The Ballad of Little Jo tells the story of a woman named Josephine who disguises herself as a man for years for her own protection and benefit. This movie is unique in the western genre in that it is one of the very few to have a female protagonist. In an environment like the west, where men dominated and being a member of that most unfortunate of classes, the other, meant you had little power or importance. In western films, women are depicted as being people who rely on the spoken word, which is in direct contrast to the alpha male cowboy’s typically limited amount of dialogue. Despite speaking often and seemingly being strong willed or free spirited, women are never around during the gun fights, when push comes to shove in westerns they don’t take action themselves, relying on others. What makes this film so unique is that it’s female protagonist does take action, does become a hero. However, what is even more important to note here is the fact that she had to become a man in order to be that hero. As a woman, she would not have been capable of achieving the success that she did, and knowing that she lived for years as a man. Amy, Kane’s wife from High Noon, is perhaps an even better example of a western heroine, in the sense that she remained true to herself and still was admirable in her actions. While she wasn’t as tough or masculine as the alpha male cowboy Kane, she shows viewers that women, when faced with a situation which necessitates action, are capable of performing in much the same way as men, which for a western movie to insinuate is quite contrary to typical western canon.
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