Cert PG
105 mins
BBFC advice: TBA
Oh, those Sunday afternoons after chicken dinner, Star Soccer and then a good old-fashioned Western.
I could almost taste the Corona dandelion and burdock as I watched Nicholas Ray's Johnny Guitar.
But, as much as I love movies from the golden age of cinema, I couldn't help think that this 2016 re-release was very dated.
One of its issues, both contemporary and retrospective, is that Joan Crawford is set up as a tough but sexy lead. She is the former but, in my opinion, not the latter.
Here Crawford offers the allure for two much younger hunks (Sterling Hayden and Scott Brady) who tangle for her affection but she never convinces when attempting to portray a tender side.
I have to admit that I may have been subliminally influenced in my thinking by my knowledge of Mommie Dearest in which one of her real-life children revealed she was a tyrant.
Crawford's career was in decline by 1954 when Johnny Guitar was released and it was panned by critics at the time although has gathered more love over the years.
It stars Crawford as a bar and casino owner on the dusty outskirts of an Arizona town where a railroad is being built.
However, the local cattlemen who have already built up their fortune, want rid of a potential rival and her allies, notably The Dancin' Kid (Brady) who they believe has held-up a stagecoach,
Meanwhile, the mysterious Johnny Guitar (Hayden) arrives on the scene with what appears to be no protection from the gunslingers.
Johnny Guitar is not a clearcut 'goodies vs baddies' Western. And it is unusual among the genre in that is chief protagonists are women (Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge).
In fact, McCambridge makes a rather excellent villain and the pair are much more prominent than the Johnny Guitar character after which the film is named.
By 2016's standards, the acting is rather overwrought and the action reminded me of a 'best man's fall' game we played when we were kids.
Nevertheless, it rekindled fond memories and kept me engaged.
Reasons to watch: Good old-fashioned Western
Reasons to avoid: Some of the acting is rather overwrought
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 6/10
Star tweet
/JOHNNY GUITAR/ (Ray, 54) Who cares about continuity editing when you have pure emotion? Co-starring Mercedes McCambridge as Donald Trump.
No comments:
Post a Comment