Walk the Line (2005)

Director:

James Mangold

Writers (WGA):

Johnny Cash (book)
Gill Dennis (written by) ...

Release Date:

18 November 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

Love is a burning thing.

Plot:

A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Prison | Johnny Cash | Concert | Germany

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 28 wins & 26 nominations

Cast

Joaquin Phoenix	...	John R. Cash
Reese Witherspoon	...	June Carter
Ginnifer Goodwin	...	Vivian Cash
Robert Patrick	...	Ray Cash
Dallas Roberts	...	Sam Phillips
Dan John Miller	...	Luther Perkins
Larry Bagby	...	Marshall Grant
Shelby Lynne	...	Carrie Cash
Tyler Hilton	...	Elvis Presley
Waylon Payne	...	Jerry Lee Lewis (as Waylon Malloy Payne)
Shooter Jennings	...	Waylon Jennings
Sandra Ellis Lafferty	...	Maybelle Carter
Dan Beene	...	Ezra Carter
Clay Steakley	...	W.S. 'Fluke' Holland
Johnathan Rice	...	Roy Orbison

Also Known As:

Cash (USA) (original script title)
Walk the Line (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some language, thematic material and depiction of drug dependency.

Runtime:

136 min | 153 min (extended cut)

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:12A | USA:PG-13 | Ireland:12A | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:PG | Norway:11 | Germany:6 | Australia:M | Czech Republic:12 | Netherlands:MG6 | Brazil:12 | Spain:18 | Argentina:13 | Hong Kong:IIA | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Portugal:M/12 | Malaysia:U | Hungary:14 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Canada:G (Quebec) | France:U | South Korea:15 | Japan:PG-12

Filming Locations:

Arkansas, USA

Company:

Fox 2000 Pictures

Trivia:

It took four years for the producers to secure the rights to the story from James Keach who is a friend of Johnny Cash and his family. After Keach agreed, it took another four years to get the film made.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Johnny is fighting with Vivian while he is trying to hang up pictures, he is wearing a Hanes tagless white t-shirt from the late-1990s.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Warden: M-Mr. Cash? M-Mr. Cash?

Movie Connections:

References Mary Poppins (1964)

Soundtrack:

Long Legged Guitar Pickin' Man

Magical performance by Reese Witherspoon

"Walk the Line" is without question the zenith of Reese Witherspoon's acting career thus far. Joaquin Phoenix IS Johnny Cash in this biopic, but Reese as June Carter Cash sets this film on fire. It is one thing to portray a person's life, with feeling and emotion, something which Joaquin pulls off effortlessly. However, it is quite another to make a portrayal bigger than life, and Reese makes June Carter Cash the central character of this film.

To say that Reese steals the show is an understatement. Reese becomes a lightning rod for Joaquin's character, in a way that is actually quite scary. After all, Reese is from Nashville, and her Southern affect is flawless and absolutely winning. Suffice it to say that Reese will thankfully be present when the Academy Awards are presented next year. She might want to get a few words ready.

This movie will not be everyone's favorite flick, if for no other reason than that it is a biopic of flawed, Southern characters. However, perhaps the very flaws that imbue these characters with vitality and realism can establish the acting of Joaquin and Reese with an almost spiritual meaning, as they live these real people on screen. But in the final analysis, Reese Witherspoon will become the greatest contemporary screen actor upon release of this film. See for yourself. You read it here first.