Libramedi Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Kinley This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Scott LeBrun Joan Crawford once again displays that natural screen presence in the role of Vienna, a saloon owner who is regularly targeted by people in town. Her primary nemesis is Emma (Mercedes McCambridge), a self righteous bitch who is absolutely hellbent on either running Vienna out of town or actually having her hanged. Sterling Hayden is the title character, a traveling musician and a lover from Viennas' past. And charismatic young Scott Brady is The Dancin' Kid, the rascally character who stole the hearts of both women.Director Nicholas Ray does know how to reel you in right away, with an opening action set piece and the intense confrontations in the saloon that will soon follow. His is an interesting, intentionally offbeat Western. Based on the novel by Roy Chanslor, it spins a yarn in which the women take centre stage and the men often plod along in their wake. It's been praised for its symbolism, and some viewers see it as an allegory for the "Red Scare" of the era. It's gorgeously shot in "Trucolor" by Harry Stradling Sr., with the lavish interiors of Viennas' saloon contrasting with some of the stark exteriors. Victor Youngs' music is also aces. The dialogue is quite literate at times and has some choice quips as well. Although Philip Yordan is credited with the screenplay, it was actually director Ray himself and the blacklisted Ben Maddow who worked on it.The actors ignite some definite sparks. Behind the scenes friction between the principals results in some great film moments. Crawford, Hayden, McCambridge, and Brady are extremely well supported by a cast full of recognizable faces: Ward Bond, Ben Cooper, Ernest Borgnine, John Carradine, Royal Dano, Frank Ferguson, Paul Fix, Rhys Williams, Ian MacDonald, Trevor Bardette, Robert Osterloh, Denver Pyle, and Sheb Wooley. Borgnine steals his scenes as the Dancin' Kids' volatile associate Bart, but McCambridge is the true MVP of this production. She's superb at playing severely repressed and indignant."Johnny Guitar" was not a hit in its time, but appreciation for it has only grown over the 63 years since its release.Eight out of 10.

philip-davies31 I used to run a film society. My tastes are very eclectic. But this parade of tortured perversity masquerading as art makes a foolish exhibition out of the Western genre. The film is a highly-elaborated and unreal contrivance of introverted pretension. It is so full of 'meanings' that it is utterly incomprehensible, and so hysterically excitable as to be revolting and ridiculous. The airless narcissism is stifling. The whole thing is like finding oneself at a fancy-dress party where everybody is drunk or drugged to the point of delirium yet no-one is happy, and where confusion and oblivion are the suicidal social dynamic. The whole film degenerates into something like a drug-induced nightmare, offering nothing more than a glimpse into the desperate and doomed attempts of a confused and disordered mind to clarify itself by indulging in ever more of the vivid but febrile fantasies that seem to promise so much illumination, yet deliver only madness. 'Switch on, tune in and drop out' as the hippy mantra had it.Fascinating to those of uncertain temperament who like playing with their own peculiar failings, the movie is utterly revolting to those who need to engage with some experience that can be measured against a more recognisable reality. Many people still do not recognise the camp or the kitsch this film represents as anything more than a certain form of self-indulgent vulgarity that is content to perversely parade itself as the height of artistic sensibility. Count me as one of those who doubt the value of such a futile exercise. The entire cultural model in which this film is steeped disqualifies it from being taken seriously - except insofar as it is an offence against good taste. It is an ugly parody of anything artistic. It might amaze the perpetrators of such schlock to reflect that Oscar Wilde had the intelligence and taste to avoid all such vulgarity in his work! But then he wrote long before this self-congratulatory and self-indulgent cult of campness elevated outrageous eccentricity and egomania above serious talent. And, yes, I am calling out Nicolas Ray and I'm saying that, if he's a genius, then so is Ed Wood.

Red-125 Johnny Guitar (1954) was directed by Nicholas Ray. It's a real Western--dust, mountains, and six-guns. What makes it different from other Westerns is that it has great actors, great color cinematography, and a plot with depth.Joan Crawford stars as a saloon keeper named Vienna. Crawford was 50 when she made this film, but she looks and acts younger. Sterling Hayden plays Johnny 'Guitar' Logan. He's hired by Vienna as "protection," but it's obvious that she has been--and still is--in love with him.Mercedes McCambridge portrays Emma Small, whose name tells it all. She's tough as nails, but she has a small mind, and nothing will satisfy her until she sees Vienna dead. (Why she wants him dead is a long story.) Other reviewers have called Emma hysterical. I don't see it that way. Like many small-minded people, she wants power, and no one will have real power with Vienna around. This is a kind of movie where you sit back, enjoy the action, but shudder at the thought of what happens when a strong leader is able to bring people together as a lynch mob. (Very appropriate for 2017.)This film won't work as well on the small screen, but, unless you're lucky, that's probably how you'll see it. We were fortunate enough to see the movie at the excellent Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, NY. The film was shown as part of an Ernest Borgnine retrospective. Borgnine plays the supporting role of Bart Lonergan, who, of the presumed bad guys, is the only one who is truly a bad guy. Also look for John Carradine who portrays Old Tom, the cook, whom no one notices.

msmith-87318 Many people just think of this as simply a fantastic western movie, I mean it must have had a big distribution deal because it had huge box office takings world wide. But I think there is more depth to this movie than just that, I think the music that went along with it was truly amazing. I really like the pace at which the action in this movie plays out. The screen writers did a fantastic job is writing the script for the film also.I can't rate this film enough, I gate it 8 out of 10, maybe there were moments that could have been better but there are not many. Credits go out to all of the cast stand out performances from each one of them.Watch this film you will not be disappointed.