Dow Jones, a News Corp company

News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services

Dow Jones

News Corp

Search

‘Skinny’ Repeal of Obamacare Fails in Senate

‘Skinny’ Repeal of Obamacare Fails in Senate

Russia Sanctions Bill Clears the Senate With Bipartisan Vote

Russia Sanctions Bill Clears the Senate With Bipartisan Vote

Senators Move to Block Trump From Ousting Sessions

Senators Move to Block Trump From Ousting Sessions

Pakistan Prime Minister Removed From Office Over Panama Papers Case

Pakistan Prime Minister Removed From Office Over Panama Papers Case

Amazon’s Expansion Costs Take a Toll

Amazon’s Expansion Costs Take a Toll

China’s Next Target: U.S. Microchip Hegemony

Globalization in Retreat

China’s Next Target: U.S. Microchip Hegemony

Barclays Pushed to Loss by Africa Write-Down

Barclays Pushed to Loss by Africa Write-Down

Scaramucci Erupts Over Priebus, Leakers

Scaramucci Erupts Over Priebus, Leakers

Top Military Officer Says No Changes Yet on Transgender Troops

Top Military Officer Says No Changes Yet on Transgender Troops

Uber Approaches GE CEO Jeff Immelt About Top Role

Uber Approaches GE CEO Jeff Immelt About Top Role

Libor: A Eulogy for the ‘World’s Most Important Number’

Libor: A Eulogy for the ‘World’s Most Important Number’

The Bull Market’s Growth Problem

The Bull Market’s Growth Problem

Spain Has a Debt Problem and So Now It Has a Zorro Problem

Spain Has a Debt Problem and So Now It Has a Zorro Problem

Small

Medium

Large

Save Article

Sign In to Save Subscribe to WSJ

As a Moody Johnny Cash, Phoenix Is on the Money In Masterful 'Walk the Line'

Witherspoon Soars as June Carter; As Potter Faces Terrors, Girls, 'Goblet of Fire' Runneth Over

By

Joe Morgenstern

Updated Nov. 18, 2005 12:01 a.m. ET

"Walk the Line," with Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter, breaks through the conventions of its biopic form with a pair of brilliant performances and a whole lot more. Everything you need to know about the whole can be found in the climactic scene when Johnny proposes to a resistant June during their legendary performance in Ontario in 1968. Before then it's been one convention piled (mostly enjoyably) on another -- his pill-popping and boozing, his generally loutish behavior, divorce and downfall, then his regeneration at the hands of a loving woman and his comeback concert...

Most Popular Videos

Most Popular Articles

Popular on WSJ

Most Popular Videos

Most Popular Articles


<!-- share menu -->
<menu class="shareMenu  shareMenu--horizontal">


   <li class="shareMenu__item hide4">
     <a href="#print" class="shareIcon" data-sharemenu-action="print" aria-label="Print" data-sharemenu-track="print">
       <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--print" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 20 17.6"><path d="M-711-3365v4612H969v-4612H-711zM25 22.6H-5V-5h30v27.6z" fill="none"/><path d="M2.3 14.6h1v3h13.4v-3h1c1.3 0 2.3-1 2.3-2V9c0-1-1-2-2.2-2h-1V3.8l-4-3.8H3.4v7h-1C1 7 0 8 0 9v3.4c0 1.2 1 2.2 2.3 2.2zM12.5.6L16 4.2h-3.5V.8zM4 .7h8.2v4H16V7H4V.7zm0 14h12V17H4v-2.4z"/></svg>
     </a>
   </li>

  <li class="shareMenu__item">
    <a class="shareIcon shareIcon--facebook" data-sharemenu-action="window" data-sharemenu-track="facebook" aria-label="Facebook" rel="nofollow" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB113226618978500529" target="_blank">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--facebook" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 10.5 22.5"><path d="M10 11.3H7v11.2H2V11.3H0v-4h2.2V4.7C2.2 3 3.2 0 7 0h3.5v4H8c-.5 0-1 0-1 1v2.3h3.5l-.4 4z"/></svg>
    </a>
  </li>

