The Shootist Jack Pulford was shot in the back by Books, and Books, in turn, was shot by Gillom; Wayne maintained that over his entire film career, he had never shot an adversary in the back, and would not do so now. He also objected to his character being shot by Gillom, and suggested that the bartender do it, because "no one could ever take John Wayne in a fair fight". Wayne was also responsible for many casting decisions. Several friends and past co-stars, including Bacall, Stewart, Boone, and Carradine, were cast at his request. Stewart had not worked in films for
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance a few lengthy, slow periods in his story-telling, but for the most part the old, reliable Ford touches are there." "Harrison's Reports" gave the film a grade of "Very Good", but Brendan Gill of "The New Yorker" was negative and called it "a parody of Mr. Ford's best work." More recent assessments have been more uniformly positive. The film is considered one of Ford's best, and in one poll, ranked with "The Searchers" and "The Shootist" as one of Wayne's best Westerns. Roger Ebert wrote that each of the 10 Ford/Wayne westerns is "... complete and self-contained in a way