MovieChat Forums > Shane (1953) Discussion > Best scene in any western

Best scene in any western


The last scene in the saloon,love the way the dog slinks away and the lighting that catches Shanes face as he says "I hear you're a no good yankee liar" Magic!!

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Agreed.

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I'm glad you like the climactic shoot-out. But don't watch it in slow motion.

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I hear you're a no good yankee liar" Magic!!

Verbatim: "I've heard you're a low down yankee liar".

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As great as it is. The ending in Once Upon a Time in the West beats it hands down.

Fonda and Bronson were epic.

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No it doesn't. Shane tops all other Westerns with its ending, and tops them in other ways as well.

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The Eyes of the City are Mine! Mother Pressman / Anguish (1987)

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Yeah that was an amazing movie. Kicks the crap out of this turkey.

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Jack Palance's evil grin creeps me out. Smart dog.


Interesting. You're afraid of insects and women. Ladybugs must render you catatonic.

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I wouldn't say it's the best, but it's up there with 'em. Great moment in a great scene. Palance's low-key performance was great, btw.

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Jack Palance was one of the, if not the, best movie bad guys ever and he showed it here.

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One of the best, but overlooked scenes in the movie. The whole gun demonstration and explanation that he gives Joey and Marion in that long scene is epic. Notice how the sudden explosion of sound and close-up of the gun startles Joey (and the viewer). From a calm scene to controlled mayhem. Beautifully directed and edited. There has been no gunfire up to this point in the movie. We are assured of what we have suspected, Shane is a gunfighter. " A gun is a tool, M'am. No better or worse than any other tool...." "A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it." Those were the days. And the gun was essential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ternps0JFwo > The message is in the last 30 sec.

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That scene where Shane demonstrates his skill with a gun is one of the best gun scenes in all westerns.
Most scenes in movies involving gunfire never get the sound right. Any caliber larger than a .22 is deafening, more so from a handgun than a rifle. You need to wear earplugs if you're going to do a lot of shooting with a handgun or you'll permanently damage your hearing.
I like the expression on Shane's face right after the demonstration. He looks like he's having a flashback.

Soy 'un hijo de la playa'

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It was a great scene, indeed - but based on a goof. You'll recall that Torrey said his last words to Wilson ("You're a low-down lyin' Yankee") in a low voice. Shipstead, himself, said that he'd heard "only the anger, not the words". Yet, Shane repeated Torrey's words to Wilson almost verbatim: "I heard you're a low-down Yankee liar." The time until the climactic gunfight was too short, and the barriers between the opposing groups too great, for Shane have heard Torrey's quote through gossip or witness accounts. Still, a very powerful scene - one of the best.

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Shane is a great Western. The more I see it the more I love it. My favourite scene/s are the ones with Alan Ladd and the wonderful Ben Johnson. Subjects - Sodipop,Taters and Sodbusters smelling of pigs and drinking with the men.Classic.

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And Ladd's and Johnson's fistfight was one of the best movie fistfights ever filmed.

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I watched the film again a couple of days ago. There was another homesteader present at the time of Torrey's death, and the general store owner who is friendly with the homesteaders is also present (and I believe is the offscreen voice who says "No, Torrey") when Torrey starts to draw on Wilson. So Shane could've heard it easily enough given that it was at least a couple days between this and the climax.

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Actually, it was Shipstead who said "No, Torrey" - the one who said he'd heard only the anger, not the words. I checked the scene again on my iPad, and there was no other homesteader present for Torrey's demise. And the store-owner, Grafton, didn't appear until 20 seconds or more after the shooting, when he stepped out of his store and, appearing shocked, asked "What...?" - as in, "What happened?" So, there was no one present who could have both overheard Torrey's words AND somehow relayed them to Shane.

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I meant Shipstead. I'd forgotten that he said he hadn't heard the words. I don't remember if the store owner was actually on screen or not but presumably he was there, or would've heard the details and could have spread it around.

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Actually, there's a theory that I would like to propose. Chris Calloway, the Ryker man who Shane had that confrontation with earlier in the film, warned Shane that Starrett was in trouble if he went to town. It's possible that Calloway could have also told Shane what words were exchanged prior to Torrey's death.

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Yeah I thought that was problematic as well, but still a great moment.

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That final showdown was classic... One of the most powerful scenes in film history .

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