  <li class="shareMenu__item">
    <a class="shareIcon shareIcon--twitter" data-sharemenu-action="window" data-sharemenu-track="twitter" aria-label="Twitter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=As%20a%20Moody%20Johnny%20Cash%2C%20%0APhoenix%20Is%20on%20the%20Money%20%0AIn%20Masterful%20'Walk%20the%20Line'&url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB113226618978500529&via=WSJ">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--twitter" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21.1 17.4"><path d="M19 4.3V5c0 5.7-4.4 12.4-12.4 12.4-2.4 0-4.7-.7-6.6-2h1c2 0 4-.6 5.4-1.8-2 0-3.5-1.3-4-3h1.8C2.3 10 1 8.2 1 6c.6.2 1.2.4 2 .4-1.2-.7-2-2-2-3.6 0-.8.3-1.6.7-2.2 2 2.7 5.3 4.4 9 4.6-.2-.3-.2-.7-.2-1 0-2.4 2-4.4 4.3-4.4 1.2 0 2.4.5 3 1.4 1-.2 2-.6 2.8-1-.3 1-1 1.8-2 2.3 1 0 1.8-.3 2.6-.7-.5 1-1.3 1.7-2 2.3"/></svg>
    </a>
  </li>

  <li class="shareMenu__item hide12 hide16">
    <span class="shareIcon" data-sharemenu-action="partial-scrim" data-target="fontScrim" aria-label="Text Resize">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--font" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 18.5 17.5"><path d="M18.2 17.2c-.7 0-.7-.2-1-1.4L14.5 4.2h-.2l-2.7 11.3c-.3 1-.4 1.5-.7 1.7h-.4c-1 0-1-.2-1.3-2L5.6 0h-.3L1.7 14.8C1.2 17 1.2 17 0 17.2v.4h4v-.4h-.4c-1.6 0-1.6-.3-1-2.6L3 12h3.2l.8 3.4c.3 1.4.4 1.6-1 1.7h-.4v.5H13v-.3H13c-1.3 0-1.3-.2-1-2l.4-1.4H15l.5 2c.2 1.2.3 1.4-.8 1.4h-.3v.3h4v-.3h-.2zm-15-6l1.5-6 1.3 6H3.3zm9.4 1.7l1-4.8L15 13h-2.2z"/></svg>
    </span>
  </li>


  <li class="shareMenu__item sharePopup__wrap hide4 hide8">
    <input type="checkbox" class="sharePopup__toggle" id="shareMenuSavePopupSB113226618978500529" data-sharemenu-action="popup">
    <label for="shareMenuSavePopupSB113226618978500529" class="shareIcon shareIcon--save">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--save" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 18.4 17.5"><path d="M3.5 17.5l1-6.3L0 6.7l6.4-1L9.2 0 12 5.8l6.4 1-4.6 4.4 1 6.3-5.6-3"/></svg>
    </label>
    <div class="sharePopup sharePopup--save">
      <h6 class="shareLabel">Save Article</h6>
      <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/https://accounts.wsj.com/login?target=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2FSB113226618978500529" class="shareLink" rel="nofollow">Sign In to Save</a>
      <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/https://subscribe.wsj.com/default" class="shareLink">Subscribe to WSJ</a>
    </div>
  </li>

