Randomramblings

Walk the Line is much like Ray (2004); an inspirational and uplifting film about a young country musician Johnny Cash, who struggles to make ends meet. And when he does, when he exceeds the expectations and becomes very famous, he realizes that fame isn't convenient in all respects. Additionally, it is a film about the power of enduring love; a film about the struggles of two people over the span of thirteen years, who knew they were right for each other, but it was not meant for them to be united before that long time passed.

The core of the film are Cash's beginnings and his early career, briefly even his childhood, and his growing love for June Carter, a woman who he could not have. From the first moment of their meeting it becomes painfully obvious that they were very impressed with each other, but the circumstances prevented any serious attachment. As Cash's relationship with his first wife grew colder and distant, the more his love for June increased.

By the time half of the film had passed it's blatantly obvious that Johnny's fallen for June with all he is; - he is desperate to show her the love he feels for her, but she remains unmoved by his open (and sometimes embarrassing) displays of affection. Also amidst his addiction-induced erratic behaviour and a busy career, he's hard put to profess his love to her in a way, which would tempt her to accept him. Carter's main reason to hold back in her love for Johnny was her second divorce – in those times still considered a big sin – she'd gone through two marriages, but both unfulfilling and unhappy and she struggles to keep her calm in a world that judges her harshly for being disappointed in love – and twice! Carter, however, is very in touch with her feelings and has long since realized that against all odds she's fallen for her (admittedly much flawed) prince.

The film portrays Cash as a person who never had much, but what he did have was the ability to keep going, even when the odds were against him, even when his personal life was unsteady and he unhappy. When he was emotionally at his all time low (trapped in an unfulfilling marriage, because his first wife wouldn't divorce him, but not in the least bit spared the rampant jealousy his wife displayed), he was still writing new songs and releasing new albums. (At a private viewing of the film, Cash's oldest daughter complained that her mother never was so crazy and mean and that the film's portrayal is unfaithful to the real Vivan Liberto Cash who was a very private, family oriented person.)

Very early in his career, Cash developed problems with substance abuse and for a great part of his carrer, drugs (uppers) were his only faithful companion. He had a relapse in his later years, which goes to prove that an addict is never really cured.

The title for the film comes from Cash's song I Walk the Line, which was originally written for Cash's first wife, Vivian, and not June as the film implies. There are other instances in the film where the script-writers have adapted and modified events to suit their way of telling this story. For instance: Cash was a musician already in High School, when he played on the local radio and he formed his first band while stationed in Germany. The film seems to suggest that Cash likes a shiny new guitar and buys it without so much as any previous knowledge of music. The film also never comes even close to establishing that June Carter Cash was herself addicted to amphetamines in her high school years, thus failing to underline the fact that when Johnny was struggling to get clean, June was able to be of most assistance to him, because she had walked that path before him. June reportedly found great support in her family and thus tried to form a protective and caring net around Johnny as well. Also, Johnny's brother Jack was on his death-bed for a week, before he passed away and the film suggests a different course of events. Such prolonged suffering could have (believably) affected Johnny far more than Jack's quick passing the film portrays. In the film, Johnny's father seems to blame his son very severely for the death of his older and much more loved brother however, in reality it remains a mystery whether Cash's father openly blamed any individual for the death. Nevertheless, it was an event that deeply marked Cash, even into his adulthood and quite possibly instilled in him low self-esteem (his life-long problem). There is also a short scene where Cash's first wife talks about another baby being on the way, when in reality their second child wasn't born until three years later. (It might be that the film-makers tried to add a different edge to the scene or there might have been a miscarriage.)

Overall, a delightful film (I would have never assumed I would like a single, not to speak of several country songs) with superb performances by the leading two actors - while Witherspoon creates an emotional background and a worthy object of affection, Phoenix delievers much of the energy and feel that was typical of Cash. Viewing highly recommended.

Labels: films