Review of Johnny Guitar (1954) by Barbara H — 13 Aug 2008
I don't really know why this movie has such a decent reputation. Yes, the plot is unusual and Sterling Hayden is fine in the male lead but the problem I had in the movie was the role played by Joan Crawford.
Her part just wasn't believable and actually made me laugh. This is because it just isn't consistent--one minute she acts like Ma Kettle on crack, the next a female version of Edward G. Robinson and the next she seems to be in an unconvincing clinch with a man.
I wonder if the movie were done nowadays with differing sensibilities that the movie would have been made much differently--with Vienna (Crawford) being cast as a lesbian. As I watched her in the movie, I just kept thinking that maybe that was exactly what the writers had in mind but were afraid to broach the subject in the 1950s.
In fact, they seemed to almost "tack on" the romance with Hayden precisely because they were worried that the average viewer might just think she was gay.
This review of Johnny Guitar (1954) was written by Barbara H on 13 Aug 2008.
Johnny Guitar has generally received very positive reviews.
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