Gender-bending Western, pre-JOHNNY GUITAR
JOHNNY GUITAR gets lots of critical praise for being the best gender-bending Western, but I nominate CATTLE QUEEN OF MONTANA. The heroine, Sierra Nevada Jones (Barbara Stanwyck) is less of a caricature than Vienna (Joan Crawford) in JOHNNY GUITAR. Sierra wears pants, shoots guns, and runs a cattle business. The dress-wearing women in town stare at her and gossip about her, but Sierra isn't bothered in the slightest. She doesn't change her appearance or behavior to attract a man. The object of her affection (Ronald Reagan) likes Sierra exactly the way she is. The DVD cover art is rather unfortunate, because it implies Reagan comes to Sierra's rescue. In fact, Sierra rescues Reagan from an Indian attack, then makes the first move by kissing him --- and he doesn't push her away for being too forward. The portrayal of the Indians is surprisingly ahead of its time. Most of the local Blackfoot tribe has no problem with white settlers. A few renegades attack settlers, but it turns out they are working for a white cattle baron who doesn't want any competition in his territory. Realistically, we see good and bad people on both sides, As in most Westerns, people are shot by guns and arrows; the deaths are quick and bloodless. Appropriate for all ages.
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