The woman who taught Westerns to bite back — 27 minutes of pure literary rebellion.
Dorothy Johnson was a Western writer ahead of her time. Women saved men, heroes died unwept and unsung, whites lived with Indians and benefited from the experience. Three of her stories were made into films and many critics consider "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" to be the cornerstone of the modern western. This documentary looks back on Dorothy's life, and her place in history.
Acting
Margot Kidder channels Dorothy's grit with weathered authenticity.
Writing
Unpacks how one woman rewrote the entire Western playbook.
Director
Bill Bilverstone
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Dorothy M. Johnson insisted her byline read 'Dorothy M.' so editors wouldn't know she was a woman — they published her anyway, then ignored her.
Her story 'A Man Called Horse' became a 1970 film that critics called exploitative; Johnson reportedly hated it, proving Hollywood's gift for missing the point.
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