Review of Johnny Guitar (1954) by Patryk C — 24 Nov 2012

Johnny Guitar is arguably the most spellbinding, psychosexual, genre-bending western ever made. While it didnâ(TM)t receive critical acclaim when it first came out, since then it has grown to become one of Nicholas Rayâ(TM)s indisputable classics. Through a full-bodied character-driven narrative Johnny Guitar stirs a debate about its many evident Freudian connotations.

The most bizarre thing about this film is the fact that at first itâ(TM)s rather hard to match it to one particular genre. Though the setting, the characters and their outfits fit a typical western perfectly, Johnny Guitar starts of quite unpredictably and stays this way till the very end. Itâ(TM)s a radical creation, one thatâ(TM)s not afraid to step beyond established boundaries, in order to show its mad, subversive, yet astonishingly creative nature.

When a lone ranger ridiculously named Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden, obviously with a guitar in his hand) steps into a saloon somewhere in the Far West no one comes of the whole affair unharmed. Heâ(TM)s there to find solace and earn a living, but his arrival only foreshadows a dramatic turn of events. Soon an angry mob steps into the canteen, ravishingly mad at its owner, a beautiful yet mysterious woman named Vienna (Joan Crawford), and her four no-goodniks friends â" Dancinâ(TM) Kind and his entourage. After a robust exchange of views the group leaves the place, but promises revenge for the death of their fellow men, killed that day in a stagecoach holdup. Vienna knows that itâ(TM)s the work of her thuggish buddies, but still decides to aid them. However, she doesnâ(TM)t know that the leader of the mob, a psychotic, temperamental, and very persuasive Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), will do everything in order to see Viennaâ(TM)s demise.

In the meantime, Johnnyâ(TM)s true identity is revealed, and heâ(TM)s really not what he seems. Behind the tranquil, soft mask of a guitar player hides a dark past, which involves Vienna, a heartfelt romance, and a gun craze. Fortunately for the lady and her tough yet frightened friends, Johnny might be the savior everyone was looking for. In the amazingly climatic finale, the two groups take part in a deadly shootout.

Johnny Guitar is a tender, high camp, sometimes a bit too melodramatic, but still strangely unforgettable western with a lot of romance and sexual tension, all wrapped up in a nice, bold, politically relevant package. Emma is jealous of Viennaâ(TM)s easiness with men, becomes obsessed, and is finally ready to finish off her old rival. Now she finally got her motive, and sheâ(TM)s ready to do some damage, unaware of the repulsion her behavior causes. Vienna is her counterpart, a strong and independent lady who is loved by all men and loathed by women. Johnny Guitar is probably the most unusual western ever, where female characters are in the center, and the duel between them is the filmâ(TM)s most effective sequence. The tension, the sexual drive, and their anger combined make men look small to be even significant in the end.