Johnny Guitar
Red Rock Crossing, Sedona, Arizona:  Some people call it Hell, but it's still Arizona, and where we meet Vienna Jones (Joan Crawford).  She's about to have a house fall on her for making eyes at the town bully, The Dancin' Kid (Scott Brady).  Sexually repressed Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), the wickedest witch in the West, wants him for herself.

And will step on anyone who gets in her way.

Vienna's old flame, Johnny Logan (Sterling Hayden) looks like the hero of this strange tale, but he doesn't carry a gun, he carries a guitar, and spends much of his screen time just standing around.  Even as the dancin' man and his gang (Ben Cooper, Ernest Borgnine, and Royal Dano) rob the town bank.  It's the women who do the shootin' --- not what they usually step up to do in a western, but we have never seen them this ornery or revenge-minded.

Not a western theater managers should have shown at our Saturday matinees, but they did, Mom, they did.

Honest.

Nicholas Ray directed.

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