Johnny Guitar

Johnny Guitar is a 1954 American independent Western film directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Mercedes McCambridge, Ernest Borgnine, and Scott Brady. It was produced and distributed by Republic Pictures. The screenplay was adapted from a novel of the same name by Roy Chanslor. In 2008, Johnny Guitar was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The main theme of the film's score, composed by Victor Young, and title song, co-written and performed by Peggy Lee, is loosely based on the Spanish Dance No. 5: Andaluza by Enrique Granados. Written by Granados for Piano, though often performed on classical guitar, the piece is played by Joan Crawford's character (dubbed) seated at the saloon piano in one of the film's climactic scenes.