Post by Brad Nelson on May 23, 2021 9:20:00 GMT -8
I Walk the Line. I think I watched this on Tubi TV but you may find it for free elsewhere as well.
In this 1970 film, Gregory Peck plays the middle-aged sheriff of a rural Tennessee Town. One day he spots Alma McCain (Tuesday Weld) and her little brother weaving all over the road in their beat-up old truck. She comes from a family of moonshiners and there is evidence of their bootlegging ways clearly in view in the back of the truck.
Peck’s view is restricted. He is immediately smitten with her and begins to overlook the transgressions of her family. The father of Alma plays this to his advantage. It seems that Alma is also smitten with Peck but this turns out to be more complicated.
Peck is clearly in a strange role for him. Here he plays more of a Fatal Attraction character as his lust for the girl pulls him more and more into trouble. Frankly, with Peck in the role, him going all goo-goo eyed over the young Tuesday Weld doesn’t play well with the suspension of disbelief. But that may have more to do with inadequacies of the screenplay.
Whatever the case may be, Peck puts his all into the character. If there are rough spots in the film (and there are), the are mostly carried by the excellent soundtrack by Johnny Cash. The lyrics of his songs fit exactly what is going on inside Peck’s head at anytime. This is one of the best soundtracks in regards to it fitting and enhancing the story.
One reviewers seconds that Peck in this role is a bit hard to swallow. But…
Arguably, that way of life has moved from the rural to the streets of Portland and Seattle. Apparently Weld does a nude scene in this. But the version I saw didn’t have it. The movie is rate “R” but I say nothing that PG-13 wouldn’t cover easily. Charles Durning has a nice role as one of Peck’s not-so-loyal deputies. Shades of Longmire.
In this 1970 film, Gregory Peck plays the middle-aged sheriff of a rural Tennessee Town. One day he spots Alma McCain (Tuesday Weld) and her little brother weaving all over the road in their beat-up old truck. She comes from a family of moonshiners and there is evidence of their bootlegging ways clearly in view in the back of the truck.
Peck’s view is restricted. He is immediately smitten with her and begins to overlook the transgressions of her family. The father of Alma plays this to his advantage. It seems that Alma is also smitten with Peck but this turns out to be more complicated.
Peck is clearly in a strange role for him. Here he plays more of a Fatal Attraction character as his lust for the girl pulls him more and more into trouble. Frankly, with Peck in the role, him going all goo-goo eyed over the young Tuesday Weld doesn’t play well with the suspension of disbelief. But that may have more to do with inadequacies of the screenplay.
Whatever the case may be, Peck puts his all into the character. If there are rough spots in the film (and there are), the are mostly carried by the excellent soundtrack by Johnny Cash. The lyrics of his songs fit exactly what is going on inside Peck’s head at anytime. This is one of the best soundtracks in regards to it fitting and enhancing the story.
One reviewers seconds that Peck in this role is a bit hard to swallow. But…
You will enjoy the cinematography, and a depiction of American life which does still exist. This film is not as extreme as "Deliverance" but if you drive along Route 26 through North Carolina and Tennessee mountains, you will still see people living without heat, with plastic on their windows to keep out the cold.
Arguably, that way of life has moved from the rural to the streets of Portland and Seattle. Apparently Weld does a nude scene in this. But the version I saw didn’t have it. The movie is rate “R” but I say nothing that PG-13 wouldn’t cover easily. Charles Durning has a nice role as one of Peck’s not-so-loyal deputies. Shades of Longmire.
The movie feels like many needed and critical scenes were left on the cutting room floor, or not shot at all. This is surely why Peck’s stampede to foolishness often seems forced and out-of-character. It’s probably only because of the gravitas of Peck in the role that his character is believable at all. Lots of flaws but perhaps a must for Peck fans. And the Johnny Cash soundtrack is more than worth the price of admission.