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Johnny Guitar

Play trailer Poster for Johnny Guitar 1954 1h 50m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 50 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
On the outskirts of town, the hard-nosed Vienna (Joan Crawford) owns a saloon frequented by the undesirables of the region, including Dancin' Kid (Scott Brady) and his gang. Another patron of Vienna's establishment is Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden), a former gunslinger and her lover. When a heist is pulled in town that results in a man's death, Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), Vienna's rival, rallies the townsfolk to take revenge on Vienna's saloon -- even without proof of her wrongdoing.
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Johnny Guitar

Johnny Guitar

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Critics Consensus

Johnny Guitar confidently strides through genre conventions, emerging with a brilliant statement that transcends its period setting -- and left an indelible mark.

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Critics Reviews

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Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com Sep 25, 2024
4/4
There’s a reason that, seven decades after its original release, audiences and filmmakers alike are still wowed by Johnny Guitar and all its colorfully ambitious histrionics. Go to Full Review Anton Bitel Little White Lies Sep 20, 2021
Ray's film is a western, but it is also an amplified melodrama, with a rich seam of deviant psychology just waiting to be disinterred from its dusty surface. Its time has come. Go to Full Review Roger Ebert RogerEbert.com Jan 24, 2018
4/4
A cheap Western from Republic Pictures, yes. And also one of the boldest and most stylized films of its time, quirky, political, twisted. Go to Full Review Ray Pride Newcity Jul 4, 2024
10/10
Nicholas Ray’s gaudy masterpiece the almost “too modern for me” psychological wowser... a stylized, poetic Western like no other... Want to talk hot, burning Trucolor? Want to talk blurred gender roles? Let’s talk Joan Crawford and Sterling Hayden. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills Sep 20, 2023
Johnny Guitar is a classic, and god knows it has camp value, but it’s not exactly a “camp classic.” Its excesses are all very deliberate, not some accident of ineptitude or bad taste. Go to Full Review Zita Short InSession Film Feb 1, 2023
Johnny Guitar has the benefit of featuring a performance from the greatest movie star of all time. Whenever Joan Crawford shows up in a film, you know that she is going to command your attention and Nicholas Ray seems to be aware of the fact. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Kyle M @RT77296778 Sep 21, 2026 Many westerns are eventfully generic regarding supposed production challenges with formulaic manifestations of indistinguishable conventions onto little differentiations unless by circumstantial scope. This film marches and confronts all the same, but within the exchanging dialogues is a stirring character study that captivates out of curiosity, also noting occasional humanity beneath the roughened demeanor, above the impressive star power whilst deviating the tropes, albeit the forgettable eponymous accompaniment that was meant tonally signify. (B+) See more G L @RT09869090 Aug 31, 2026 Should've been called Vienna instead of Johnny Guitar but it's still a real good western. See more Joe D @RT53872997 Sep 17, 2025 Joan is way too old, and the script is a little too slow. Great cast, but a real slog See more Emilio S. @Emiliojesus Aug 20, 2025 Great movie from my childhood! Never will forget it. See more Jeff S @jeffstone Mar 11, 2024 A good Western with some fabulous dialogue made into an excellent film by a mesmerizing Joan Crawford. See more Steve D @RT35616104 Jan 24, 2024 Great western with a cast equal to the story. See more Read all reviews
Johnny Guitar

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Cast & Crew

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Nicholas Ray

Director

Joan Crawford

Vienna

Sterling Hayden

Johnny "Guitar" Logan

Mercedes McCambridge

Emma Small

Scott Brady

Dancin' Kid

Ward Bond

John McIvers

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Johnny Guitar

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Movie Info

Synopsis On the outskirts of town, the hard-nosed Vienna (Joan Crawford) owns a saloon frequented by the undesirables of the region, including Dancin' Kid (Scott Brady) and his gang. Another patron of Vienna's establishment is Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden), a former gunslinger and her lover. When a heist is pulled in town that results in a man's death, Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), Vienna's rival, rallies the townsfolk to take revenge on Vienna's saloon -- even without proof of her wrongdoing.
Director
Nicholas Ray
Producer
Nicholas Ray
Screenwriter
Roy Chanslor, Philip Yordan
Distributor
Republic Pictures
Production Co
Republic Pictures Corporation
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 27, 1954, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 6, 2014
Runtime
1h 50m
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