• S3E13 Feminist Westerns feat. Audra Wolfmann w/ Johnny Guitar (1954) & Forty Guns (57)

  • Sep 19 2024
  • Length: 1 hr and 27 mins
  • Podcast

S3E13 Feminist Westerns feat. Audra Wolfmann w/ Johnny Guitar (1954) & Forty Guns (57)

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  • Three time Ms. Noir City Audra Wolfmann joins us once again to look at some of the strangest Westerns ever produced by Hollywood. Both of these films have surprisingly feminist themes while being directed by two of the studio system's true iconoclasts. First, Joan Crawford as saloon keeper Vienna is pitted against Mercedes McCambridge as the sexually-frustrated matriarch Emma Small in JOHNNY GUITAR (1954) for control of an Arizona town, and its two most eligible bachelors: The Dancin' Kid (Scott Brady) and Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden). Vienna has had both of them, which Emma has had none, but Emma appears to be more attracted to her feminine rival judging by the intensity of her rages whenever she's around Vienna. Directed by Nicholas Ray, whose best-known film, REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955), also concerns a love triangle that doesn't conform to the gender norms of the time. Also starring Ernest Borgnine, Ward Bond, and John Carradine, and filmed in striking Trucolor by Henry A. Stradling (Hitchcock's SUSPICION; A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE). Next, Barbara Stanwyck is the "high ridin' woman with a whip in director Sam Fuller's utterly bizarre FORTY GUNS (1957), a movie as obsessed with dicks as its title would suggest. Three very Earp like brothers played by Barry Sullivan, Gene Barry, and Robert Dix (they couldn't find another Barry?) ride into Cochise County, Arizona and are immediately confronted by the movie's titular 40 guns. Stanwyck is Jessica Drummond, who rules the territory with lead and leather. Incredible camera work here by Fuller and cinematographer Joseph F. Biroc (THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN). We discussed Fuller previously way back in our Dark AF episode (S1E7) with THE NAKED KISS (1964). FORTY GUNS also stars Dean Jagger, Elvis' milquetoast dad from KING CREOLE (S2E10), as the milquetoast sheriff. We also ask all the hard questions like why Lady Gaga doesn't want to call the musical JOKER sequel a musical? The answer may surprise you. And please give us good reviews on Apple Podcasts. We could use em. Please check out Audra's amazing podcasts: SPEAKEASILY VS. THE 80s and RETROPHILIA. www.audrawolfmann.net podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/retr…re/id1598247675 Hosts: Philena Franklin, Bob Calhoun and Cory Sklar Special Guest: Audra Wolfmann Greg Franklin is on assignment OMFYS theme by Chaki the Funk Wizard used with permission "Drink to Forget" by the Hot Patooties used with permission. Thanks Beth! Trailer audio courtesy of Archive.org "Bone Dry" and "Spirit Riders" by Telecasted; "Desert Drive" by Everet Almond; and misc. gun shot sounds courtesy of YouTube Audio Library Horse sounds courtesy of freesound.org neighing horse.wav by soundslikewillem -- https://freesound.org/s/418428/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Horse galloping (coconut shells) version 1 by alanmcki -- https://freesound.org/s/403025/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 snorting horse.wav by soundslikewillem -- https://freesound.org/s/418427/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Web: www.oldmoviesforyoungstoners.com Instagram/Facebook (Meta): oldmoviesforyoungstoners Bluesky: @oldmoviesystoners.bsky.social Twitter (X): @OM4YStoners Contact: oldmoviesforyoungstoners AT gmail DOT com NEXT EPISODE: Hammer Horror with horror blogger Rowan Lee. Still haven't figured out what movies yet because we're stoned.
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