I AM JOHNNY CASH

US, 2015, 86 minutes, Colour.

Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, John Mellencamp, Merle Haggard.

Directed by Derik Murray, Jordan Tappis.

One of the entries in the interesting and successful steering series, I Am… These have included film stars, show business personalities, and a number of politicians including John Kennedy Jr and his mother, Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis.

These films rely on a great deal of archival footage and this is the case here, Johnny Cash’s life, his concerts and his range of singing, his drug dependency, his time in prison, his rehabilitation, his work as a Gospel singer, association with Billy Graham. There is his personal life, attested by his daughter, Rosalynn Cash, images of his first marriage and children. However, the important person in his life was June Carter and there is footage of her, her singing, career, testimonies from her family.

It is interesting to note the willing number of talking heads from the music industry, all with high opinions of Johnny Cash. Also interesting to note is his television program and the range of guests he added, sometimes at the displeasure of the network, but including Pete Seeger, Joni Mitchell.

Some other singers give versions of Cash’s songs, especially Sheryl Crow and Kris Kristofferson.

Perhaps the filmmakers go rather more easily on Cash’s drug addiction, though this is explained in some detail, his alcoholism, his womanising.

However, for audiences interested in learning something about Johnny Cash, this is a good introduction.