The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

John Ford follows the story of a lawyer who moves to a small west law-less town bullied by a local hoodlum with only an unofficial authority figure keeping him at bay ; 25 years later the lawyer-turned-senator , returns to town and recalls how the town got rid of the bully an who was responsible for it. John Ford creates a complex and nuanced take on the passing of the Old West contrasting wilderness vs civilization exploring human emotions enhanced by the performances of John Wayne and James Stewart.
It was nominated for 1 Academy Award.