Product: Road to Nashville [VHS]
Rating: 4.0
Wonderful musical history lesson
Judged by any objective aesthetic criteria this is an awful movie but its parade of the great and the good from country music of its era makes it a pure joy for lovers of the music ; for those who dislike country music and demand movies which are dripping with "sophistication " it will be purgatorial to sit through .The plot is not so much thin as anorexic -a movie executive of unbelievable stupidity is despatched by his boss to Nshville to sign up acts for a musical about country music .In the process he sees a number of performers and the overwhelming bulk of the picture is of concert footage of these acts .As befits his executive produceer stautus on the movie Marty Robbins gets the bulk of the action ,performing five numbers including Devil Woman and El Paso ,not to mention some dialogue scenes .He is as always an unalloyed pleasure to witness being in fine voice .The star is undoubtedly Johnny Cash .Lokking gaunt and emaciated ,even somewhat scary he performs ,with the Carter Family ,a spartan arrangement of Were You There When They Crucified My Lord in a sepulchral voice that is chilling in its passion ,intensity and conviction .The follow up song ,a novelty ballad called The One on The Right ,while fun ,seems out of place after that highpoint in proceedings .Good turns from now grievously negelected greats like Lefty Frizzell,Hank Snow and Web Pierce make sure we do not stray too far away from honk tonk heaven .Factor in Connie Smith , Faron Young ,Waylon Jennings (looking almost impossibly young) and some lively modern bluegrass from the Stoneman Family and this is an irresistible package for country music fans who feel this was a great era for the music ,in an age a long way away from the polished "Nashvegas " sound of much modern country .The numbers are unimaginatively shot and the colur is watery but the music is what matters and it is largely excellentA treat for the ears if not the eyes