Thursday 25 February 2016

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1962: Lee Marvin in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Lee Marvin did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Liberty Valance in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

Lee Marvin obviously plays the doomed man at the end of the title, but the title itself is a label of fame rather than infamy. The reason being the nature of Liberty Valance who we are introduced to as he robs a stagecoach and brutally beats one of the passengers Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart). Marvin as one should expect dominates the scene with his fierce voice, and imposing demeanor. Marvin exudes a considerable menace from his own personal presence even when his face is hidden by a mask. Stoddard after recovering soon finds out that Liberty is a career outlaw who spends his time robbing and assaulting basically whoever he feels like with the local law enforcement too timid to stand up to him. Liberty really is not this master criminal in the slightest, but  he's still quite the problem since any one may randomly suffer because of him. Marvin is terrific in the role bellowing out his lines with the right bluster and disregard for anything one might even consider to be decent. I particularly love the considerable disdain in his voice whenever he chides the Easterner Stoddard by referring to him as "dude".

Marvin is actually only in about five or six scenes of the film, a few of them even being brief, yet he makes quite the impact as Liberty. The interesting part of it all is that again Liberty is not this hyper intelligent villain, he's just a thug who lives in a place where good punch and quick draw is all that is needed to be a terror. Marvin embraces this so well with his performance as he conquers any given situation not by portraying any sort of exact charisma, but rather just the brunt force that is Valance. Marvin carries almost a relaxed quality at times that is fitting for a man who believes he's pretty much entitled to whatever he wants, but there is only ever an underlying current of viciousness that alludes to the violence Liberty is capable of. A viciousness that only grows whenever a situation forces Liberty to get mad, which is a most unpleasant sight thanks to Marvin. One can see how Liberty himself as Marvin makes him a man who insists upon himself, which is easy since no one can physically stand up to him other than Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). The moments between he and Wayne are fantastic in the way that they match each other's presence and intensity presenting the men distinctly in their element.

Marvin's especially effective in these scenes by quietly conveying a bit of fear in Liberty, as he recognizes Doniphon as a man who is indeed a threat to him, a threat he'd rather avoid. Liberty instead keeps his focus on Stoddard, who only further encourages Liberty by Ransom attempting to take the legal route in dealing with the outlaw. This is until Liberty takes it a step further, and Ransom decides to take on Liberty with a gun in hand. This is a downright amazing scene for Marvin because even though it takes Stoddard all his courage to stare down the man, Marvin shows that Liberty still does not care lick about it. Marvin is excellent as he plays the scene as though Liberty is just trying to get as much enjoyment as he can in his last confrontation with a man he thinks so little of. Marvin portrays this in a terrific fashion as he leans on a pole almost throughout the confrontation displaying not a bit of fear for Stoddard's attempts. Marvin's great as Liberty toys with Stoddard as he so genuinely bursts out laughing every time he messes with Stoddard. Marvin makes Liberty a true bully as he shows so much joy in every second Liberty torments him. When Liberty finally decides on the coup de grace, Marvin's reaction is basically that of a man whose had his fun so might as well get the job done. Marvin tops it all off with his brief, but brilliant death scene as one can't help but see just bit of disbelief in his expression just before he collapses. This is a memorable turn by Marvin not by creating this truly cunning adversary, but rather making him the violent lout he should be.

25 comments:

Robert MacFarlane said...

Marvin was a fascinating actor. Absolutely none of the fussiness that even the best of that era could sink into.

RatedRStar said...

Lee Marvin always had a commanding presence, the 60s that a great set of stars that were actually larger than life stars.

Ladies and Gentlemen, its time for.. if we picked the winners =D ill do the exact same categories that Siskel and Ebert did, as well as the years worst nomination =D.

Best Actor - Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant
Best Actress - Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn
Best Supporting Actor - Tom Hardy in The Revenant
Best Supporting Actress - Rooney Mara in Carol

Best Song - Writings On The Wall in Spectre (the rest of the songs arent too bad actually but Writings on the wall wins because of that haunting orchestral sound)

Best Picture - Mad Max Fury Road

Worst nomination - Adam McKay as Best Director in The Big Short, I thought the direction of the film was the worst part of it, too confusing making it very hard even for Harvard graduates to understand what was happening and that was down to McKays crazed direction and tone.

