Saturday Night at the Movies: Jimmy Stewart Domestic Extremism Double Feature
In Which the Notoriously Unpatriotic Duo of Frank Capra and John Ford Hate on America
Tonight’s movie post is a short one, because, as usual, Prof Esolen already wrote a far better introduction to my movie than I can!
However, let me come at The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance from a slightly different angle. I would encourage you to watch it as part of a double feature, with another Jimmy Stewart classic, Mr Smith Goes to Washington.
Now, Mr. Smith is a Frank Capra picture from 1939, Liberty Valance is a John Ford western from 1962 - but they share far more than their star actor. If you haven’t seen Mr. Smith in a few years (or decades), trust me, it is worth revisiting. Parts of it could be ripped from the headlines. At least, they could be, if the headlines actually reported what was going on in the country. Headlines today don’t, because the news is corrupt, and a corrupt press is the necessary precondition to destroy a nation - which is the precise theme of Capra’s movie. As for Liberty Valance, well, if you don’t want to watch it after Prof Esolen’s invitation, I don’t know how I can tempt you, except to add that the paramount importance of a free and independent press and an educated populace is John Ford’s message as well.
I do these movie posts because, yes, I do love old movies and I want to share. However, even if the movies aren’t your bag, I’d argue that watching them will go a long way towards keeping you sane. In my native Canada, schools are purging all books from the before times (before, er, 2008, to be exact). This comes as no surprise; old books and movies cannot be taught anymore, they have become impossible lessons. I encourage you to watch these old movies not just because they’re excellent, though they are, but because they will protect you. As I discussed before, refusing to live in the eternal present is the best way to mob-proof your (and your child’s) mind. In the case of tonight’s double feature, you know that Jimmy Stewart is one of America’s all-time most beloved, legendary actors, and the two movies discussed are among the most famous classics ever filmed by two of the greatest directors ever. Knowing that, and knowing that both of them warn urgently about the corruption of democracy by wealthy and powerful interests working to sabotage independent press voices, well, it may give you a different perspective on things today, when, er, wealthy and powerful interests work to sabotage independent press voices. Are scientists like Dr. Bhattacharya and reporters like Alex Berenson really the dangerous domestic extremist liars the government and the corporate media claim they are? Or are they precisely the type of principled, perhaps even slightly corny, pro-American hero Jimmy Stewart once used to play?
Don’t ask me - I hope you watch these fantastic movies for yourself and find out!
I met Jimmy Stewart in the mid 80’s when I worked for a group of physicians in LA. I was star struck as in my 20’s I loved old movies and he was one of my favorites. He didn’t disappoint- drove an old Volvo and was just as kind as he seemed in “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Philadelphia Story”.
As a Westerner myself, watching Liberty Valance is very hard. Despite the good Dr. Esolen's recommendation, I can agree with his note that this is a film that shows the high cost of civilization. But for a Westerner who is now witnessing the absolute loss of Liberty not just in the West but throughout the nation, without the care of a perpetually drunken press, or of the beautiful but ultimately stupid population, at the hands of any schmuck willing to use it for power... it is what my husband and I consider to be one of the hardest movies to watch. A very tragic western indeed.
Sure, unbridled liberty is deadly, but we have killed liberty. What now? Its enough to make one burn one's hope for the future as John Wayne himself does.
As Wayne says in the classic "Chisum", in response to Mr. Pepper saying there is no law west of Dodge and no God west of the Pecos: "Wrong, Mr. Pepper. Because no matter where people go, sooner or later there's the law. And sooner or later they find God's already been there."