The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
Ransom Stoddard: You're not going to use the story, Mr Scott? Maxwell Scott: This is the west, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.
Jason Tully: Nothing's too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance.
Tom Doniphon: Pompey, go find Doc Willoughby. If he's sober, bring him back.
Link Appleyard: As long as he behaves himself in this town I ain't got no, ah... Ransom Stoddard: Jurisdiction. Link Appleyard: What he said is right. I ain't got none of it.
Tom Doniphon: Whoa, take 'er easy there, Pilgrim.
Liberty Valance: You lookin' for trouble, Doniphan? Tom Doniphon: You aimin' to help me find some?
Liberty Valance: HASHSLINGER; YOU OUT HERE? High Pockets: I'd say that's Liberty Valance there now; wouldn't you? Ransom Stoddard: Yes, I would. Kaintuck: We'll b-b-b-be seein' you, Mr Stoddard.
High Pockets: Well, Mr Professor. We thought you'd left town. What are you doin' out here? Ransom Stoddard: I'm waiting on Liberty Valance. Why doesn't he come out? Kaintuck: Well, that's n-n-none of our b-b-b-business, Mr Stoddard.
Tom Doniphon: Liberty Valence's the toughest man south of the Picketwire - next to me.
Ransom Stoddard: Marshall, I was wrong the other night. Under territorial law you do have jurisdiction. Now I'll draw up the complaint and you can arrest him. Marshall Link Appleyard: Sure thing, Mr Stoddard. I'll be pleased as punch to arrest... arrest him? Arrest who? Ransom Stoddard: Why Liberty Valance; who else? Marshall Link Appleyard: L-L-LIBERTY VALANCE! Oh, just as I was startin' to get my appetite back.
(Doniphan has justed faced down Valance in the diner) Tom Doniphon: Well now; what do you supposed caused them to leave? Peabody: Why it was the specter of law and order rising from the gravy and the mashed potatoes.
Nora Ericson: Poppa - put on your pants!
Link Appleyard: Mr Peabody, you scared me! You know Liberty Valance is over in the saloon? Dutton Peabody: I'd be a poor newspaperman indeed if I didn't know what everyone else in town knows! Link Appleyard: He's awful mad about what people been sayin' about him and that holdup. Mr Peabody, I don't know what to do. Dutton Peabody: Do what you've been elected to do! Go over there and arrest him! Link Appleyard: Arrest him! Doc Willoughby: (Very drunk) As co, co, Dutton Peabody: Coroner. Doc Willoughby: And your personal physic, physic, physician; I advise you to eat supper and go to bed. No charge.
Peabody: Physician!
(Pompey has gone into the saloon after Tom) Jack, Barman: Now, Pompey. You know I can't sell you any... Tom Doniphon: (drunk) Who says so? Take a drink. Pompey: No sir, Mr Tom. You know I don't drink no drams. Tom Doniphon: I said take a drink. Pompey: No sir. We got horses to feed and a mare in foal. Let's go home, Mr Tom.
Hallie: Rance, did you mean what you said about bein' able to teach me to read? Ransom Stoddard: Teach you to read? Why, sure. A smart girl like you? Why you'll be reading in no time. Hallie: I know the Good Book from preacher talk and all; but it would be a solid comfort to be able to read it on my own. Nora Ericson: I know my ABCs in Swedish, but not in English. Ransom Stoddard: Then I'll teach you too, Nora. Hallie will be my first pupil and you'll be my second.
Tom Doniphon: (Valance has tripped Rance in the diner causing him to spill a tray of food) That was my steak, Valance. Liberty Valance: (Laughing) You heard him, Dude. Pick it up. Ransom Stoddard: I won't pick... Tom Doniphon: Hold it, Pilgrim. I said you, Liberty; you pick it up. Liberty Valance: Three against one, Doniphon. Tom Doniphon: Kitchen door; my boy, Pompey (Valance looks and sees Pompey at the door holding a rifle) Floyd: I'll get it, Liberty! (Doniphon kicks Floyd)
Mayor Winder: (at the territorial statehood convention) The chair recognizes its old friend; that distinguished member of the Fourth Estate, founder, owner, publisher and editor of the Shinbone Star, the honorable Dutton Peabody, Esquire! Dutton Peabody: Thank you, Mister Chairman; but you left out one thing, I also sweep out the place.
