The Ballad of Little Jo (1993)

After being thrown out of her home, a young woman decides to disguise herself as a man to survive the ruthless Wild West.

Director:

Maggie Greenwald

Writer:

Maggie Greenwald

Stars:

Suzy Amis, Bo Hopkins, Ian McKellen

2 nominations.

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

Storyline

Based on a true story, this is the tale of Josephine Monaghan, a young woman of the mid-nineteenth century who is thrown out of her parents' home after being seduced by the family's portrait photographer and giving birth to his child. Josephine quickly learns that young, female, pretty, and alone are a bad combination for life in the wild west. In her desperation to survive, Josephine disguises herself as "Jo", a young man, and struggles to make a life for herself in a dingy frontier mining town. Can "Little Jo" live and love without revealing his secret?

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Plot Keywords:

title directed by female | mining | f rated | death of hero | death of protagonist | 

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Taglines:

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.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality and some violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Balada do Pequeno Jo

Filming Locations:

Carbon County, Montana, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$20,773, 22 August 1993, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$543,091

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$565,530

Company Credits

Production Co:

Joco,PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Eryn L. Bent.

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Goofs

When Jo pulls the money out of the pouch in the general store, the way she holds the money and pouch changes in the next shot.

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Quotes

Little Jo Monaghan: Why can't we live as we are?

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Bad Girls/The Inkwell/Naked in New York/Brainscan/Surviving the Game (1994)

User Reviews

An Unexpected Gem

Driven to despair by the summer offerings on TV, I thought I had run out of options one night until I came across this gem on the Independent Film Channel. It's one of those films I probably wouldn't have walked around the block to see when (if?) it was in release. Don't listen to the nay-sayers, everything works in this movie. It reminded me a little of McCabe and Mrs. Miller in it's presentation and pace. Just sit back, power down, and enjoy.