BE The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

In the film, “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”, by John Ford, the two alpha male cowboys are spot on portrayals of the masculine cowboys Matheson’s describes in, “The West-Hardboiled”. Both Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) and Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) demonstrate qualities that make up Matheson’s definition of a cowboy.
In another one of Wayne’s Westerns, Tom Doniphon plays the alpha male, tough, alone cowboy. First off, Wayne shows his natural, alpha male cowboy side by rescuing Stoddard. This might seem unlike a normal cowboy act but when examined further it is exactly what Matheson describes in her text. Matheson states that Wayne characters, “prove to embody complex cultural coding, creating an oxymoron that has engendered a lively critical debate”. Doniphon saves Stoddard’s life after he was brutally attacked by Liberty Valance but in the process Doniphon consistently makes fun of Stoddard and teases him with his little knowledge of the West. The contradiction is why did Doniphon save Stoddard if all he is doing to help him is make fun and laugh at him? The answer is duty ethics. Duty ethics and virtue ethics seems to be the link between all of Doniphon’s contradictions. He first saves Stoddard because it is the right thing to do. Although Doniphon is the stereotypical dark cowboy, he does have a duty to act in good faith and save a dying man. But he springs right back into character, mocking Stoddard’s knowledge of law by explaining to him how guns rule the land in the West. Another example of how Doniphon exhibits duty ethics is in the way he forfeits his attraction to Hallie in order to prevent Valance from killing Stoddard. Matheson points out that, “When one considers the Wayne canon, it becomes obvious that the Duke specialized in playing destabilized, alienated figures, socially marginalized men caught in double blinds”. Doniphon finds himself caught in a double blind between the girl he wants to be with and his duty to protect his friend while keeping the town safe from Valance. Also, by Doniphon saving Stoddard, it gives Doniphon another excuse to remove himself from everyday, common and domestic life and return to the solitude of being an alpha male cowboy. In the end, Doniphon risks himself and puts his duty before his feelings when he murders Valance from an alley way to save Stoddard.
Valance, like Doniphon, is the perfect example of a Matheson cowboy. His dark, stoic and dirty face are all characteristics of an alpha man. Valance is the perfect example to Matheson’s idea of rule by law (law of the gun) or might is right. Although Valance is a known criminal and is not welcome by any of the town members, he is allowed to come and go freely because his demeanor, attitude and skills put him only second on the food chain to Doniphon. Matheson correctly explains Valance as a character as well as summing up the West as a place where, “Only the fittest, strongest, and the most ruthless survive in the noir frontier, those we draw a gun faster than anyone else”. Valance is stereotypical in that he takes what he wants, when he wants and dares people to try and stop him. When he and his two sidekicks enter for a meal, the place immediately goes silent. He then continues to abruptly and violently kick three men who were eating their dinners out of the restaurant so that he and his friends could eat. This ruthless, and inconsiderate behavior is what defines Valance as the villain and separates him from Doniphon. Valance also validates his role as alpha male but more villainess than Doniphon in the way he does not fulfill Matheson’s view on pursuing the “good”. When Matheson states, “The pursuit of the highest good, it should be noted, is not only relative to the individual, but also relative to all individuals because of their humanity”, she not only describes Doniphon’s behavior but through the film, highlights Valance’s negative, dark side.
Stoddard is the only character that exhibits both alpha male cowboy attributes as well as civilized, appropriate behavior. Stoddard in some ways was Doniphon’s sidekick. Upon first meeting each other they seemed to be from two different worlds but they quickly realized they weren’t too different and could even learn from one another. Stoddard, however, does learn Western ways and is engulfed by all that surrounds him which forces him to take on alpha male attributes. Matheson points out that,” If Wayne’s student is a quick study, however, whatever the gender, she or he becomes masculine”. Despite their differences, Doniphon and Stoddard become friends. Doniphon takes him under his wing to teach him about the Western lifestyle. Matheson is proven correct when Stoddard accepts a challenge and is fearless when facing the obviously more ruthless, experienced and skilled Valance is a duel. His masculinity shines brightest at that moment but it is his softer, more emotional side that is shown throughout most of the film. The biggest difference from Matheson’s cowboy depiction and Stoddard is that he considers emotions, is domesticated and isn’t afraid to show a feminine side. While working in the kitchen with Hallie and the rest of the family, Stoddard has no problem doing “women work” and waiting on tables. Stoddard is not a hardboiled alpha male but instead a hard working, honest man who, when needed, shows his masculine side but for the most part is shooting for the “higher good”.