Walk the Line [WS]

Overview

James Mangold's Walk the Line tells the life story of country music legend Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix), focusing primarily on the long courtship he had with June Carter (Reese Witherspoon). The film is structured as an extended flashback opening with Cash readying to take the stage at his historic Folsom Prison Concert. The film touches on his childhood, relating a horrific early incident from his life and establishing the troubled relationship he would have with his father (Robert Patrick). Cash joins the military and leaves home. During his time in the armed services he begins writing songs and romances a hometown girl (Ginnifer Goodwin). After the end of his duty he settles down and attempts to begin a music career, but his wife has trouble adjusting to his dreams. Cash auditions for Sam Phillips (Dallas Roberts), signs to Sun Records, and soon finds himself on tour with a roster of young soon-to-be legends that includes Elvis Presley (Tyler Hilton) and Jerry Lee Lewis (Waylon Malloy Payne). On this tour he meets June Carter, the daughter of the famous Carter family, and they take a liking to each other, although she refuses any serious advances from him. Cash gains world-wide fame thanks in part to the inspiration he gets from June, but eventually his marriage crumbles and he develops a serious drug addiction. The film is based on Cash's autobiographies. Phoenix and Witherspoon performed all of their own singing in the movie, just as Sissy Spacek and Beverly D'Angelo did in Coal Miner's Daughter a quarter-century before.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/28/2006
UPC:	0024543224228
Original Release:	2005
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	20TH CENTURY FOX
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound]
Language:	English
Time:	2:15:00
Sales rank:	11,444

Special Features

Closed Caption;Audio commentary by co-writer and director James Mangold; 10 Deleted scenes with optional commentary by James Mangold

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Joaquin Phoenix	John R. Cash
Reese Witherspoon	June Carter
Ginnifer Goodwin	Vivian Cash
Dallas Roberts	Sam Phillips
Dan John Miller	Luther Perkins,Birdie Perkins
Larry Bagby	Marshall Grant
Shelby Lynne	Carrie Cash
Tyler Hilton	Elvis Presley
Waylon Payne	Jerry Lee Lewis
Shooter Jennings	Waylon Jennings
Sandra Ellis Lafferty	Maybelle Carter
Dan Beene	Ezra Carter,Ezra Carter
Clay Steakley	W.S. "Fluke" Holland
Jonathan Rice	Roy Orbison
Johnny Holiday	Carl Perkins
Ridge Canipe	Young J.R.
Lucas Till	Young Jack Cash
Carly Nahon	Young Reba Cash
McGhee Monteith	Reba Cash
Wyatt Entrekin	Tommy Cash
Hailey Anne Nelson	Roseanne Cash
Kerris Dorsey	Kathy Cash
Delaney Keefe	Cindy Cash
Victoria Hester	Carlene Carter,Columbia Records Secretary
Deborah Rawlings	Diner Waitress
James DeForest Parker	Inmate
James Keach	Warden
Davielle Boyce	Maid at Door
Glenn Alan Gardner	Texarkana Stage Manager
Danny Vinson	Texarkana MC
Dave McPhail	Armory MC
Natalie Canerday	Lady in the Aisle
Rhoda Griffis	Five and Dime Manager
Jeff Bailey	El Paso Taxi Driver
Ross Harkins	Record Executive
J.D. Evermore	F.B.I. Man
Helen Ingebritsen	Bank Teller
J.W. Williams	Pill Man
Shane Bowen	JR's Agent
Tim Ware	A & R Man #1
Dolan Wilson	A & R Man #2
J. Allen Scott	Dyess Doctor
Michael Ingersoll	Donzil
Carter Thrower	Sheriff
Brian Deas	NCO
Glenda Pannell	Neighbor Woman
Amy LaVere	Wanda
David Caffey	Record Company Executive
John Carter Cash	Bob Neal
Al Gardner	Texarkana Stage Manager
Richard Crowe	Service Station Guy
Shelby Lynn	Actor
Geoff Falk	Folsom Prison Assistant Warden,Lady at the Five & Dime
Marc Farley	Ferlin
Sandra Ellis-Lafferty	Actor
Cody Hanford	Tommy Cash
Kimberly Hill	Concertgoer
Rich Parham	Salesman
Kevin Scroggs	Press Photographer
Laura Lynn Seguin	Screaming Fan
Brit Shaw	Etta Grant
Melissa Goodwin Shepherd	Flight Attendant
Frank Hoyt Taylor	Passionate Preacher
Danny Thomas	Prison Guard
T-Bone Burnett	Composer

Technical Credits

Gill Dennis

James Mangold	Director
Ray Garcia	Key Grip
James Keach	Producer
Lisa Beach	Casting
Cathy Conrad	Producer,Producer
Sarah Katzman	Casting
Alan C. Blomquist	Executive Producer
Katie Lofton	Stunts
John Carter Cash	Executive Producer
Steve Drake	Key Grip
Brian Avery	Stunts
Heidi Pascoe	Stunts
Jack Lofton	Stunts
Ted Caplan	Sound/Sound Designer
Doug Hemphill	Sound Mixer
Gill Dennis	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Walk the Line is first and foremost a love story. Director James Mangold touches on most of the standard scenes people have come to expect from movies about real-life musicians, but the material is infused with energy by two outstanding lead performances. Joaquin Phoenix passes the test that buries most performers who play famous musicians; one never doubts that he is playing a person capable of creating these fantastic songs. That he handles his own singing in the film is simply a bonus. Even if he does not sound exactly like Cash, he is close enough that -- when augmented by the film's outstanding editing and the emotional thrust of the story -- the illusion is complete. As good as he is, Reese Witherspoon matches him perfectly, registering every contradictory feeling in a smart woman forced to play the fool in public. The scenes in which they duet, particularly a scorching version of "It Ain't Me Babe," display an emotional connection between the two that can rival any movie love story. That connection carries over when the couple is off-stage, particularly in a wonderful early scene in a diner where one begins to sense the spark the two feel between each other. Walk the Line is an outstanding love story, a highly entertaining look at the life of a young rock star on tour, and a showcase for two strong young actors to give great performances.