Ransom Stoddard: (Doniphon has just told Stoddard what really happened the night Liberty Valance was shot) But, Tom, what you did, it was... Tom Doniphon: Murder, pure and simple; but I can live with it. Hallie wanted you alive. You taught her to read; now go back in there and give her something to read about.
Link Appleyard: The jail's only got one cell, the lock's broke and I sleep in it.
Dutton Peabody: (to Liberty Valance and his gang who have been waiting for him in the newspaper office) Why, if it isn't Liberty Valance... and his myrmidons!
Doc Willoughby: Dead.
Floyd: Doc! Doc! Liberty's hurt! Doc Willoughby: (walking to Valance's body) Whiskey, quick. (takes a drink, turns Valance's body over with his foot) Dead. (walks off)
Link Appleyard: Doc, they need you over at Mr Peabody's. He's hurt awful bad. Liberty Valance: What's the matter, Mr Marshal? Somebody have a little accident? Doc Willoughby: Another one of your 'accidents', Valance? I'm just waiting on the day they call me for you. Liberty Valance: (tossing Doc a silver dollar) Paid in advance.
Dutton Peabody: (during voting for the territorial convention) Mornin', Tom. Give me a drink, Jack. Jack, Barman: Bar's closed during voting. Dutton Peabody: Bar's closed? Tom Doniphon: According to your friend, Mr Stoddard, the bar is closed during voting. Says its one of the "Fundamentals of Democracy". No exceptions. Dutton Peabody: No exceptions for the working press? Why, that's carrying democracy much too far!
(Reese and Floyd are trying to get a lynch mob together after Stoddard kills Valance) Tom Doniphon: Can't a man have a drink in peace in this town! (Grabs Flyd and throws him through the door) Reese: Nobody's botherin' you, Doniphon. Tom Doniphon: You are. (Reese goes for his gun, Doniphon hits him) Tom Doniphon: Marshal! What are we payin' you for? Run this scum out of town. Link Appleyard: You heard the man! High Pockets, Kaintuck I deputize you to help run this scum out of town! Kaintuck: Jack, hand me that b-b-b-bung starter! (grabs Reese and hauls him out) Link Appleyard: You tell those ranchers north of the Picketwire that it was me, Link Appleyard, run you out of town and I'll do it again if you ever come back!
Hallie: One steak for Mr Peaboy, with fixins'. Nora Ericson: Steak, beans, potatoes... Peter Ericson: And a deep dish apple pie. Nora Ericson: Someday he order something different and we all faint dead away.
Dutton Peabody: (protesting his nomination to the statehood convention) Good people of Shinbone; I beg of you; I, I'm your conscience, the small voice crying out in the wilderness, I, I'm your father confessor! I. I'm; what else am I? Tom Doniphon: Town drunk?
Link Appleyard: (in Stoddard's classroom) Hello, Marshall. Good to see you. Link Appleyard: Afternoon, Mr Stoddard. Just came by to check on my little family. Ransom Stoddard: Good, good. Your head cold? Link Appleyard: Oh, ah, sorry Mr Stoddard. (removes hat)
Amos Carruthers: (bringing his son to school) Caught him fishin' down by the creek. Ransom Stoddard: Well, Herbert, catch anything? Herbert Carruthers: No, sir, they weren't biting. Amos Carruthers: Ain't you goin' to whop him? Ransom Stoddard: No, he's too big.
Mayor Winder: (after a mounted politician working for Langhorne has rode a horse into the convention and performed rope tricks for the audience) This is a convention, *not* a rodeo, Langhorne!
Liberty Valance: You got a choice, Dishwasher. Either you get out of town, or tonight you be out on that street alone. You be there, and don't make us come and get you.
Tom Doniphon: (to Ransom Stoddard) Hey, pilgrim! You forgot your pop-gun!