November 11, 2005

"Walk the Line" Controversy


Kathy Cash, one of Johnny Cash's five children, was so upset about how her mother is portrayed in the upcoming movie "Walk the Line" that she walked out of a family-only screening — five times.

She thinks the movie, which opens nationwide Nov. 18, is good and that performances by Joaquin Phoenix as her dad and Reese Witherspoon as her stepmother, June Carter Cash, are Oscar-worthy.

But she also said the film unfairly shows her mother, Vivian Liberto Distin, Johnny Cash's first wife, as a shrew. Actress Ginnifer Goodwin plays her in the movie.

"My mom was basically a nonentity in the entire film except for the mad little psycho who hated his career. That's not true. She loved his career and was proud of him until he started taking drugs and stopped coming home," Kathy Cash said.

Vivian Liberto Distin died earlier this year as a result of complications from lung cancer. She and Cash were married 13 years and had four children together. He pledged to remain faithful to her in his song "I Walk the Line."

Kathy Cash also said the movie fails to include any meaningful scenes with the children or show the pain she and her three sisters endured during their father's fight with drugs and their parents' divorce. She says it portrays Johnny Cash's father too negatively.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:58 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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1 Dear Kathy Cash, It's a MOVIE, not a documentary. You can't expect it to be completely true to life.

Posted by: :: jozjozjoz :: at November 11, 2005 01:24 PM (fMtgK)

2 True, it's a movie. But it has to be difficult to watch a 'portrayal' of the life of a famous family member, knowing it's wrong and that a large # of people will assume it is right.

Posted by: Kelly at November 11, 2005 10:16 PM (XY9Rz)

3 I'm in agreement with Kelly.

Posted by: Andrea at November 12, 2005 01:20 PM (6c7NH)

4 Is the movie wrong or does it simply not show everything? This is a movie, not a miniseries/documentary. They have a story to tell and not everything can fit in the time allowed. Having said that yes it would be had to know more to the story exists, but isn't shown.

Posted by: Brian D. at November 13, 2005 11:21 AM (syMq/)

5 Shut up...dude i got to be up in 5 hours....ohhhh my butt itches. Turn of the lights!!!

Posted by: Ben at December 03, 2005 12:14 AM (ZEhFy)

6 i think it was an great movie, ive been listening to johnny cash since i was a baby and to put anything negative against the cash family would be outragously wrong, and in my opinion i feel although a good movie, they did an injustice making her mother seem that way

Posted by: Danny H at March 01, 2006 07:49 PM (AUz2i)

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