Johnny Guitar
Seen it?1954 | 110 min | Western
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for most people. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Easygoing.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 50 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1954: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
On the outskirts of town, the hard-nosed Vienna owns a saloon frequented by the undesirables of the region, including Dancin' Kid and his gang. Another patron of Vienna's establishment is Johnny Guitar, a former gunslinger and her lover. When a heist is pulled in town that results in a man's death, Emma Small, Vienna's rival, rallies the townsfolk to take revenge on Vienna's saloon – even without proof of her wrongdoing.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 83 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.4 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 80K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Nicholas Ray
- Joan CrawfordVienna
- Sterling HaydenJohnny 'Guitar' Logan
- Mercedes McCambridgeEmma Small
- Scott BradyDancin' Kid
- Ward BondJohn McIvers
- Ben CooperTurkey Ralston
- Ernest BorgnineBart Lonergan
- John CarradineOld Tom
- Royal DanoCorey
- Frank FergusonMarshal Williams