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IMDb > The Ballad of Little Jo (1993)

The Ballad of Little Jo (1993) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2)
The Ballad of Little Jo (1993) -- Open-ended Trailer from Fine Line Features
The Ballad of Little Jo (1993) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   747 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 13% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Maggie Greenwald (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Ballad of Little Jo on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 August 1993 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
In the Wild West, a woman had only two choices. She could be a wife or she could be a whore... Josephine Monaghan chose to be a man.
Plot:
Based on a true story, this is the tale of Josephine Monaghan, a young woman of the mid-19th century... more | add synopsis
Awards:
2 nominations more
User Reviews:
a little slow, but excellent nonetheless more (22 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Suzy Amis ... Josephine 'Jo' Monaghan
Bo Hopkins ... Frank Badger

Ian McKellen ... Percy Corcoran
David Chung ... Tinman Wong

Heather Graham ... Mary Addie

Rene Auberjonois ... Streight Hollander
Carrie Snodgress ... Ruth Badger

Anthony Heald ... Henry Grey

Melissa Leo ... Beatrice Grey

Sam Robards ... Jasper Hill
Olinda Turturro ... Elvira
Ruth Maleczech ... Shopkeeper
Jeffrey Andrews ... Sam
Cathy Haase ... Mrs. Addie
Peadair S. Addie Sr. ... Mr. Addie
more
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Little Man Jo (New Zealand: English title) (video title)
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Runtime:
UK:121 min | USA:121 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Little Jo shoots his(her) first wolf, the wolf has a rope tied around his leg and it's being pulled on to make him lie down. more
Quotes:
Frank Badger: Do you think he's going to make it?
Ruth Badger: Well, he's got one foot on the other side.
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FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
8 out of 9 people found the following review useful.
a little slow, but excellent nonetheless, 31 December 2005
8/10
Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida

This is a non-action-oriented Western about a woman who, for years, masquerades as a man. At the beginning of the film, she is thrown out by her father after she gives birth to an illegitimate child, so she travels west. However, along the way, she is attacked and decides to disguise herself as a guy so she'll be left alone. While this might be seen as a strongly feminist or gay-positive movie (featuring a very alternative lifestyle, indeed), the movie did not seem preachy or agenda-driven. Instead, it is a smart film that takes a very slow and leisurely pace to the ultimate conclusion. I would have preferred the pace and mood to perhaps be a little less somber, but considering how intelligent the film was, I will certainly forgive this.

Particular standouts are Suzy Amis as Jo and Bo Hopkins. I always felt that Hopkins was a bit of a light-weight (particularly considering the parts in the 1970s), but he proves himself to be an excellent actor. It's a real shame neither of these actors got much work after the film debuted--they certainly deserved it.

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