The Ballad of Little Jo

The Ballad of Little Jo

121 mins | Drama, Romance, Western | Aug. 20, 1993

Based on a true story, this is the tale of Josephine Monaghan, a young woman of the mid-19th century who is thrown out of her parents' home after being seduced by the family's portrait photographer and giving birth to an illegitimate 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/her secret?

The Ballad of Little Jo

121 mins | Drama, Romance, Western | Aug. 20, 1993

The Ballad of Little Jo
Based on a true story, this is the tale of Josephine Monaghan, a young woman of the mid-19th century who is thrown out of her parents' home after being seduced by the family's portrait photographer and giving birth to an illegitimate 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/her secret?
IMDb rating 6.7
Producers Fine Line Features, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Joco
Original title The Ballad of Little Jo
Directors Maggie Greenwald
Writers Maggie Greenwald

Cast

Suzy Amis

as Jo Monaghan

Bo Hopkins

as Frank Badger

Ian McKellen

as Percy Corcoran

David Chung

as Tinman Wong

Heather Graham

as Mary Addie

René Auberjonois

as Streight Hollander

Carrie Snodgress

as Ruth Badger

Anthony Heald

as Henry Grey

Melissa Leo

as Beatrice Grey

Sam Robards

as Jasper Hill

Olinda Turturro

as Elvira

Ruth Maleczech

as Shopkeeper

Cathy Haase

as Mrs. Addie

Peadair S. Addie Sr.

as Mr. Addie

Irina V. Passmoore

as Russian Mother

Michael Ruud

as Russian Father

Sasha Pasmur

as Nick - Age 14

David Ruben Plowman

as Nick - Age 9

Rusty Pegar

as Duke Billy

Troy Smith

as Soldier #1

Keith Kamppinen

as Soldier #2

Jenny Lynch

as Helen Monaghan

Vince O'Neil

as Amos Monaghan

Vince O'Neil

as Mortician

Barbara Jean Marsh

as Laundress

Robert Erickson

as Wilkins

Sean Murphy

as Young Henry Grey

Renee Tafoya

as Woman Photographer

Richard Osterman

as Traveling Judge

Karen Johnson

as Farm Wife

Jaime Crabtree

as Jo's Baby

Tracy Mayfield

as John

Julianne Kirst

as Nora Monaghan

Netha Goodrich

as Lucy

Becca Busch

as Little Sue

Jim Dunkin

as Mr. Brown

Homer Simon

as Fiddler in Addie's

Eryn L. Bent

as Russian Girl

Peter Plowman

as Young Russian Boy

Joe Freed

as Older Russian Boy

Anne Plowman

as Young Russian Girl

Melissa Ladvala

as Older Russian Girl

Yeugeuiy Yasyriu

as Russian Father

Tom Bower

as Lyle Hogg (uncredited)