Remembering a Man in Black....

'Walking the Line'

 Brandye Glenn, staff writer

Few artists have ever been gifted with a career that could parallel that of the legendary

Johnny Cash.

The man was a voice, a vision, and a salvation for the many who adored him until his death and beyond. Johnny Cash was one of the great voices that forever changed the way music was heard and played.

“Walk the Line”, a biopic film about the country and western singer, shows the artist in the early stages of his career. Cash is shown struggling to get his songs on the radio, and later as a huge star chased by demons and addicted to drugs. The story of Cash could end here, like so many other victims of fame, but it doesn’t.

The true heart of Johnny Cash is the love story between him and June Carter Cash. It is Carter’s love that redeems Cash and brings him back from the darkness. It is this reason that this era of Cash’s life is what he chose to bring to the big screen. It is what makes Cash the true legend.

“Walk the Line” is equally packed with both music and frustrated love so that it easily goes from compelling to enthralling. Joaquin Phoenix shines as the dark Johnny Cash, while Reese Witherspoon brings to life the funny and sweet June Carter Cash.

The movie was a huge undertaking that Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash started working on in the late 1990s. It is based on Cash’s autobiographical books ‘Man in Black” and “Cash the Autobiography”. It is a movie that the couple was dedicated to making. Cash himself even tapped Phoenix to play the lead role of the young crooner.

The movie builds up to the famous Folsom Prison concert in 1968, but Cash’s story is marked by his sad childhood memories of growing up in rural Arkansas. Cash’s daddy, played by Robert Patrick, is a hard man, whether he is drinking or slaving away in the cotton fields to scrape out a living. Cash older brother, their father’s favorite, dies in a tragic sawing accident that leaves both young Cash and his father bereft and both unable to cope with the pain.

This is the set up for the rest of Cash’s life. The movie shows Cash in the Air Force, where he writes his first song. He returns to the United States and marries his first wife, Vivianne, played by Ginnefer Goodwin. The two settle in Memphis, Tenn., where Cash tries to make a living as an ordinary man. But this path never works out for Cash. He is drawn to music.

Cash schedules a meeting with Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records and the man responsible for first signing Elvis Presley. Phillips agrees to hear cash and his makeshift band of mechanics play, but he is not impressed with their dull gospel song. Phillips tells Cash that he does not believe him as he sings a song of redemption. Cash does not understand what it is Phillips wants from him. Phillips explains what every great musician knows; a true song from the heart is what sells. Phillips instructs Cash to sing something believable, something that people will hear and believe. Phillips pushes Cash to reach inside and find his voice, and the star Johnny Cash is born.

Soon Cash is on the road, and this is when the movie takes on great life. Cash is on tour with Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and the beautiful June Carter. Cash has always had a crush on Carter, since he was a little boy listening to her and her famous Carter family singing on the radio. Carter is now single and on her own, a star in her own right. Carter’s voice is sweet and uplifting, but it is her comedic antics that keep everyone enamored with her.

However, Cash on the road is a bad thing. He is offered pills by Elvis, played extremely well by Tyler Hilton, and thus forms his own addiction. While Cash is on the road drinking, popping pills, hanging with other young stars, and dreaming of June, Vivanne is at home cleaning up after the kids.

“Walk the Line” is the story of a married Cash, in love with June, but unable to share that love except on stage in their fun and flirty show. The movie is a great one, worthy of any Oscar.

Joaquin Phoenix is phenomenal as the young, tortured Cash. What is more is how believable he is. Phoenix has Cash’s mannerisms down, from the way he smoked and played the guitar to the way he sang. Phoenix provides his own vocals that will blow you away, because you truly believe it is Cash’s voice. Phoenix has the voice down, “sharp like a razor, strong like a train” as June described it.

Witherspoon gives a heartfelt performance as June Carter Cash. She bring June to life and portrays her in a way that the audience can feel her anguish over loving a married man, and then later a man with serious problems. Witherspoon shows her terrific acting abilities and her voice, as she also does all her own vocals for the movie.

Phoenix and Witherspoon are both deserving of Oscars this season. The movie is well written, but it is these two stars who make the movie so incredible. Their chemistry sizzles and brings warmth and humor to the screen. They are Cash and Carter.

The movie is also wonderful with historical accuracy and will make new Johnny Cash fans with his music and drive. It is so great to see young Cash with such icons as Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. For this Lubbock girl, it was poignant to see Buddy Holly on stage and on tour with so many other greats. The Lubbock audience lit up at the sound of Holly.            

‘Walk the Line” is directed by James Mangold, and one of the producers is none other than John Carter Cash, the son of Cash and Carter. T-Bone Burnett was in charge of the music and did an excellent job of bringing the music to life on the screen.

I would recommend ‘Walk the Line” to not only Johnny Cash fans, but to the mass audience. It is a riveting tale of love, music and redemption. The story is so well written and acted out so well, a person need not even know of Cash to appreciate this story. Of course, being a Cash fan does make this movie even more special. It gives great insight to the life of one of country music’s brightest stars. It is the real life story of Johnny Cash.

Movie Rating: Four Stars