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Director John Ford’s last great Western movie in ultra high definition Paramount Presents: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment, unrated, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, 123 minutes, $39.99).

1962, the black-and-white classic begins when once simple lawyer, now famous senator Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) returns to the small town of Shinbone to mourn the death of his friend Tom Doniphon (John Wayne).

He is quickly tricked by a curious news editor to tell the story of how he became notorious as the person who killed the evil and sadistic outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin).

This deadly event now comes to light as the film flashes back 25 years, when Ransom’s repeated humiliations by the outlaw lead to the ultimate gun duel with far-reaching consequences.

It also focuses on his budding friendship with gunslinger Doniphon and Ransom’s romantic interest in Doniphon’s girlfriend, Hallie Stoddard (Vera Miles).

Suffice it to say, the performances of the two veterans do not disappoint.

Wayne is a classic cowboy with his legendary aura, his all-knowing grin, and his famous “pilgrim” lexicon within minutes of appearing on screen.

Stewart maintains his classic and overly candid, commonplace persona who demonstrates his determination to fight evil alone and against all odds.

They are well supported by a group of well-known character actors, including Academy Award Winner Edmond O’Brien as news editor Dutton Peabody, Roy Rogers’ sidekick Andy Devine as Marshal Link Appleyard, and Spaghetti Western staple Lee Van Cleef and “Cool Hand Luke’s” Strother. Martin as Valance’s henchmen.

Ford’s masterpiece breaks with the typical early Western style by denouncing the violence that romanticized the Old West. A plot reveal reveals the consequences of a murder that, even if justified, eventually turned one man into a legend and emotionally devastated another’s life.

4K in action: Paramount boasts a meticulous new ultra-high-definition remake of the film to bring home theater owners the best possible version of this important Western film selected for preservation by the United States National Film Registry.

The 2160p visuals offer exceptional clarity with only slight grain and zero popping, dirt or speckles, while the high dynamic range tweaks deliver the best of light and shadow selections that Ford and cinematographer William H. Clothier were particularly relevant during the final gun fight. focuses.

Sharp details show some of the hard work being done to breathe new life into “The Man Who Shot Freedom” in the digital realms.

Viewers will love examining the textures of a fabric vest; twine braids; crumpled bindings at the margin of a book; Tufts of dirt on Doniphon’s shirt; nicks and imperfections on the front wooden face of a podium; and the fancy metal work on the handle of Valance’s whip.

The best extras: All the features found in the included Blu-ray version of the movie start with Filmmaker Focus, which is standard for the “Paramount Presents” collection.

This time it shows about eight minutes where the venerable film critic Leonard Maltin delves into the origin of the story; Unusual filming locations for Ford Western; cinematography; and reminded us that the actors were too old to play the characters, but they still succeeded.

Paramount then presents a collection of extras curated from the 2009 DVD Centennial Collection Edition, which begins with a commentary by respected director and film historian Peter Bogdanovich and is overflowing with archival information by Ford and Stewart.

Bogdanovich is very soft-voiced throughout and in a deeply introverted mood, sometimes making it hard to stay awake to appreciate his scientific and analytical interpretations, but the addition of the director and star’s commentary makes it worth listening to.

Second, limited, track star Ford’s grandson and biographer Dan Ford comments on just seven selected scenes with the help of archival interviews with directors Stewart and Marvin.

Complementing the digital beauties is “The Size of Legends, The Soul of Myth”, a seven-part retrospective film lasting almost an hour.

Supported by home movies; still images; archived interviews with producer AC Lyles and Marvin’s wife, Pamela; It features analysis from critics like Molly Haskell, Richard Schickel, Scott Eyman, and historians Michael F. Blake, all offering insights into the production, the cast, and the grumpy director.