Dorothy M. Johnson, a celebrated author of American West fiction, penned the short story “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” in 1953. This compelling narrative would eventually be adapted into one of Hollywood’s most iconic Western films, directed by the legendary John Ford. The journey from Johnson’s original text to the silver screen was a complex one, marked by industry shifts, studio hesitations, and creative collaborations.
From Montana to Hollywood: The Genesis of a Story
Born in Iowa in 1905 and raised in Montana, Dorothy M. Johnson developed a deep understanding and appreciation for the American West, which would become the central theme of her prolific writing career. After graduating from the state university, she moved to New York to pursue a career in writing and editing. In 1950, she returned to Montana, taking on the role of editor for the local newspaper and joining the university faculty. Throughout her life, Johnson published 17 books and 52 short stories, earning recognition as a prominent female voice in Western fiction. Her story “A Man Called Horse” found early success through an adaptation in the Wagon Train television series and later a 1970 film. Her novel The Hanging Tree was also adapted into a 1959 film by director Delmer Daves, starring Gary Cooper. It was her 1953 short story, “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” featured in her collection Indian Country, that would become the foundation for a monumental cinematic endeavor.
Navigating a Changing Industry: John Ford’s Challenge
By the late 1950s, legendary director John Ford, a titan of Hollywood for decades, found himself in a rapidly evolving industry. The traditional studio system was declining, with major companies increasingly acting as distributors rather than primary financiers. Ford, accustomed to producing his own projects, faced greater difficulty securing funding. Moreover, audience tastes were shifting, and Ford’s signature style, often perceived as sentimental and old-fashioned, was becoming less fashionable. The Western genre, though still popular on television, was facing a decline in viability for major film productions. This atmosphere made it harder for Ford to secure work and find projects that resonated with him personally. His previous two productions, Sergeant Rutledge (1960) and Two Rode Together (1961), were met with disappointment and lacked significant commercial success. Ford occupied himself by directing John Wayne in an episode of Wagon Train and contributing uncredited work to Wayne’s film The Alamo (1960). Therefore, he was pleased to discover Johnson’s story, which touched upon themes dear to his heart and offered a significant role for Wayne. However, the path to production was far from smooth.
Assembling the Dream Team
To adapt the screenplay, Ford reunited with Willis Goldbeck and James Warner Bellah, the writers who had collaborated on Sergeant Rutledge. Goldbeck also took on the role of co-producer.
For the pivotal role of the young Eastern lawyer who unexpectedly becomes a local hero and politician, Ford selected James Stewart. This marked their second collaboration, following Two Rode Together. Stewart held a genuine fondness for Ford and was eager to work with him again. This eagerness was partly fueled by his dissatisfaction with the development of his character in their previous film, whereas in Liberty Valance, he would portray an upright idealist.
John Wayne, a major star who had recently secured a lucrative ten-picture deal with Paramount, convinced Ford to cast Lee Marvin, his co-star from The Comancheros (1961), as the film’s antagonist, Liberty Valance.
Studio Hesitation and Wayne’s Influence
John Wayne’s considerable star power and his substantial deal with Paramount meant that Liberty Valance was ultimately set up at that studio. Despite Ford’s established reputation, his willingness to contribute half of the $3.2 million budget, and the commitment of two major stars, Paramount was hesitant to greenlight the project, taking nearly six months to do so. The studio harbored several concerns: the film’s inherently somber tone, the fact that Wayne’s character dies at the beginning of the narrative, and the casting challenge of Stewart, who was in his mid-50s, playing a fresh-faced law school graduate in the extensive flashback sequences and a man in his 60s or older in the present-day framing story. Furthermore, the studio was still recovering from the financial losses incurred on Marlon Brando’s One-Eyed Jacks (1961) and was reluctant to embark on another potentially risky Western.
Ultimately, it was Wayne’s influence and his strong contract with Paramount that secured the project’s approval. It may have been a source of frustration for Ford to rely on the actor whose career he had significantly shaped to advance his own production.
Script Development and Thematic Nuances
In early summer 1961, while still on location for The Comancheros, Wayne began receiving memos from Ford regarding their upcoming project. Ford was eager to commence shooting by the end of the summer. “For a change, no locations,” Ford wrote on July 7th. “All to be shot on the lot. … Seriously we have a great script in my humble opinion.”
The script adhered closely to Johnson’s story and perspective, with one significant divergence. In the original story, Tom Doniphon (Wayne’s character) serves more as a mentor to Ranse Stoddard (Stewart), guiding him on his journey from frontier lawyer to state senator. In the film adaptation, aside from two pivotal actions that irrevocably alter Stoddard’s life, Doniphon’s proactive role in shaping Stoddard’s future is somewhat diminished.
In 1967, Ford famously stated that The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was based on historical fact, though he never elaborated on what those specific facts might have been, nor has any evidence emerged to support such a claim. The film stands as a testament to Dorothy M. Johnson’s enduring storytelling and John Ford’s mastery of the Western genre, a collaboration that transcended industry challenges to create a cinematic legacy.
