What Statehood? - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) Discussion

[–] Chicago_Jake 13 years ago

The IMDb Trivia section for this movie mentions that the "Picketwire" is a river in Arkansas. So it would make sense that the state they are talking about is Arkansas.

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[–] mikainen 13 years ago

On the other hand Arkansas became a state in 1836 and that's too early for this film. But it's only a film not historical documentary.

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[–] Wuchak (8100) 5 years ago

Like the other poster pointed out, it wouldn't be Arkansas since it became a state in 1836. Being shot at Paramount Studios and Thousand Oaks & Jamestown, California, the landscape looks nothing like Arkansas. It's obviously meant to represent a Western state, like Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, etc.

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[–] pfdocwilson 13 years ago

It's a "McGuffin." (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin)

In other words, it doesn't matter.

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[–] tbx5959 11 years ago

bingo

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[–] rollieri 13 years ago

Picketwire is a corruption of Purgatoire. The state is probably Colorado. (Though it's been pointed out that the flag shown has 38 stars which is too many).

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[–] jlew77 11 years ago

The 'Picketwire'/Purgatoire River is not in Arkansas, but it flows into the Arkansas River in Colorado.

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[–] Traianus 11 years ago

It's obviously intentionally ambiguous and hence a reference at many states throughout the west that went through a process of statehood from territorial days, faced issues between big and small ranchers/farmers, etc. The movie uses many themes that have been prominent in many, many Western films and brings them together.

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[–] lubin-freddy 10 years ago

The state where the Simpsons' Springfield is.

Listen to the river sing sweet songs
to rock my soul

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[–] valis1984 9 years ago

It's been pointed out that a flag seen in the film has 38 stars, so logically the state refered to must be North Dakota.

"Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects". Will Rogers (1879-1935)

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[–] cwente2 9 years ago

Does it really matter?

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[–] valis1984 9 years ago

No. Just a bit of fun.

"Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects". Will Rogers (1879-1935)

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[–] cwente2 9 years ago

Fair enough.

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[–] poncedeleroy 9 years ago

Good guesses! My votes are for either New Mexico or Arizona because of the cactus you see near Tom's home.

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[–] Ed in MO 8 years ago

My guess too. Notice all of the Hispanic kids in Rance's class and at the bar. I doubt North Dakota welcomed many Mexicans before statehood.

Plus the film takes place around 1880-1890, which would make the statehood timeline better.

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[–] hammer4 8 years ago

Arizona and New Mexico didn't become states until 1912.

I agree that the Southwest region near deserts fits the story. I think the filmmakers simply took some liberties with regard to the time frame.

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[–] MAGolding (1096) 5 years ago

I quote my post in this thread:

https://moviechat.org/tt0056217/The-Man-Who-Shot-Liberty-Valance/58c707be4e1cf308b9389f20/Timeframe-in-story

A synopsis I saw says the "present" story is in 1910 - I don't know if that is accurate - and the main story happened 25 years later, and thus about 1885.

If the "present" is in 1900 25 years earlier would be 1875.

I think it was said that Stoddard was governor for two terms (8 years) and had two or three terms as senator (12 or 18 years), then was ambassador at the Court of St. James, and then Senator again. That adds up to 20 or 24 years before he became ambassador, it could easily be up to 30 years total.

There seem to be many Mexicans in the town, which indicates the State could be California (1850), Nevada (1864), Utah (1896), Colorado (1876), Arizona (1912), New Mexico (1912), or Texas (1845).

One line mentions "the Cattleman's Association north of the Picket Wire". The Purgatoire River in Colorado is often called the Picket Wire River.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purgatoire_River

Because of the date of admission and "the Picket Wire" the state that fits the best in real history is Colorado. But I suspect the state in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance could be "Colorarizexico" or something in the Wild West of the imagination.

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