| Description : | "I've never seen a woman who was more like a man," a character observes of Vienna (Joan Crawford), who has just opened a saloon that hasn't exactly endeared itself to the local townspeople. Emma (Mercedes McCambridge), the local sexually repressed, lynch-happy harpy, is particularly displeased. Vienna is wooed both by the Dancin' Kid (Scott Brady) and by Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden), a peripatetic tough guy-turned-troubadour with whom she has a past. When the Kid's gang (which includes Ernest Borgnine) decides to knock over the bank before heading to California, Emma wants just about everyone in sight on the business end of a rope. Nicolas Ray's 1954 epic was considered one of the downright strangest Westerns of all time--the women were far tougher than the men (Johnny watches on laconically during the bank robbery, not bothering with heroics), and some saw in the film a bizarre allegory for the McCarthy Red scare. A half-century later, it's still a curious, intriguing piece of moral ambiguity from a time when such a thing ostensibly didn't exist. Hayden is an enigmatic presence, and Crawford's commanding star turn is what you'd expect. --David Kronke |
Reviews :
{ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 } | Joan's "greatest triumph"
Find out why a hive can only support 1 Queen-Bee when you watch JOAN's **Greatest Triumph**!
If you've never seen this movie you're in for a big surprise and even a guilty pleasure. And, if you have seen it then you've found a rare gem, that is cinematic gold, courtesy of the one and only, world-famed, Joan Crawford (may she rest in peace).
After more than a year I just saw this movie again and each time I watch it it's like the very first time. I can't begin to tell you how much I adore "Johnny Guitar." It's a broad mix of high-drama, action, country and western and buckles, boots & spurs! Some have even said that it's somewhat of a musical. No matter how you describe it though, you'll agree that the entire movie is like 1 huge Joan Crawford infomercial. Joan got the best scenes, the best costumes, the best lines and all the men were all in love with her and fighting for her. But she's Joan Crawford and what the woman wants the woman gets.
What I liked most about the movie is how it ended. So dramatic and over-the-top and in pure Joan Crawford cinema fashion! And usually at the end of an epic picture such as "Johnny Guitar" I am somewhat morose, but not this time. Because it's so beautiful and almost a celebration of the picture. I love how Johnny (Sterling Hayden) takes Vienna (Joan) and they kiss passionately under the waterfall as Peggy Lee's title anthem plays, then all of a sudden a huge eagle eclipses the screen with the words REPUBLIC imposed over it. So dramatic!
The film is important because it says so much. You can watch it strictly as a western and get a lot out of it. Or, you can sit and analyse the societal issues that plague both the Dancin' Kid's (played by character actor, Scott Brady) posse and Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge) and her gang. And perhaps you'll see that this is a story of rich, verses poor, or a story of a lovelorn, bitter and scorned woman who will stop at nothing to spread her rueful hate because damn it if she's miserable she's going to make sure that everyone that gets in her way will be miserable, too.
Speaking of miserable, Mercedes McCambridge played the perfect adversary to Joan. No, the 2 didn't like each other because they were each desperately envious of the other (for very different reasons). And in many scenes this viewer could see such raw emotion that broke the 4th wall and spilled out in real life. (Watch the first scene with Joan on the steps and Mercedes standing in front of her saying "I'm going to kill you." That look in both of their eyes cannot be duplicated because like the galaxies in the universe, it is completely unique). I think if Mercedes McCambridge learned anything it's that you don't mess with Joan Crawford, when she's been the reigning drama(tic) queen for the past 30 years prior.
The coup de grāce has gotta be when Emma scampers back into Vienna's and shoots down that huge, grand chandelier (that I think every Joan Crawford movie has). It wasn't enough that she railroaded Turkey (Ben Cooper) into betraying Vienna and it wasn't enough that she was about to have the 2 hung. Nope, this old (rhymes with) witch wanted to see Vienna's good time saloon burn as wild and hot as the hell-fire torch that she's held for the Dancin' Kid. (Or was all that just a rouse to hide the lurid lust that Emma really felt for Vienna...?)
Although in essence this was purely Joan's picture, there was something very intriguing about Mercedes McCambridge's character, Emma. Emma was the type of person who was desperate for love and desperate for attention; she wanted to have all eyes on her. But as much as she wanted to have people near her, that's how much she pushed them (all) away. I felt pity for her because she put up such a fight against Vienna, and although she played very dirty she still couldn't catch a break. Even her own posse was practically routing for Vienna. To me, the character of Emma is essentially more decisive than Vienna. Because Emma was a representation of what can happen if you let hate consume you. Like a disease it eats you up inside and it's all you can think about until you literally implode.
Contrary to the Wikipedia "Johnny Guitar" page the film has never been released officially on "DVD formats." There is actually no official release of the film in any country on DVD, including the US. The item on this page is a DVD that although is made in made in the UK is actually marketed to the US by a company that holds no proprietary rights over the picture. This DVD IS region-specific and includes. No special features are included and it has not been remastered in any way, shape, or form.
"Johnny Guitar" is also important because it included such a first-rate cast of very talented and established supporting stars. To name just a couple, Mr. Ernest Borgnine (a year before his defining picture, "Marty") played Bart Lonergan, a member of the Dancin' Kid's posse. In this role, Mr. Borgnine played against type, but even so, he was so believable and convincing as the group's resident Judas in disguise. And veteran western character actor Royal Dano played Corey, another member of the posse, who, like all of the men that came into contact her had a special place in his heart for Vienna.
Someday (soon???!!) I hope whomever owns the rights to the film (Republic, CBS Pictures/Video & Audio Communications, Inc.?) gets their act together and releases this modern-day masterpiece onto DVD. Joan Crawford fans have been waiting diligently for years to watch what was once described as "Joan's greatest triumph" in all its raging, colorful glory. Personally, I would be just happy with a straight transfer onto DVD, it doesn't need any extras or special features whatsoever.
"No excuse for a picture being this bad, or for me making it," Joan once said about "Johnny Guitar." Needless to say, as the perfectionist that she always was, Joan did not like anything that did not meet her high standards and "Johnny Guitar" was one of her movies that she never really accepted and in fact collectively went out of her way not to promote. But what's most unusual about Joan and what really says a lot about her character is that no matter how excellent a movie was that she made, she always was so humble and so gracious and so kind to her colleagues. But with a film that was less than perfect (in her mind) such as this one she tended to take all of the burden and blame herself completely. I just wish Joan were still alive today to see an entirely new generation of fans, fans who were not even born when she passed away, that are now enjoying this movie for the very first time. |
