Johnny Handsome

• Directed by Walter Hill
• September 29, 1989
• Based on the 1972 novel The Three Worlds of Johnny Handsome by John Godey

After being betrayed and sentenced to prison, a deformed gangster gets a new face and a chance at a fresh start while nursing a need for revenge.

Johnny Handsome has quite the cast for an 80s film. With Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, Elizabeth McGovern, Forest Whitaker, Lance Henriksen and Morgan Freeman, the cast is a touch on the random side but quite the selection of talent for the era. It certainly helped to elevate and focus this somewhat odd Walter Hill film.

I think they went a little too heavy on the prosthetics used to create John ‘Johnny Handsome’ Sedley (Mickey Rourke). I understand that the change in his face needed to be noticeable but it made the change difficult to swallow. Beyond a scar, post-surgery Johnny looks great. No hint of anything. In reality even cleft palate surgery leaves something noticeable. There is also the issue with understanding Rourke-as-Johnny while deformed. They went too hard muddling his speech.

Though almost indecipherable in the beginning, Johnny does have a speech impediment that Rourke carries throughout the film. Once the surgery by Dr. Steven Resher (Forest Whitaker) is complete, Rourke mutes but never loses it in an act of skill. Johnny is in speech therapy, but he is not instantly cured.

Mickey Rourke is a talented actor even today. Unfortunately a long life filled with bits of public drama and a penchant for plastic surgery has blunted his star. If he had less drama in his life and maybe even avoided plastic surgery I think he would be much better regarded today than he is. He brings an authenticity to each stage of this film that I don’t think other character actors could. Johnny is a violent crook but there is a certain emotional vulnerability and just general hurt that the character Johnny needed for this film to be effective and Rourke conveys that.

This is a revenge movie but it takes a while before revenge ever gets started in Johnny Handsome. The story is more about Johnny’s life and trying halfheartedly to get a fresh start. We see him as a loyal friend and complex soul looking for love as well as a new life. Then there is the question of who is getting revenge exactly in the movie. Is it Johnny or is it Lt. A.Z. Drones (Morgan Freeman) seeking to finally get the goods on Rafe Garrett (Lance Henriksen)? Walter Hill makes a good case for both.

Freeman plays a great jerk as Drones pokes and prods Johnny before and after surgery. He sees Johnny as a leopard that cannot change his spots. He is also trying to ignite a bit of revenge (which does not take much) since Rafe screwed Johnny and got Johnny’s friend Mikey Chalmette (Scott Wilson) killed in the event that landed Johnny in jail. Lance Henriksen is one of my favorite actors. He makes better everything he is in even if he is in some schlock. It may still be schlock but it’s better schlock just because of him though even he cannot make this into the greatness it should be.

There’s a lot of good in this but at better than 90 minutes it’s hard to develop it all. Johnny’s relationship with Donna (Elizabeth McGovern) never gets fleshed out beyond a one-night stand. Johnny’s angle on Sunny (Ellen Barkin) never amounts to much. And the attempt to screw the other guys over isn’t as significant during the climax as it should be.

As a movie Johnny Handsome has that distinct Walter Hill feel. That much is obvious and that’s what helps get you through it. That and there is stuff that could’ve been really great but because it was under nourished never came to fruition.

It did not do well when released. Walter Hill stated this was too downbeat for American audiences. I don’t think that’s the problem. I think the problem is that it just has so much and never brings all of it to fruition. There’s not the moment when it becomes clear that Johnny will always be a criminal no matter what his face is. Drones pushing for blind revenge to take care of the real criminals and Johnny too felt abrupt. Relationships are not well developed and significant characters just vanish from the film.

If you like hard edged 80s movies, Johnny Handsome will certainly satisfy the itch. You will like it because there is an interesting premise with a fantastic cast. It’s just one of those movies that was too short.