Such a frustrating disappointment

Expected more

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

I really liked this film. I've been around enough real cowboys and stockmen to know that a woman could successfully masquerade as a slender, somewhat pretty young man. Especially if she deliberately gives herself a disfiguring scar (an old trick to discourage people from looking closely at your face). It was clear in the film that many of Jo's fellow miners and stockmen felt that she was a bit effeminate and, as Frank Badger puts it, "peculiar".But being peculiar wasn't a crime and a small man who kept to himself on a remote ranch, didn't bother other men, and made an honest living in the hardscrabble world of livestock ranching probably wouldn't have been subject to close scrutiny. Plus, Jo went armed and it was always dicey to make trouble for an armed man. And, once Jo has saved Frank's life and killed two ambushers, her status as a man would have been pretty well assured.I felt the final scene where Frank Badger is angrily smashing Jo's cabin furnishings was revelatory. I think Frank was angry that he never found out that his friend (for whom he had feelings he couldn't understand or acknowledge) was really a good-looking woman with whom he could have had a more intimate friendship without compromising his heterosexuality.

I screened this movie in a film class and was horrified by the violence towards women. I am shocked to learn here that it was written and directed by a woman. The acting was horrible and, with the exception of Carrie Snodgrass whom I adore, this movie is a waste of time unless you enjoy watching women portrayed solely as whores and victims of violence. I am now convinced that my film teacher is a sadist. In one of the most disturbing scenes a pimp visits the mining camp with a prostitute who is deaf and dumb. All of the men in the town take turns with her until one of them assaults her because, "she wouldn't put it in her mouth." The prostitute is bleeding from the mouth and is moaning and crying as the man who assaults her (played by a very convincingly digusting Ian McKellan) is bleeding from the crotch of his long underwear. This movie disgusted me over and over.

This could have been interesting. BUT, why on earth did the casters choose such a beautiful, obviously feminine actrice? It makes a mockery of the story and spoils it. She tries to look out from under her hat to appear less girlie, but let's talk 24/7, not feasible really. They even make 'Jo' behave more like a 'dumb blonde' than should be stereotypically possible. And still no man notices. DUH! Were frontiersmen all stupid, or does Hollywood just expect us to swallow this unbelievable stuff - based on a real story or not. 3/10

It is really a great movie. Believe it or not, I saw it 6 times in 2 days!The performance of Suzy Amis and other actors are really excellent, the music and the photographs are excellent too!I am so exciting to find such a good movie. I feel it unfair that this film hasn't been given enough attention. Again, it is one of the best movies I have ever seen!