017-05-29T16:54:43.765-04:00This is among the many classic westerns I have yet...This is among the many classic westerns I have yet to see but I hope to do so in July as I have a Western as a Blind Spot that I'm going to watch in July as well. thevoid99https://www.blogger.com/profile/03055459287396592446noreply@blogger.com