Johnny Guitar (1954)

96% of critics liked it
(26 reviews)
84% of users liked it
(3,085 ratings)

One of the strangest westerns on record, Johnny Guitar has less in common with Zane Grey than it does with Sigmund Freud and Krafft-Ebbing. The title character, played by Sterling Hayden, is a guitar-strumming drifter who was once the lover of Arizona saloon-owner Vienna (Joan Crawford). Though her… More One of the strangest westerns on record, Johnny Guitar has less in common with Zane Grey than it does with Sigmund Freud and Krafft-Ebbing. The title character, played by Sterling Hayden, is a guitar-strumming drifter who was once the lover of Arizona saloon-owner Vienna (Joan Crawford). Though her establishment doesn't make a dime, Vienna doesn't care because the railroad is going to come in soon, bringing a whole slew of thirsty new customers. This puts her at odds with bulldyke rancher Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), who doesn't want any new settlers on her land. Hating Vienna with a purple passion, Emma will do anything to drive her out of the territory...and even worse, Emma's got the law and the other ranchers on her side. Hoping to keep Emma at bay, Vienna hires Johnny Guitar, who unbeknownst to everyone else in town is a notorious gunslinger. But Johnny prefers to bide his time, waiting for Emma to strike before he makes his move. As a result, Vienna endures several life-threatening experiences, culminating with a feverish chase through the Arizona wilds with lynch-happy Emma and her minions in hot pursuit. According to most sources, the animosity between Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge was quite real, added several extra dimensions to their scenes together. Director Nicholas Ray and screenwriter Philip Yordan stuff the film with so much sexual symbolism that one wonders why they left out a train going into a tunnel. Ms. Crawford's vivid red-and-blue wardrobe scheme was later appropriated by Ray for James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause--with equally stunning results. In addition to the stars, Johnny Guitar is well stocked with reliable supporting players, including Ernest Borgnine, Ben Cooper, Royal Dano (superb as a consumptive, book-reading hired gun) and Paul Fix. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: Nicholas Ray
Written By: Roy Chanslor, Philip Yordan
Genres: Western, Drama, Action & Adventure, Musical & Performing Arts

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1954 Limited
On DVD: Sep 16, 2008

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Let's put it down as a fiasco. Miss Crawford went thataway.
John Petrakis, Chicago Tribune
One of those classic westerns that has maintained its status by reinventing itself every decade since its release in 1954.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
For all its violence, this is a surpassingly tender, sensitive film, Ray's gentlest statement of his outsider theme.
Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Rich, creative Western with much to say about politics and gender.
Sarah Boslaugh, Playback:stl
...manages to be both a serious critique of McCarthyism and a camp classic...
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
A politically subversive Western, made during the McCarthy era, Nicholas Ray's cult movie offers two strong roles for women, Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge, who may be latently lesbian.
Kelly Vance, East Bay Express
This 1954 Freudian Western is one of the all-time left-field wonders of the studio system, a film so subversive it's a wonder it ever got made.
Chris Cabin, Filmcritic.com
A pop-culture madhouse dressed up in spurs and a cowboy hat
Gabe Leibowitz, Film and Felt
Like the other great American films of the 50's, Johnny Guitar breaks through the mold.
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Bizarre, unforgettable Nicholas Ray western that ends in two women shootout!
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
Quite possibly the weirdest Western ever made by a mainstream studio in the 1950s... I flat-out loved this movie.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
It's about time it was acclaimed for it what it really is: a genuine western film classic.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Ray's film is not a romantic comedy, but a Western. Or is it?
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
It has been called Freudian, feminist, operatic, high camp and plain bizarre. Best of all, the film acts as a vigorous indictment of the McCarthy witch-hunts; as a lynch mob rides after Crawford while McCambridge bullies witnesses into false confessions.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Matheus C

It's quite a weird western with Joan Crawford filling the John Wayne shoes, glossy romantic scenes which could be thrown into a Douglas Sirk film and all painted with dramatic red strokes - from the sunsets, to a dramatic fire to Crawford's iconic lips. And it all ends in a… More
It's quite a weird western with Joan Crawford filling the John Wayne shoes, glossy romantic scenes which could be thrown into a Douglas Sirk film and all painted with dramatic red strokes - from the sunsets, to a dramatic fire to Crawford's iconic lips. And it all ends in a rootin' tootin' gun shooting between its two female leads - a sort of Western version of a women's catfight. Peppered with great dialogue and a performance by Mercedes McCambridge which leaves no doubt why she was chosen to play the demon in "The Exorcist", there's little not to love.
AJ V

I hate westerns, so I rated it lower because of that, but it is a different kind of western than normal. The story is sort of boring, but the characters aren't is another way of putting it. Anyway, it's interesting.
First L

