JOHNNY GUITAR
DIRECTED BY NICHOLAS RAY
ORIGINAL MUSIC BY VICTOR YOUNG
REPUBLIC PICTURES
Information from IMDb
Plot Summary
Vienna has built a saloon outside of town, and she hopes to build her own town once
the railroad is put through, but the townsfolk want her gone.
When four men hold up a stagecoach and kill a man the town officials,
led by Emma Small, come to the saloon to grab four of Vienna's friends,
the Dancin' Kid and his men. Vienna stands strong against them,
and is aided by the presence of an old acquaintance of hers,
Johnny Guitar, who is not what he seems.
Written by Ed Sutton
Full Cast
Joan Crawford ... Vienna
Sterling Hayden ... Johnny 'Guitar' Logan
Mercedes McCambridge ... Emma Small
Scott Brady ... Dancin' Kid
Ward Bond ... John McIvers
Ben Cooper ... Turkey Ralston
Ernest Borgnine ... Bart Lonergan
John Carradine ... Old Tom
Royal Dano ... Corey
Frank Ferguson ... Marshal Williams
Paul Fix ... Eddie
Rhys Williams ... Mr. Andrews
Ian MacDonald ... Pete
India Adams ... Singer for Miss Joan Crawford (singing voice) (uncredited)
Trevor Bardette ... Jenks (uncredited)
George Bell ... Posseman (uncredited)
Bob Burrows ... Posseman (uncredited)
Curley Gibson ... Posseman (uncredited)
Chick Hannon ... Posseman (uncredited)
Clem Harvey ... Posseman (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe ... Frank - Bartender (uncredited)
John Maxwell ... Jake - Bank Clerk (uncredited)
Sheilk O'Brien ... Posseman (uncredited)
Robert Osterloh ... Sam (uncredited)
Denver Pyle ... Posseman (uncredited)
Rocky Shahan ... Cowboy at Hanging (uncredited)
Dean Williams ... Posseman (uncredited)
Sumner Williams ... Posseman (uncredited)
Sheb Wooley ... Posseman (uncredited)
Will Wright ... Ned - Bank Teller (uncredited)
Writing Credits
Philip Yordan (screenplay)
Roy Chanslor (novel)
Ben Maddow uncredited
Nicholas Ray uncredited
Cinematography
Harry Stradling Sr.
Trivia
Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge fought both on and off camera. One night, in a drunken rage, Crawford scattered the costumes worn by McCambridge along an Arizona highway. Cast and crew had to collect the outfits.
In scenes where the horses rode near a waterfall, they were fitted with blinders. The animals were so afraid of the waterfall that they wouldn't go near it without the blinders on.
Joan Crawford insisted on her close-ups only being filmed in the studio, where the lighting could be rigidly controlled. No close-up of her was ever shot while on location.
Although Philip Yordan is credited as a screenwriter on the film, his contribution to the screenplay actually was written by Ben Maddow, whom Yordan fronted for, splitting the fee with the black-listed writer.
Joan Crawford, who had bought the rights to the novel, selling it to Republic Pictures with the provision that she would star, initially wanted Claire Trevor to play the part of Emma and was jealous of the younger, competitive Mercedes McCambridge.
At one point in the movie Johnny says, "I'm a stranger here myself." This was Nicholas Ray's own personal motto, a recurring theme in his movies, and reportedly the working title for just about every movie he directed.
This film was intended for 3D viewing.
Sterling Hayden said: "There is not enough money in Hollywood to lure me into making another picture with Joan Crawford. And I like money."
According to Penny Stallings' 'Flesh and Fantasy', the crew broke into spontaneous applause after one of Mercedes McCambridge's powerhouse scenes, which infuriated star Joan Crawford. According to Nicholas Ray, he then began shooting the younger actress's scenes in the early morning before Crawford got there. After the star witnessed one of these early shoots, she flew into a rage, broke into McCambridge's dressing room, and slashed her clothes to shreds. McCambridge blamed her next two years of inactivity on Crawford's repeated attempts to blacklist her.
Goofs
Continuity: In the beginning of the film, when Johnny Guitar passes by the miners riding, his shadow is projected to his left side. In the next shot it is projected to his right side.
Continuity: When Johnny has the shootout with Bart in front of the hill-top cabin, in the background we can see Vienna standing on the deck of the cabin, her body all the way to the timber railing. She is in sunlight. Then the view of her goes to a closeup, but now she is standing inside the door opening - in what is obviously a studio shot. This is probably connected to the fact that Joan Crawford insisted on her close-ups only being filmed in the studio, where the lighting could be rigidly controlled. No close-up of her was ever shot while on location.
Filming Locations
Red Rock Crossing, Sedona, Arizona, USA
Sedona, Arizona, USA