While this movie might seem like a standard western in the
sense that it has cowboys and outlaws it is as far removed from the standard as
possible while still fitting into the genre. Depending on your outlook the
movie can be seen as several things. For those who find sexual tension in
situations it can be their film. Others will view it as the western it
advertises itself to be. And yet some will see it as an allegorical tale of the
Communist scare in films at the time. The truth is it fits neatly into all of
these categories.
The story revolves around two women in a town on the verge
of growing in the Wild West. Vienna (Joan Crawford) is the headstrong owner of
the local saloon/gambling hall. She sees the future that is coming in the form
of a railroad making its way to the town and is preparing for it. Emma
(Mercedes McCambridge) wants the town to remain the cattle land that it was.
These two strong female characters are at odds with one another and it
eventually boils over.
Add to the mix is the fact that Emma is in love with the
Dancin’ Kid (Scott Brady), a tough guy wannabe who has taken an interest in
Vienna. Emma’s jealousy is as much a motivation for her hatred of all things
Vienna as the possibility of the town growing. Her sexual repression in the
form of the Kid’s refusal of her affection becomes a motivating factor as the
film progresses.
Into the mix enter Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden).
Supposedly hired to be an entertainer for the saloon the reality is that he and
Vienna have a past. Guitar is in actuality a famed gunslinger who was in prison
while Vienna was making her stand in this town. Their relationship is one that
blows hot and cold throughout this film. Whether or not they will end up
together isn’t seen until the end of the film.
As tempers flare and battle lines are drawn accusations run
rampant. When Emma’s brother is killed and the stage held up she blames Vienna
and the Dancin’ Kid and his gang. With the help of another landowner named
McIvers (Ward Bond) they give Vienna, the Kid and his gang 24 hours to leave
town against the protests of the local sheriff. But Vienna is innocent and
determined to stand her ground.
The Kid and his gang, on the other hand, decide to take them
up on their offer. With their silver mine played out, a mine none of the
landowners believed existed, they decide to rob the bank (which is owned by
Emma) and head out. Before the robbery Vienna is taking her money out of the
bank before Emma can take it from her. When the townsfolk learn she was in the
bank just before it was robbed they peg her as an accomplice. Emma fuels the
flames and a crowd ready for a hanging goes off in search of not just the gang
but Vienna as well.
Most film critics and those who love this film come at it
from the angle that it was an indictment of the Communist scare at the time.
Often labeled McCarthyism, McCarthy had nothing to do with the Communist
investigations in Hollywood. Those were led by the House Un-American Activities
Committee or HUAC. It was through HUAC that the famed Hollywood ten came to be,
ten film makers who were blacklisted in the business. It was HUAC that required
names be provided in return for “protection”, a policy that led to a mob
mentality in order to save your career if you worked in film.
That mob mentality in the face of innocence is what is
portrayed in this film. While Vienna has done nothing wrong Emma incites the
people of this town to hate her as much as she does. She encourages them to
focus their ills on Vienna, stoking the flames until they are all ready to hang
her without a shred of evidence.
My only problem was that this concept was laid on so thick
it almost made any other plotline invisible at times. That may be that I’m
watching this film for the first time after having been made aware of its
background. The film offers this side of the issue in the most extreme of emotions
that at times it feels like it makes no sense that people would be this caught
up in things without any provocation. Coming at it after years of history that
also revealed a number of the things HUAC and McCarthy claimed were indeed
factual also makes the movie different than it would have played when it was initially
released.
The acting ranges from very good to somewhat lame with lines
delivered by various characters who are then either believable or feel false.
The situation also does the same. Perhaps that is because the extreme hatred
between the characters of Vienna and Emma begin with their first scene together
rather than develop, as if we walked in on a film with the first reel missing.
Once you get the idea of what is happening it evens out though.
The film was released two years after HIGH NOON, another
western that took on the same topic in an allegorical fashion. That film was
much more subtle and played better. This isn’t to fault this film, but this one
seems more melodramatic than HIGH NOON. Perhaps that’s due to fact the lead
character moves from male to female during a time when women were more prone to
melodrama than men in Hollywood films.
In the end the movie is entertaining and a piece of
Hollywood history. For myself I was pleased as could be to have my first
opportunity to see this film in a format and presentation that was high
quality. Olive Films has released this movie as part of their Signature Series.
This means that it will be the best quality print available and include several
extras that will be worth watching. The extras on this release include an
introduction to the film by Martin Scorsese, an audio commentary track with historian
Geoff Andrew, Tell Us She Was One of You: The Blacklist History of Johnny Guitar
a featurette with historian Larry Ceplair and blacklisted screenwriter Walter
Bernstein, Is Johnny Guitar a Feminist Western?: Questioning the Canon a
featurette with critics Miriam Bale, Kent Jones, Joe McElhaney and B. Ruby
Rich, Free Republic: The Story of Herbert J. Yates and Republic Pictures a
featurette with archivist Marc Wanamaker, a critical appreciation of Nicholas
Ray with critics Miriam Bale, Kent Jones, Joe McElhaney and B. Ruby Rich, My
Friend, the American Friend a featurette with a Nicholas Ray biographical piece
with Tom Farrell and Chris Sievernich and Johnny Guitar: The First Existential
Western an original essay by critic Jonathan Rosenbaum. This release also
offers the film in 4k resolution so you are getting the highest quality
reproduction of the film ever released on disc to date.
As a historical piece this film is finally getting the
recognition it deserves. For film loves it is a joy to see classic films like
this get the release they deserve. For me it was entertaining, interesting and
a joy to watch. Fans of Crawford, westerns and film history will want to add this
version of the film to their collection.
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