Joan Crawford is Vienna, a frontier woman you don't want to mess with, but her arch nemesis, the maniacally evil Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge) is one terrifying broad. The movie may be titled "Johnny Guitar", but it's all about the women duking it out, in a… More
Joan Crawford is Vienna, a frontier woman you don't want to mess with, but her arch nemesis, the maniacally evil Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge) is one terrifying broad. The movie may be titled "Johnny Guitar", but it's all about the women duking it out, in a sort of pseudo-feminist western (the men are all but dominated by the women). The film opens strongly, with a confrontation in Vienna's casino/bar. It seems the stage coach was robbed and Emma's brother was killed (they bring his body right into the casino and lay it down on the craps table). Emma blames Vienna's club and the men who frequent it, especially "the Dancin' Kid" (Scott Brady). In reality, Emma is in love with the Dancin' Kid and is jealous of his relationship with Vienna (who it's suggested, is sort of a fallen woman). She has another reason to hate Vienna; as the new railroad is being built, more and more outsiders will come to town, spreading their indecency and immorality. She thinks Vienna is the vanguard in an onslaught that will bring about her cherished town's destruction. She forms a posse and seeks to lynch Vienna, the Dancin' Kid and his cohorts. The Dancin' Kid claims he and his pardners are mining silver in a hidden mine, but they're being run out of town anyway. The Kid decides if they're going to be accused of being criminals, they may as well be criminals and they go and rob the bank. Vienna happens to be in the bank at the same time, closing her account. One thing leads to another, and it's Vienna who's accused of aiding the outlaws. In the midst of all this is Johnny Guitar, once Vienna's lover and now just a wandering minstrel. Vienna sends for Johnny to come and perform in her saloon, but really she wants to use him for protection, for you see Johnny is a former gunslinger, and one of the fastest and best gunmen in the west. The plot details don't mean a whole lot, as this is all just an excuse to see Crawford and McCambridge go at it, tooth and nail. All in all, it's good, 1950s, campy fun.
Michael G

Johnny Guitar is a decent western that even with the presence of horses, guns and cowboys didn't feel like a western. Nicholas Ray's direction is decent enough and it started off great, but about an hour in it just kind of went dead behind the eyes. I understand Joan… More
Johnny Guitar is a decent western that even with the presence of horses, guns and cowboys didn't feel like a western. Nicholas Ray's direction is decent enough and it started off great, but about an hour in it just kind of went dead behind the eyes. I understand Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge hated each others guts and it took a toll on Ray. Despite my not really caring after awhile, the cast makes the movie and if you don't want to dropkick McCambridge off the top of the Grand Canyon you're not alive. Worth the watch but don't trample any puppies to see it.
Stella D

campy and highly melodramatic but very entertaining. strong parallels to the mccarthy hearings. and there can't be too many westerns of this era with a shootout between two women! i couldn't help seeing stanwyck in joan's part but the ott performances are a big part… More
campy and highly melodramatic but very entertaining. strong parallels to the mccarthy hearings. and there can't be too many westerns of this era with a shootout between two women! i couldn't help seeing stanwyck in joan's part but the ott performances are a big part of the fun :)
Ken S

Solid Western Melodrama. Sterling Hayden is awesome as usual
William S

More than just the camp classic it's held up to be. A truly great and under-valued master-piece. A great western that touches on feminism, masculinity, gender, sexuality, lynch-mob mentality and is still supreme entertainment. The big climactic stand off with McCambridge and… More
More than just the camp classic it's held up to be. A truly great and under-valued master-piece. A great western that touches on feminism, masculinity, gender, sexuality, lynch-mob mentality and is still supreme entertainment. The big climactic stand off with McCambridge and Crawford makes me breathless!
jay n

bizarre
Jared H

This definitely seemed quite different than the other westerns that we've seen thus far in my western class. The role of women is interestingly managed here - you won't find a damsel in distress around these parts. And the overall entertainment value of this movie is pretty… More
This definitely seemed quite different than the other westerns that we've seen thus far in my western class. The role of women is interestingly managed here - you won't find a damsel in distress around these parts. And the overall entertainment value of this movie is pretty high. It did feel a little campy at times, but in the kind of way that probably has made it more enjoyable over time. I can almost sense that it had a fair amount of influence on Tarantino's Kill Bill movies. Maybe that's just me, but it has more of that edge than, say, a standard "classic" western like Shane.
MJS M

This Nicholas Ray film would appear to be a standard Republic western at first sight, but it has become a staple of film school analysis because it has a number of subversive elements in its subtext. There?s an obvious anti-McCarthy allegory to the story with its sympathy toward… More
This Nicholas Ray film would appear to be a standard Republic western at first sight, but it has become a staple of film school analysis because it has a number of subversive elements in its subtext. There?s an obvious anti-McCarthy allegory to the story with its sympathy toward people that are being persecuted by the elite of a town that tries to turn the gang against each other. There are also feminist elements to the film with Joan Crawford playing a very strong female protagonist and Mercedes McCambridge playing an equally strong female villain. This is definitely a step above its peers, but there are elements of cheese left over from its modest origins and it also has kind of a weak middle act between its strong beginning and stronger finish.
Emily B

A feminist western with the gender roles reversed. The title character is almost forgettable compared with Crawford and McCambridge and the bitter rivalry between them. The story itself is rather second rate, but the characters and the glorious overacting make this cult classic… More
A feminist western with the gender roles reversed. The title character is almost forgettable compared with Crawford and McCambridge and the bitter rivalry between them. The story itself is rather second rate, but the characters and the glorious overacting make this cult classic worth seeing.