Johnny Guitar (1954) ***

While I appreciate an atypical western (one that has a female lead), I found Johnny Guitar (1954) to be a bit of a mixed bag, particularly for a film that is mostly gushed with praise. 

Joan Crawford is really good in Nicholas Ray's film and, really, she is the protagonist, so it should have been titled Vienna—a fine western-sounding title and one that would have made more sense. Sterling Hayden (who is also good but much better in other types of roles) is the titular Johnny "Guitar" Logan, a supposed reformed gunslinger and former flame of Vienna's who has returned to her life in a town that treats her like a "tramp". 

The chemistry between Crawford and Hayden is lacking but the dialogue is great, as is some of the production design and action. Mercedes McCambridge is fun to watch but really over-the-top in her villainy, coming off as a Wicked Witch Of The West type, which feels out of place here.

Overall, Johnny Guitar is a film that I think anyone with a passing interests in old-school westerns should see. It has some interesting, non-conventional characterizations and it's a good, solid film but it failed to wow me.

You can find my Nicholas Ray Feature Films Ranked list here.