dinospyder
Wow. I wouldn't have believed 25 people actually watched this movie. From reading the reviews it seems like the finale was good. I didn't stay for it though. In fact I didn't stay much past the railway number. I saw what I could take of it on 8th St in the Village. I remember it being billed as Joanna - She's a Banana! No wonder that the "star" was run out of Britain after making this. Joanna stands out as the worst movie I ever saw in a theater, and that's by a long shot! I often think of it when I see a lousy movie. It serves as a baseline for comparison, so for that reason I'm glad I saw it. In 42 years, that's since 1968,I have not seen a worse movie. That's something to be thankful for.
mikemcnabb
I only remembered this movie because I was considering what movies would be on the "all time worst" list. In a packed house of a couple of thousand shut-ins on a Friday night in 1968 (think: famous military school), most people left the theater about half-way through it. These young men (and a few female dates), although mostly conservative-minded, were still eager to absorb the mod culture of the times, and probably had enjoyed movies such as "Alfie". I can still remember what those still left in the theater, towards the end, spontaneously and simultaneously yelled at the screen when Joanna said "I'll be back!" : "NO !!!!!!", throwing things at the screen. It was quite a moment. Never seen anything like it, since.
markcab2005
Joanna was one of several films that had an impact on me then and have stuck with me since then, mainly because they informed me of places and lives of which I had never before been aware, being at that time, a typical American living in an America-centered universe.This is a corny, sappy telling of the story of a young girl looking for...something: life, adventure, herself? We're not really sure. But for some reason it has stuck in my memory mostly because it seemed to be an extension of the style of films coming from the UK in the middle and late 60's. Another kind of "British Invasion".Among these were: A Hard Day's night (1964), The Girl With Green Eyes (1964), and The Knack and How To Get it (1965), Blow Up (1966). They all seemed to have that quality of gritty cinema verite infiltrated with dreamlike, music filled montages; which became more silly and less gritty as the decade wore on. Examples; What Did You Do In the War Daddy? (1966), Casino Royale (1967), and Joanna (1968).Yet, for all the silliness and sappiness that Joanna had to offer, there were also wonderful moments in the film, Donald Sutherland supplying the most; but others too in amusing little bits of curious dialogue ("He has only one name, you know, like Montavani. Nothing Montavani, Montavani nothing"). And, if you were a teenager then, amusing sight gags such as the one when Joanna is asked what she'd like to eat (in the scene, she is topless, showing small breasts); cut to frying pan with two frying eggs, sunny-side up - ha ha.Overall, though not necessarily great film making, it is still an interesting and nostalgic period piece, that somehow left one with a sense of nostalgia even in 1968.
clarksmc
I saw this movie in the theater when it first came out. I and the rest of the audience were appalled at how terrible it was. It was like an amateur film made by a college student who aspired to be 'artsy'. After all these years, I still remember how close I came to walking out of the theater. It may be worthwhile to see it just to confirm how bad it is. And the ending is not only unbelievable, but silly. This was one of the first times I ever saw Donald Sutherland. I still can not imagine why he chose to appear in it. I suspect this was made during his 'stoned' flower child period. I also liked Calvin Lockhart. He was also wasted in this movie. It would be interesting to know how much this movie cost to make and and how little it made.
AD
