What is Johnny Guitar / True Story of Jesse James about?

JOHNNY GUITAR, 1954, Republic (Paramount), 110 min. Joan Crawford is headstrong Vienna, a saloon-owner waiting for the railroad to reach her town. But her friendship with charming outlaw, The Dancing Kid (Scott Brady) jeopardizes her standing in the local community. If things weren’t bad enough, the uptight landowners are led by vindictively jealous Emma (a frightening Mercedes McCambridge) who will do anything to repress her yen for The Kid, even if she has to lynch half the town to do it. Enter Vienna’s returning old flame, Johnny (Sterling Hayden), a fast-draw who has given up guns for a guitar! TRUE STORY OF JESSE JAMES, 1957, 20th Century Fox, 92 min. Director Nicholas Ray was hamstrung by studio interference in his remake of the Tyrone Power-starring original, but there are still enough off-kilter touches as well as the filmmaker’s trademark brilliant use of color to make it more than worthwhile viewing.

Johnny Guitar / True Story of Jesse James

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What is Johnny Guitar / True Story of Jesse James about?: JOHNNY GUITAR, 1954, Republic (Paramount), 110 min. Joan Crawford is headstrong Vienna, a saloon-owner waiting for the railroad to reach her town. But her friendship with charming outlaw, The Dancing Kid (Scott Brady) jeopardizes her standing in the local community. If things weren’t bad enough, the uptight landowners are led by vindictively jealous Emma (a frightening Mercedes McCambridge) who will do anything to repress her yen for The Kid, even if she has to lynch half the town to do it. Enter Vienna’s returning old flame, Johnny (Sterling Hayden), a fast-draw who has given up guns for a guitar!

TRUE STORY OF JESSE JAMES, 1957, 20th Century Fox, 92 min. Director Nicholas Ray was hamstrung by studio interference in his remake of the Tyrone Power-starring original, but there are still enough off-kilter touches as well as the filmmaker’s trademark brilliant use of color to make it more than worthwhile viewing.