   <li class="shareMenu__item hide12 hide16">
     <span class="shareIcon" data-sharemenu-action="scrim" data-target="shareScrim">
       <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--more" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21 5"><circle cx="10.5" cy="2.5" r="2.5" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd"/><path d="M16 3c.3 1.2 1.3 2 2.5 2C20 5 21 4 21 2.5 21 1 20 0 18.5 0S16 1 16 2.5V3z" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd"/><circle cx="2.5" cy="2.5" r="2.5" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd"/></svg>
     </span>
   </li>
   <li class="shareMenu__item hide4 hide8">
     <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB113226618978500529" class="shareIcon" data-sharemenu-action="link" data-sharemenu-wait-for-init="true" data-sharemenu-sync="link" data-sharemenu-track="permalink" aria-label="Copy link">
       <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--link" viewbox="0 0 19 19" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M2 13.7l1.3-1.3-.7-.6a1 1 0 0 1 0-1.3l7.8-7.7a1 1 0 0 1 .6-.3c.2 0 .5 0 .6.3l.7.6L13.6 2l-.7-.5c-1-1-3-1-4 0L1.5 9.2a2.7 2.7 0 0 0 0 3.8l.6.7zm16-7l-.6-.7L16 7.3l.8.6a1 1 0 0 1 0 1.2L9 17A1 1 0 0 1 8 17l-.7-.7-1 1.2.5.7c.5.5 1.2.8 2 .8.7 0 1.3-.3 2-.8l7.6-7.7a2.7 2.7 0 0 0 1-2c0-.7-.4-1.4-1-2m-1.2-5L18 2.8l-6.4 6.4L10.4 8zm-9 9L9 11.8l-6.4 6.4L1.4 17z"/></svg>
     </a>
   </li>

</menu>
<!-- end share menu -->

  <!-- font controls -->
  <div class="shareScrim shareScrim--partial" id="fontScrim" aria-label="Font Size - press Esc to close">
    <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear shareScrim__close" data-sharemenu-action="partial-scrim" data-target="fontScrim" aria-label="close">
      <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--close" id="Layer_1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21.9 22"><polygon id="XMLID_4_" points="12.2,11 12.2,10.9 21.9,1.2 20.7,0 10.9,9.7 1.2,0 0,1.2 9.7,10.9 9.7,11 9.7,11.1
    0,20.8 1.2,22 10.9,12.3 20.7,22 21.9,20.8 12.2,11.1 "/></svg>
  </span>
    <div class="shareScrim__content fontButtons">
      <span class="shareLabel2">Text Size</span>
  
      <input class="fontButtons__input fontButtons__input--scrim" type="radio" name="fontsize-scrim" value="regular" data-sharemenu-action="fontsize" data-sharemenu-sync="fontsizeregular" data-sharemenu-track="resize" id="fontsize-scrim-regular">
      <label class="fontButtons__label fontButtons__label--scrim" for="fontsize-scrim-regular">
        <div class="fontButton fontButton--small"><svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--fontButton" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 19 25"><path d="M5.406 16.565L4.25 20.8c-.7 2.52-.664 3.15 1.47 3.255l.77.035V25H.54v-.91c1.436-.175 1.68-.385 2.416-2.975L8.8.325h.7l6.3 21.455c.526 1.715.666 2.1 1.89 2.24l.596.07V25h-8.96v-.91l.595-.035c2.73-.175 2.416-.595 1.89-2.485l-1.4-5.005H5.407zm4.725-1.05l-2.24-7.98-2.204 7.98h4.445z"/></svg>
</div>
        Small
      </label>
  
      <input class="fontButtons__input fontButtons__input--scrim" type="radio" name="fontsize-scrim" value="medium" data-sharemenu-action="fontsize" data-sharemenu-sync="fontsizemedium" data-sharemenu-track="resize" id="fontsize-scrim-medium">
      <label class="fontButtons__label fontButtons__label--scrim" for="fontsize-scrim-medium">
        <div class="fontButton fontButton--medium"><svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--fontButton" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 19 25"><path d="M5.406 16.565L4.25 20.8c-.7 2.52-.664 3.15 1.47 3.255l.77.035V25H.54v-.91c1.436-.175 1.68-.385 2.416-2.975L8.8.325h.7l6.3 21.455c.526 1.715.666 2.1 1.89 2.24l.596.07V25h-8.96v-.91l.595-.035c2.73-.175 2.416-.595 1.89-2.485l-1.4-5.005H5.407zm4.725-1.05l-2.24-7.98-2.204 7.98h4.445z"/></svg>
</div>
        Medium
      </label>
  
