The Ballad of Little Jo (1993) on Netflix
Josephine Monaghan gives up her son to her sister and starts over in the West, passing as a man. Percy, who distrusts women, shows her how to get by.
- Netflix3.6/5
- IMDb6.7/101,958 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes77%
Trailer
Plot summary
Josephine Monaghan bears a child out of wedlock. She leaves her baby with her sister and travels West as a man under the name Jo. On the frontier she meets Percy, who shows her how to survive and distrusts women. Jo takes a job herding sheep in the mountains. When she returns in the spring, Percy hands her a letter that came from her sister.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Ballad of Little Jo (1993)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- The film was inspired by the real-life story of Joe Monaghan, who lived as a man in the late 19th century despite being born anatomically female.
- Six months before filming, Suzy Amis trained with a body builder and movement and vocal coaches, and took lessons in sheepherding, shooting and horse riding to play Jo Monaghan.
- The Ballad of Little Jo has been criticized for reinforcing a feminized image of Asian males in American mass media, a stereotype the film was said to perpetuate.
- A stage musical adaptation became Steppenwolf Theatre Company's first musical and was chosen as the initial production of its 25th anniversary season.
