The world didn’t always appreciate iconic actor John Wayne for his acting chops, but he certainly revolutionized the Western film genre. He starred in a wide array of B-movies before making major moves into the Hollywood spotlight. However, Wayne fans still quote his “pilgrim” delivery from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance in the modern-day. Here’s how many times he says it to his co-star over the course of the movie.
John Wayne plays a local rancher named Tom Doniphon in ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance opens on Senator Stoddard (James Stewart) arriving in a small town. However, the press soon discovers that he arrived to attend the funeral of a local rancher named Tom Doniphon (Wayne).
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance takes the story back in time to explore how Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) terrorized the town, but only these two men had the guts to stand up to him and his crew.
Stoddard proves to be an important man in the bigger picture past Liberty. As a result, he made big political moves. However, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance highlights the importance of Wayne’s Tom, who frequently saves Stoddard’s life. Tom ultimately doesn’t win over his love interest, Hallie (Vera Miles), but he still does what’s right.
John Wayne says the word ‘pilgrim’ 25 times
Wayne has a signature delivery to his dialogue that audiences find comfort in. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is no different in this regard. He frequently calls Stoddard “pilgrim” throughout the movie, which was an insult during these times. However, Stoddard doesn’t call him out for the name.
A YouTube channel uploaded a “pilgrim counter” to see how many times Wayne says the word over the course of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. It humorously splices the clips to show just how many times he repeats the line with the same delivery. However, the video doesn’t contain every use of the term.
IMDb correctly identifies that Wayne says “pilgrim” 25 times throughout The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. This is the same number that Showbiz Cheat Sheet came to after counting over the course of the movie.
‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’ is coming to 4K Blu-ray
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance remains one of the greatest Western films of all time. It has a place in popular culture, especially through Wayne’s excessive use of the word “pilgrim.” However, that isn’t the only reason why folks still return to this classic. Audiences love the story, its characters, and the world it builds around them.
Collider confirmed that Paramount is bringing Wayne’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance to the high-quality format of 4K Blu-ray with HDR on May 17. This upcoming release will include collectible packaging, a foldout image, and additional art in the casing. There will also be a new bonus feature called “Filmmaker Focus,” which follows film historian Leonard Maltin’s discussion around the film.