      <input class="fontButtons__input fontButtons__input--scrim" type="radio" name="fontsize-scrim" value="large" data-sharemenu-action="fontsize" data-sharemenu-sync="fontsizelarge" data-sharemenu-track="resize" id="fontsize-scrim-large">
      <label class="fontButtons__label fontButtons__label--scrim" for="fontsize-scrim-large">
        <div class="fontButton fontButton--large"><svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--fontButton" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 19 25"><path d="M5.406 16.565L4.25 20.8c-.7 2.52-.664 3.15 1.47 3.255l.77.035V25H.54v-.91c1.436-.175 1.68-.385 2.416-2.975L8.8.325h.7l6.3 21.455c.526 1.715.666 2.1 1.89 2.24l.596.07V25h-8.96v-.91l.595-.035c2.73-.175 2.416-.595 1.89-2.485l-1.4-5.005H5.407zm4.725-1.05l-2.24-7.98-2.204 7.98h4.445z"/></svg>
</div>
        Large
      </label>
    </div>
  </div>
  <!-- end font controls -->

  
  
  
  
  
  
  <!-- scrim share menu -->
  <div class="shareScrim" id="shareScrim" aria-label="Share Menu - press Esc to close">
    <div class="shareScrim__content">
      <menu class="shareScrim__itemlist">
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="#print" class="shareButton" data-sharemenu-action="print" data-sharemenu-track="print" title="Print">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--print" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 20 17.6"><path d="M-711-3365v4612H969v-4612H-711zM25 22.6H-5V-5h30v27.6z" fill="none"/><path d="M2.3 14.6h1v3h13.4v-3h1c1.3 0 2.3-1 2.3-2V9c0-1-1-2-2.2-2h-1V3.8l-4-3.8H3.4v7h-1C1 7 0 8 0 9v3.4c0 1.2 1 2.2 2.3 2.2zM12.5.6L16 4.2h-3.5V.8zM4 .7h8.2v4H16V7H4V.7zm0 14h12V17H4v-2.4z"/></svg>
          </span>
            Print
          </a>
        </li>
      <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB113226618978500529" data-sharemenu-action="clickthrough" data-sharemenu-track="facebook" class="shareButton shareButton--facebook" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--facebook" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 10.5 22.5"><path d="M10 11.3H7v11.2H2V11.3H0v-4h2.2V4.7C2.2 3 3.2 0 7 0h3.5v4H8c-.5 0-1 0-1 1v2.3h3.5l-.4 4z"/></svg>
          </span>
            Facebook
          </a>
        </li>
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=As%20a%20Moody%20Johnny%20Cash%2C%20%0APhoenix%20Is%20on%20the%20Money%20%0AIn%20Masterful%20'Walk%20the%20Line'&url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB113226618978500529&via=WSJ" class="shareButton shareButton--twitter" data-sharemenu-action="clickthrough" data-sharemenu-track="twitter" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--twitter" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21.1 17.4"><path d="M19 4.3V5c0 5.7-4.4 12.4-12.4 12.4-2.4 0-4.7-.7-6.6-2h1c2 0 4-.6 5.4-1.8-2 0-3.5-1.3-4-3h1.8C2.3 10 1 8.2 1 6c.6.2 1.2.4 2 .4-1.2-.7-2-2-2-3.6 0-.8.3-1.6.7-2.2 2 2.7 5.3 4.4 9 4.6-.2-.3-.2-.7-.2-1 0-2.4 2-4.4 4.3-4.4 1.2 0 2.4.5 3 1.4 1-.2 2-.6 2.8-1-.3 1-1 1.8-2 2.3 1 0 1.8-.3 2.6-.7-.5 1-1.3 1.7-2 2.3"/></svg>
          </span>
            Twitter
          </a>
        </li>
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/whatsapp://send/?text=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB113226618978500529" class="shareButton shareButton--whatsapp" data-sharemenu-track="whatsapp" rel="nofollow">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--whatsapp" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 20.3 20.4"><path d="M14.8 12.2c-.3 0-1.5-.7-1.7-.8h-.5l-.8 1c0 .3-.3.3-.5.2-.3 0-1-.4-2-1.3-.8-.7-1.3-1.5-1.4-1.7V9l.5-.3.3-.4V8l-1-2c0-.6-.4-.6-.5-.6h-.4c-.2 0-.4 0-.7.3-.3.3-1 1-1 2.2 0 1 1 2.3 1 2.5.2.2 2 2.7 4.4 3.8l1.4.5c.6.2 1.2.2 1.6 0 .5 0 1.5-.5 1.7-1 .3-.7.3-1.2.2-1.3l-.4-.3"/><path class="st0" d="M10.2 18.5c-1.5 0-3-.4-4.3-1.2l-.4-.2-3.2 1 .8-3-.2-.4c-.8-1.3-1.3-3-1.3-4.5 0-4.5 3.8-8.3 8.4-8.3 2.3 0 4.4 1 6 2.5 1.6 1.6 2.5 3.7 2.5 6 0 4.5-3.7 8.3-8.3 8.3m7-15.5c-1.8-2-4.3-3-7-3C4.6 0 .2 4.5.2 10c0 2 .4 3.6 1.2 5L0 20.5 5.4 19c1.5.8 3 1.2 4.8 1.2 5.6 0 10-4.5 10-10 0-2.8-1-5.3-3-7.2"/></svg>
          </span>
            WhatsApp
          </a>
        </li>
  
