2006-07-20

Walk the Line - The story of Johnny Cash

I just saw "Walk the Line", starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. It was an amazing movie. I always liked Johnny Cash back when Kuwait only had one FM station at FM 98.8 and they played country music in the morning hours. I listened to a lot of Johnny Cash music without knowing who he was. It was only after I befriended one strange individual back at school, who talked and walked exactly like John Wayne and thought he was John Wayne. His sentences where Johnny Cash quotes and that is how I found out who Johnny Cash was.

There where a lot of good scenes but one particular scene that I really liked was when Johnny Cash was first time auditioning for the record producer Sam Philips. Johnny and his band sang a generic gospel cover song. Sam Philips made them stop, and said he did not like it. Johnny asked him to elaborate,



Sam Phillips: You know exactly what I'm telling you. We've already heard that song a hundred times. Just like that. Just... like... how... you... sing it.
Johnny Cash: Well you didn't let us bring it home.
Sam Phillips: Bring... bring it home? All right, let's bring it home. If you was hit by a truck and you were lying out there in that gutter dying, and you had time to sing one song. Huh? One song that people would remember before you're dirt. One song that would let God know how you felt about your time here on Earth. One song that would sum you up. You're telling me that's the song you sing. That same Jimmy Davis tune we hear on the radio, all day. About your peace within, and how it's real, and how you're gonna shout it? Or... would you sing something different. Something real. Something you felt. Cause I'm telling you right now, that's the kind of song people want to hear. That's the kind of song that truly saves people. It ain't got nothin to do with believin' in God, Mr. Cash. It has to do with believin' in yourself.
Johnny Cash: I got a couple of songs I wrote in the Air Force. You got anything against the Air Force?
Sam Phillips: No.
Johnny Cash: I do.



Then the true Johny Cash sang from the heart his own song.

Go see the movie, I won't ruin it any further.

Johnny Cash Mugshot

4 comments:

  1. i saw the movie about two months ago, when it came out on dvd. I really enjoyed it alot. Joaquin Phoenix did a marvelous job in this movie, so did Reese Witherspoon.
    One of the best movies i saw this year.

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  2. I saw it in the cinema in Kuwait; can't remember if there was anything cut out but I enjoyed the film immensely nonetheless

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  3. Ive had the dvd for some time now, but i havent watched it. Maybe i should soon. Heard many good things.

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  4. I loved this flick. I really do think Joaquin Phoenix deserved an Oscar for the role. As a life long Cash fan I was blown away.

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