Why so much hype?

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Admirable film.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

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.

I'm sure that is *is* possible for a woman to pass as a man - given a masculine enough face and mannerisms, but... I can't help thinking that this movie would have been better starring a man as a woman pretending to be a man. At least then the viewers wouldn't have had to suspend their belief for two hours while the 'awful' truth unfolded in front of dozens of men who couldn't tell the difference 'twixt girl and boy. Suzi's acting is good, but the others don't really contribute much; they seem unimpressed with the plot... and I have to admit, there wasn't much of one. The detail and the stark reality of the period are well captured, though; the cold, the rain, the emptiness and loneliness of the hills and the stark wild west; the barbarity, stupidity and selfish race and sex discrimination were well portrayed in the direction and dialogue.

I remember reading the review in the paper, and thinking that the movie might be worth seeing the one time. I rented it and loved and then once I got my video collection up and running, it was one of the first movies I bought. Suzy Amis is outstanding as Jo and does an excellent job at first portraying the out of her element woman, and gradually over the film does a fine job of conveying the woman who lives a hard life as a man.

Highly recommended. If you're looking for an inspiring film about an inspiring woman, check it out.