lust, guilt and body language over dialogue

Rating: 6/10 (5 March 2006)

James Mangold is a rarity in American 'studio' cinema: he is not interested in sticking to one category or genre; the director of 'Girl, Interrupted' might not be expected to voluntarily make the biography of a pop star. The Johnny Cash story, though, is well-stocked with the stuff of Gothic legend and that ole dichotomy of lust and guilt that has informed the work of the blues and western greats from Charlie Patton through Robert Johnson and Hank Williams toJohnny Cash. Mangold is pretty adept at exploring the dark undercurrents whatever his subject. The wide screen was made for the kind of shots cameraman Phedon Papamichael sets up here - there really is a camera language which is not quite the same as that used in medium-width frames, and he is especially fluent. The Memphis of the 'fifties, fat big automobiles and the air heavily moist with music, is lovingly recreated, and the vignettes of rock 'n' roll taking shape will make most of us who were born after 1950 feel an aching regret at not having been older, just as today's young rock bands keep trying to redo the 'sixties they never knew. Joaquin Phoenix has joined the top league on the strength of his performance, going from playful and innocent to bloody dangerous, and he has a better voice than Cash, actually - and we should not be surprised to see Reese Witherspoon's first album out soon. She can cut the mustard. One major problem with this film for non-American audiences is the dialogue. There are many long scenes consisting of nothing but talk, or even half-whispering, where we can't help wondering, 'What on Earth are they talking about?' Sometimes, only sometimes, we can guess from watching the subsequent action. There have been letters in the press from British cinema-goers, begging for subtitles in US films, but only notably since 'Walk the Line' came out, although it is by no means the first film to meet with incomprehension away from home. Bound to boost DVD sales! CLIFF HANLEY