Alex Marqués said...

I wish I had seen enough movies to participate...all I know is that MMFR should win best director and/or best picture. From the scenes I've seen, Redmayne's nom is a tremendous failure as well.

Robert MacFarlane said...

My votes are MMFR, Miller, Damon (I guess), Ronan, Stallone, McAdams (Mara's better, but I HAVE to stick to my guns on category fraud).

Worst nominations all together: The Big Short in everything (but especially Editing), Bridge of Spies for Score, The Danish Girl for everything, Mark Ruffalo in Spotlight, The Revenant in Picture and Director, Cranston in Trumbo, Sam fucking Smith.

Anonymous said...

I always liked Marvin in this role. He was truly underrated as an actor.
Louis: What are your top 10 Marvin performances?

Alex Marqués said...

In terms of how bad the nominations are, I wouldn't say The Revenant ones are even close to The Danish Girl or Ruffalo's nom.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I would. I find myself disliking it more and more each day.

Anonymous said...

@RatedRStar: I know you loved Mara, but ahat did you think of Blanchett (she'd be my win) and the movie (Carol) itself?

Alex Marqués said...

Robert: Which are your favourite movies of the year?

RatedRStar said...

Anonymous: loved the film, not really much I can say really lol, same with Blanchett, I just happened to like Ronan a little more.

Side note, while currently doing the bonus sheet, I can see quite a few Game Of Thrones actors appearing =D.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Need to think about a top 10, but my 5 favorites of the year were:

1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. The Diary of a Teenage Girl
3. Carol
4. Creed
5. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

GM said...

I started seeing The Diary of a Teenage Girl and found myself not particularly liking it. Bel Powley is certainly interesting. I will try to finish it.

Robert MacFarlane said...

The film is apparently way more divisive than I would have thought. But hey, I stick to my guns.

Alex Marqués said...

I have to check that one out.

Calvin Law said...

RIP Tony Burton.

Calvin Law said...

Best Actor - Damon
Best Actress - Ronan
Best Supporting Actor - Stallone
Best Supporting Actress - Mara
Best Song - Writings On The Wall in Spectre

Best Picture - Brooklyn

Worst nomination - McKay

Anonymous said...

R.I.P. Tony Burton
Best Actor: DiCaprio
Best Actress: Ronan
Best Supporting Actor: Hardy
Best Supporting Actress: Leigh
Best Song: Writings on the Wall
Best Picture: Mad Max: Fury Road (Re-watch made me put it over The Revenant)
Worst Nomination: McKay

Anonymous said...

Louis: You said that Gable had the more interesting performance in Manhattan Melodrama, but I disagree. While I liked Gable, I found Powell's performance more interesting because he played a much more serious role than his usual comedic ones, although I love him in his comedies.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Apparently Thomas Alfredson was supposed to direct The Danish Girl at one point.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Marvin Top Ten:

1. The Big Red One
2. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
3. Point Blank
4. Cat Ballou
5. Attack
6. "The Grave" - Twilight Zone Episode
7. The Professionals
8. The Wild One
9. The Big Heat
10. Prime Cut

Louis Morgan said...

RIP Tony Burton.

Really missed Duke in Creed.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Originally Bogart was supposed to play Holden's role in The Bridge on the River Kwai. Grant apparently also wanted the part.

Louis Morgan said...

Holden was perfectly cast so really I would not want to see anyone else in the role. Bogart obviously would not have been able to play it when the film was made as well as would have been too old even if he had lived a little longer, and Grant would have been miscast, I think him being an American is actually an important aspect of the character.

Anonymous said...

Louis: What are your ratings and thoughts on Sinatra in Some Came Running?

Louis Morgan said...

Sinatra - 2.5(He has some good moments here and there, but mostly he leaves something to desire as you just never really feel the emotional intensity you'd expect from such a character. He is too often just kind of there)