WALK THE LINE
US, 2005, 140 minutes, Colour.
Joachin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick, Dallas Roberts.
Directed by James Mangold.
A biopic that has impressed American viewers and should travel well beyond the United States and to audiences who are not familiar with the music and story of Johnny Cash.
Walk the Line (from one of Cash’s most memorable songs, I Walk the Line) uses the framework of 2004’s successful celebrity biopic of Ray Charles, Ray. It takes a crucial moment in the singer’s life and takes us back to childhood, the beginnings of a career, success and the inevitable dependency and crash. It ends with the comeback of the singer, taking a second chance in life and career – and, as with Ray, spending more than three decades as a successful and respected entertainer. The key year for Johnny Cash was 1968 when he made a record of his concert for inmates at California’s Folsom Prison. After that, and his marriage to June Carter, he really never looked back. The film-makers have left this part of his life to his concerts, television appearances and his music.
Walk the Line has been written and directed by James Mangold. Mangold received acclaim in the mid-90s with his small-budget film, Heavy, then with his take on corrupt New Jersey police in Cop Land. He then guided Angelina Jolie to an Oscar in Girl, Interrupted. Which makes Mangold completely unpredictable in his choice of projects and skilful in a range of genres. He also made the romantic Kate and Leopold and the horror thriller, Identity. Mangold obviously likes Cash and offers us a warm portrait, despite his failings.
Joaquin Phoenix may not be the image of Johnny Cash but he brings him alive in a sympathetic performance, warts and all. Phoenix also sings all of Cash’s songs and plays the guitar in the Cash manner, quite an accomplishment. We know that Reese Witherspoon can be sassy in her Legally Blonde comedies, but here she brings a strength of character and responsibility to her charm and buoyancy as June Carter. Witherspoon also sings all the songs herself.
The film has a long running time which tends to undermine something of the impact of the drama and the music. The basic plot is so familiar from so many biopics that it does quite sustain the length. However, in all other aspects, this is an exemplary celebrity biography.
1.The popularity of biopics? Audience interest in Johnny Cash? June Carter? Music, entertainment? Troubled lives?
2.The familiar outline of the screenplay: a story showing a strong/weak character? The flashbacks and explanations of the celebrity’s life? The long running time? The difference with other films like this?
3.Audience knowledge of Johnny Cash? Americans, non-Americans? Johnny Cash and June Carter before 1968? Their quiet life and entertainment careers from 1968 to 2003?
4.The significance of the music, the Gospel music, country and western? The influence of John’s mother and her religion on him? Music and lyrics? The changes in the 1950s, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and other singers? The rock 'n roll developments? Rhythms? Johnny Cash and his being Memphis, the influence of Memphis and recordings?
5.Joachin Phoenix and his skill in interpretation of Cash’s character, his singing the songs himself, playing the guitar? Reece Witherspoon’s impersonation of June Carter, her own singing?
6.The sounds during the credits, entering Folsom prison, seeing the inmates, the band, Johnny Cash with the saw, the flashbacks? The return to Folsom? The triumph of the concert, the recording? His success for the subsequent thirty-five years?
7.1944, the poor home, Johnny listening to the radio, his father drinking and turning the radio off, his religious mother? The bond with his brother? The two young boys, in the room, at work? The discussion about the older boy becoming a preacher and knowing the Bible, Johnny knowing the words of the hymns? At work, the cotton fields? Johnny going fishing? The older boy working with the saw – and the suggestion of disaster, the injury, his death? The pious boy, seeing the angel? Johnny blaming himself, his father blaming him? The subsequent memories of his brother, his father’s memories and the confrontation between the two in later life?
8.The parents, at home, the father’s drinking? Johnny going off to military service and his father’s seeming disdain? Later, the father giving up the drink, the couple becoming more prosperous? The father not liking John? With Vivian, the hopes for the marriage? Admitting that Johnny was having a successful career? The scenes with June? The father’s speech at the table about gifts?
9.Johnny Cash, the background, his life, going to Germany, in the service, writing lyrics, rhymes? The phone call to Vivian and his love for her? His return home in the mid-50s?
10.Marrying Vivian, her father opposing the marriage? Love, family, the children? Vivian being used to a more affluent lifestyle? Johnny not being able to provide it? Tensions? His love for her – or not? The details of their life, the house? Johnny and his trying to do door-to-door sales and failing? His seeing June at the concert, knowing about her and having listened to her records? His reaction? The growing number of clashes with Vivian, his drinking, the pills and his prescriptions? Leaving Vivian? Later scenes with the children and with June?
11.The door-to-door work, the collage of people slamming the door in his face? Passing the studio, going in and looking, the discussions with the producer? His friendship with the mechanics, singing with them, their forming a group? Gospel songs – the audition and the producer telling him that he lacked feeling? Singing his own song, the response of the producer, cutting the record? Going home to Vivian? The increasing number of concerts, with the other celebrities including Elvis Presley, being away from home, in Texas? Seeing June, responding to her – kissing her and her reaction?
12.The success over the years, the effect on Vivian, the estrangement? The number of concerts, June and the long association, as friends, her not wanting him to kiss her? The passing of the years, the eventual sexual relationship? The aftermath? Their arguing, her stern stances about his behaviour at the concerts, with his drinking friends? Her confronting him about the pills and the drinking?
13.June as a strong character, her being in show business, her messy divorce, on the road, the strength of her career, her friendship with Johnny, resisting him in terms of kissing, the relationship? The eventual affair? Her reaction to this, her sense of responsibility?
14.The tracing of Johnny Cash’s going downhill during the 1960s, his memories, harsh, the collapse? His being rescued? The change, the influence of his father? Drying out?
15.The proposal about the concert in Folsom, the other concerts, singing ‘Ring of Fire’, praising June, the proposal on-stage, pressing her, her eventually saying yes, the response of the audience? Their marriage? The success of the concert with the prisoners – and the success of the record?
16.The familiar story of the rise and fall of a celebrity, the opportunity of a second chance? Themes of hope – and the possibility of a role model and success out of failure?
