Reviews under review

Christian Century, March 7, 2006 by Sarah E.L. Heim, Peter McNamara

THE REVIEW OF Walk the Line (Dec. 27) by C. Clifton Black offers welcome elaboration on the aspects of Johnny Cash's life not fully developed in the film. Fidelity to the historical record is, however, only one measure of the success of a biopic. As an account of a man in search of his vocation and a demonstration of the redemptive power of storytelling, Walk the Line succeeds marvelously.

Cash's gift wasn't for music alone, but for singing stories that reach the hearts of people in dark places and let them know they are not alone. The film underscores this with frequent reiterations of the success of Cash's prison songs, not only with incarcerated men who recognize their own experiences, but also with others who feel the truth of the emotions portrayed. In this context, Cash's decline into drug addiction and despair appears to stem not from the excesses of fame but from the frustration of attaining what he thought he wanted most--musical success and acclaim--and finding himself still unsatisfied. It's only when he consciously puts his greatest talent to work, by taking his stories to the men at Folsom Prison who need them, that he succeeds in personal as well as popular terms. The Folsom concert represents Cash claiming his vocation.

Black is undoubtedly correct that Walk the Line doesn't tell the whole story about Johnny Cash, but the story the film does tell is an important and spiritually significant one that is true in spirit if not in historical particulars.

Sarah E. L. Heim

Philadelphia, Pa.

By not addressing the media hype that proclaims that Brokeback Mountain is "not a gay movie," John Petrakis glosses over the media's attempt to blur the central feature of the film: Ennis and Jack are homosexuals (Jan. 24). As a result, Petrakis doesn't emphasize enough the movie's main point: homophobia destroys lives. In the movie, homophobia destroys the lives of Ennis, Jack and their families. Today, homophobia, often fomented and led by churches, still wrecks lives.

For every Bishop Gene Robinson, who braves homophobes' venom, there are many more clergy and other church people still cowering in the closet, because it's not safe to come out. Churchpeople who believe the gospel is inclusive must continue to name and fight against homophobia, particularly in the churches. This means not acquiescing to homophobia in the name of "church unity."

Peter McNamara

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.