My Collection - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

My copy of The Man Who Slot Liberty Valance.

This is another find from my favorite used book store, Grounds for Thought.

I was looking through the vintage section and came across The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I had to pick it up, even though at the time, I hated the movie.

After all, the film starred Jimmy Stewart!

This copy is a novelization by James Warner Bellah. The book is based on the movie, not vice-versa.

My copy was published by Permabook in April, 1962. It is in very good condition, considering its age. The spine is intact. There is some edge wear and some minor bends on the corners.

I am very excited to have stumbled upon it to add it to my collection. It cost me $2.00. Which is interesting. Books don't usually increase in value. However, the cover price on this book was a mere 35 cents.

Moment of honesty: I have not read it.

Movie Review - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

In my movie reviews, I give my brief thoughts on what I watched. Sometimes I will expound on those thoughts, but more often than not, I will just give a brief opinion. You can read plot descriptions on Internet Movie Database or on Amazon.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Starring John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart. (1962)

Source: http://goo.gl/BgpFjG

I have a confession to make.

I tried to watch this film many years ago and I hated it. With a capital HATED. My problem was that I only saw Stewart as George Bailey or Mr. Smith or Tony Kirby. My imagination was broken. The second problem was that I didn't like John Wayne. I know...that makes me un-American or something.

Why didn't I like John Wayne, you ask? Well, it had something to do with the way he talks. It's too slow. It's too drawn out and deliberate. I know. I'm a huge fan of Stewart and he did the exact same thing. Hypocrisy. Irony. I get it.

But what that did was it caused me to not watch any other Stewart western...or John Wayne western for that matter. Maybe I just have a problem with westerns.

So then along comes this blog, and I start thinking that I will just start watching all of Stewart and Capra's films again. And I have to admit that my stomach did a slow roll when I thought about re-watching this film, or watching any of Stewart's bazillion other westerns (that's just a low estimate. I don't know how many there really are).

But apparently I have grown up or expanded my horizons or gotten old or my personality has hardened or something. Because I actually kind of liked it this time around. Perhaps I'll give Stewart's other westerns a shot.

So at this point in my life I will give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. But only because this entry feels more like a confession than a review.