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The Ballad of Little Jo

Play trailer Poster for The Ballad of Little Jo R 1993 2h 4m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
77% Tomatometer 53 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
After becoming pregnant outside marriage, Josephine (Suzy Amis) is thrown out by her embarrassed upper-class family. With no money, she gives up the baby and travels west, where she constantly fears for her safety against predatory men. Josephine begins to masquerade as a man named Jo, and eventually settles down in a small town where she is employed as a sheep herder for Frank Badger (Bo Hopkins). Jo hides the truth until worker Tinman Wong (David Chung) is forced to move in with her.

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The Ballad of Little Jo

The Ballad of Little Jo

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Critics Consensus

It sometimes moseys when it should have galloped, but The Ballad of Little Jo entertainingly upends genre formula while simultaneously highlighting its strengths.

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Critics Reviews

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Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com 10/03/2023
3/4
Its ethereal, penetrating tenacity as it strips Western mythology to shreds and reveals its blatantly misogynistic center is striking, and the tragically haunting truthfulness of its final images is impossible to forget. Go to Full Review Claire Monk Sight & Sound 03/18/2021
The Ballad of Little Jo is an exemplary and often starkly beautiful tale -- a mix of adventure and romance which succeeds in reinstating female experience into a genre which has by definition sidelined it. Go to Full Review Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune 03/18/2021
3/4
Although Amis Isn't convincing as a man, the story still holds some power. Go to Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid 02/20/2024
3.5/4
Maggie Greenwald directs with a serene beauty and elegant pacing, bringing to mind such films as 'Brokeback Mountain.' Go to Full Review Michael J. Casey Michael J. Cinema 02/06/2024
4/5
Feels like an expansion of the canvas...to show that our previous notions of the so-called frontier have been much too narrow. Go to Full Review Jeff Simon Buffalo News 03/18/2021
3.5/4
It's a rare and quietly impressive movie. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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03/24/2016 A fairly entertaining western, with a great female protagonist. Also, this is perhaps Sir Ian McKellen's most evil role to date. He plays such a pig. The scene with the prostitute may haunt you for life. See more 11/13/2013 Genre bender : loved loved loved!! See more 06/25/2012 This is one the best little westerns most people have probably never heard of. I saw it when it came out and watched it again last night on DVD, and it's still just as good. I thought Suzy Amis turned in a fabulous performance, and the story is fascinating. See more 02/14/2012 This is a real stinker. One of the worst movies I ever saw. It doesn't really have a plot, it just meanders off into nothing. Truly awful. See more 08/22/2010 Kinda slow and not really my kind of style but the story was great :) The actors performance too. See more 04/26/2010 This movie was interesting, its older which I normally don't care for. Parts were hard to watch but the ending was really funny. I watched it in a group setting which I felt made it better on the whole. See more Read all reviews
The Ballad of Little Jo

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Cast & Crew

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Maggie Greenwald

Director

Suzy Amis

Josephine "Jo" Monaghan

Bo Hopkins

Frank Badger

Ian McKellen

Percy Corcoran

David Chung

Tinman Wong

Carrie Snodgress

Ruth Badger

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The Ballad of Little Jo

The Ballad of Little Jo (1993) The Ballad of Little Jo (1993) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After becoming pregnant outside marriage, Josephine (Suzy Amis) is thrown out by her embarrassed upper-class family. With no money, she gives up the baby and travels west, where she constantly fears for her safety against predatory men. Josephine begins to masquerade as a man named Jo, and eventually settles down in a small town where she is employed as a sheep herder for Frank Badger (Bo Hopkins). Jo hides the truth until worker Tinman Wong (David Chung) is forced to move in with her.
Director
Maggie Greenwald
Producer
Fred Berner, Brenda Goodman
Rating
R
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Mar 29, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$459.3K
Runtime
2h 4m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo