The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
“Together for the first time”
Synopsis
Questions arise when Senator Stoddard attends the funeral of a local man named Tom Doniphon in a small Western town. Flashing back, we learn Doniphon saved Stoddard, then a lawyer, when he was roughed up by a crew of outlaws terrorizing the town, led by Liberty Valance. As the territory's safety hung in the balance, Doniphon and Stoddard, two of the only people standing up to him, proved to be very important, but different, foes to Valance.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Bernard Rose on THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE
Type: Featurette • Published 2026-02-09
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
John Wayne
Tom Doniphon
James Stewart
Ransom Stoddard
Vera Miles
Hallie Stoddard
Lee Marvin
Liberty Valance
Edmond O'Brien
Dutton Peabody
Andy Devine
Link Appleyard
Ken Murray
Doc Willoughby
John Carradine
Cassius Starbuckle
Jeanette Nolan
Nora Ericson
John Qualen
Peter Ericson
Willis Bouchey
Jason Tully
Carleton Young
Maxwell Scott
Woody Strode
Pompey
Denver Pyle
Amos Carruthers
Strother Martin
Floyd
Lee Van Cleef
Reese
Robert F. Simon
Handy Strong
O.Z. Whitehead
Herbert Carruthers
Release History & Theatrical Window
Los Angeles Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
April 13, 1962
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 5, 2020
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$3.2M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$8M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
2.5x
+$4.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Profitable
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Ford
- Screenplay & Story
- James Warner Bellah, Willis Goldbeck
- Original Score
- Cyril J. Mockridge, Irvin Talbot
- Original Title
- The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 3m
- Production Budget
- $3.2M
- Worldwide Gross
- $8M
- Production Studios
- John Ford Productions, Paramount Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Ford
James Warner Bellah, Willis Goldbeck, Dorothy M. Johnson
Cyril J. Mockridge, Irvin Talbot
William H. Clothier
Otho Lovering
John Ford, Willis Goldbeck
Department Leadership Roster
John Ford
Director
John Ford
Producer
William H. Clothier
Director of Photography
James Warner Bellah
Screenplay
Cyril J. Mockridge
Original Music Composer
Willis Goldbeck
Producer
Otho Lovering
Editor
Willis Goldbeck
Screenplay
Edith Head
Costume Design
Ron Talsky
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Universal — Suitable for all audiences.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
Movie Collection
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Movies
What I've Watched.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Roger Ebert's Great Movies
Every film from Roger Ebert's 'Great Movies' essays. 罗杰·伊伯特的伟大电影： 收录了已故美国著名国民级影评人罗杰·伊伯特（Roger Ebert）在其经典的《伟大电影》（Great Movies）系列专栏文章中推荐、评论过的所有影史经典佳作。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#092] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
S&S Critics - Greatest Films
Sight and Sound Greatest Films of All Time 2022 (Critics' Poll). Every decade the Sight and Sound team asks critics to name the greatest films of all time. Here are the results of the 2022 poll – the largest ever, with 1,639 critics, programmers, curators, archivists and academics each submitting their top ten ballot - and now updated with the complete list. 《视与听》2022年影评人评选影史百大电影（含并列完整版）： 由 1639 位影评人、策展人及学者共同票选的影史最伟大电影。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#152] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#171] Out 1 (1971) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:37:09 UTC+8)*
Similar Titles to The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.5
5.2
9.5
7.6
6.0
5.5
7.0
4.8
9.0
7.6
7.2
6.9
10.0
7.5
10.0
10.0
7.5
7.2
6.4
7.8
More Like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance about?
Questions arise when Senator Stoddard attends the funeral of a local man named Tom Doniphon in a small Western town. Flashing back, we learn Doniphon saved Stoddard, then a lawyer, when he was roughed up by a crew of outlaws terrorizing the town, led by Liberty Valance. As the territory's safety hung in the balance, Doniphon and Stoddard, two of the only people standing up to him, proved to be very important, but different, foes to Valance.
Who directed The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance?
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was directed by John Ford.
Who stars in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance?
The principal cast of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance includes John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, Edmond O'Brien.
When was The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance released and how long is it?
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was released in 1962 with a total runtime of 2h 3m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance?
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance had a reported production budget of $3.2M and grossed $8M at the worldwide box office (2.5 return on budget, classified as a commercial hit).
Who composed the musical score for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was composed by Cyril J. Mockridge, Irvin Talbot.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance?
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; GB: U (Universal — Suitable for all audiences.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).