The Ballad of Josie (1967)

Doris Day plays Josie Minick, and when her lout of a husband comes home drunk, she’s got her pool stick in hand, ready to fend off his advances.

But Whit Minick winds up dead after tumbling down a flight of stairs, and Josie finds herself on trial for manslaughter.

She’s eventually found not guilty, but she’s still left nearly penniless with no means of supporting her young son Luther (Teddy Quinn).

Determined to make it on her own, she heads to Willow Creek and the farm her husband ignored. She dons men’s clothes, then brings a flock of sheep into cattle country.

That causes a whole new set of problems, as wanna-be boyfriend Jason Meredith (Peter Graves) tries to convince Josie of the folly of what she’s doing and as neighboring rancher Arch Ogden (George Kennedy) prepares to use force to knock some nonsense into her blonde head.

Meanwhile, District Attorney Charlie Lord (William Talman) is in Washington, D.C., pushing for Wyoming statehood, and a range war — particularly with a woman sheep rancher involved — is the last thing he needs to advance that cause.

George Kennedy as Arch Ogden and Peter Graves as Jason Meredith deal with a stubborn Josie Minick (Doris Day) in The Ballad of Josie (1967)

Review:

Doris Day considered this one of her least favorite films, and it’s easy to see why. She hams it up and director McLaglen serves up a few laughs, but it’s still a minor comedy Western.

The film’s message seems sorta confusing too. While Josie’s female friends conspire to use corsets and church memberships to land a man, she’s determined to prove she can make it on her own as a strong-willed female.

But Jason Meredith is always nearby to rescue her when the trouble gets too bad. As for the feminist message, the plot has all the women in Wyoming seemingly agreeing to give up their right to vote if it helps Wyoming’s chances of statehood.

One of the better scenes comes when all the women in town revolt over the treatment of Josie. She passes out pool sticks to all the marauding women.

This would mark the final film for Talman. He died of lung cancer the next year at age 53. He’s best remembered as the district attorney who kept losing cases to Raymond Burr on “Perry Mason.”

Doris Day as Josie Minick tries a man’s drink while Jason Meredith (Peter Graves), Sheriff Pruitt (David Hartman), Arch Ogden (George Kennedy), and Judge Tatum (Andy Devine) look on in The Ballad of Josie (1967)

Directed by:
Andrew V. McLaglen

Cast:
Doris Day … Josie Minick
Peter Graves … Jason Meredith
George Kennedy … Arch Ogden
Andy Devine … Judge Tatum
William Talman … District Attorney Charlie Lord
David Hartman … Sheriff Fonse Pruitt
Guy Raymond … Doc
Audrey Christie … Annabelle Pettijohn
Karen Jensen … Deborah Wilkes
Elisabeth Fraser … Widow Renfrew
Linda Meiklejohn … Jenny McCardle
Shirley O’Hara … Elizabeth
Timothy Scott … Klugg
Don Stroud … Bratsch
Paul Fix … Alpheus Minick
Harry Carey Jr. … Mooney
John Fiedler … Simpson
Robert Lowery … Whit Minick
Teddy Quinn … Luther Minick

Runtime: 102 min.

Song: “The Ballad of Josie”
by Ronnie Dante

Doris Day as Josie Minick practices her six-gun skills as shopkeeper Simpson (John Fiedler) looks on in The Ballad of Josie (1967)

Memorable lines:

Josie Minick: “It was Luther’s idea. He said, ‘Mom, we can go to Montana and fight Injuns or raise cows at Willow Creek. And this (Willow Creek) seems to be the most practical.”
Jason Meredith, scoffing at the idea of a woman running a ranch: “Not by much, it isn’t.”

Jason Meredith: “You know, it takes money, capital, brains, sweat to raise cattle. But any idiot with a two-bit dog and a Winchester can raise sheep.”

Storekeeper Simpson: “Don’t have no lady’s boots.”
Josie Minick: “Well, feet are pretty much the same, aren’t they?”
Simpson: “I never checked Josie. I’m a bachelor.”
Josie: “Well, why don’t we try, Mr. Simpson?”

Doris Day as Josie Minick prepares to protect her sheep herd as Jason Meredith (Peter Graves) plays peacekeeper in The Ballad of Josie (1967)

Jason Meredith, when Josie decides to raise sheep: “You can’t use a club on a woman. You have to sweet talk her out of it. And that’s just what we’re gonna do.”

Jason Meredith, referring to the prohibition on sheep north of the deadline: “Josie, maybe I didn’t make myself too clear about the deadline and all.”
Josie Minick: “There’s no such thing as a deadline.”
Arch Ogden: “We done populated an entire corner of cemetery with folks who subscribed to that notion. Now paste that in your bonnet, woman.”

Jason Meredith, talking to his men about Josie: “Ah, that woman gets crazy every so often.”
Mooney: “Yeah, they’re prisoners of their juices.”