The Ballad of Little Jo (1993)

08/16/2018 I suggest that you read the wiki bio of Josephine Monaghan and look at the images before watching this movie. It will make a difference if you do. The movie is perfection and the fact that it's based on a true to life woman makes it all the more special. I loved it and believe that you will too. Keep in mind that this is not a biography so the writer and director have creator license to alter the storyline or any other fact that they see fit. Bon Appetit

Josephine made a fatal mistake: she got pregnant from a photographer, her father throws her out, she goes west. The film shows the options for a pretty woman like Josephine, alone, with no money, at that time on the west: to be sold like merchandise, to be raped.Her choice is to disguise herself as a man, so she becomes Little Jo. Suzy Amis has a great performance as Jo, she is very pretty, the fact that she does not really look like a man is not important, she is very convincing as a human being. Throughout the film you realize how Jo is a great person, she accepts her fate and tries to do the best she can about it. Bo Hopkins is Frank Badger, her tough friend and their relationship, and also Jo's relationship with David Chung are the best things of this western.

I liked the movie. I found the story quite amusing and inspiring. I thought the acting was great too. I really think Suzie did a great job of portraying a woman trying to survive in a man's world. I enjoyed the perspective that it gave the viewer as to the expectations of gender roles. I loved the reactions of the towns' people when the truth was discovered, ranging from amused to outraged. All in all, I was very impressed by the whole story and the way it was portrayed by the actresses and actors in this film. I would recommend it.

i had never heard of this film, and after seeing it wish i hadn't come across it in the video store. the only believable performance was by the always excellent ian mckellan, who breathed life into the woman-hating character he was portraying, although i kept wondering what he was doing in this movie. the lead actress delivered all of her lines in a loud, monotone, stilted voice, reminiscent of junior high school drama class. i had to leave before it was over, but the friend i was with admitted that it got better once you accepted how bad it was and let it wash over you. i never bothered watching the end, her synopsis was probably more entertaining.