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/sms:/?&body=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB113226618978500529" class="shareButton" data-sharemenu-track="sms">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--sms" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 13 21"><path d="M10.717.84h-8c-1.103 0-2 .897-2 2v16c0 1.104.897 2 2 2h8c1.103 0 2-.896 2-2v-16c0-1.104-.897-2-2-2zm-8 4h8v-2h-8v2zm0 10h8v-8h-8v8zm0 4h8v-2h-8v2z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg>
          </span>
            SMS
          </a>
        </li>
  
  
        <li class="shareScrim__item">
          <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170728085841/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB113226618978500529" class="shareButton" data-sharemenu-action="link" data-sharemenu-wait-for-init="true" data-sharemenu-sync="link" data-sharemenu-track="permalink">
            <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear">
              <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--link" viewbox="0 0 19 19" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M2 13.7l1.3-1.3-.7-.6a1 1 0 0 1 0-1.3l7.8-7.7a1 1 0 0 1 .6-.3c.2 0 .5 0 .6.3l.7.6L13.6 2l-.7-.5c-1-1-3-1-4 0L1.5 9.2a2.7 2.7 0 0 0 0 3.8l.6.7zm16-7l-.6-.7L16 7.3l.8.6a1 1 0 0 1 0 1.2L9 17A1 1 0 0 1 8 17l-.7-.7-1 1.2.5.7c.5.5 1.2.8 2 .8.7 0 1.3-.3 2-.8l7.6-7.7a2.7 2.7 0 0 0 1-2c0-.7-.4-1.4-1-2m-1.2-5L18 2.8l-6.4 6.4L10.4 8zm-9 9L9 11.8l-6.4 6.4L1.4 17z"/></svg>
          </span>
            Copy Link
          </a>
        </li>
  
      </menu>
  
      <span class="shareIcon shareIcon--clear shareScrim__close" data-sharemenu-action="close" data-target="shareScrim" aria-label="close">
        <svg class="shareSVG shareSVG--close" id="Layer_1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 21.9 22"><polygon id="XMLID_4_" points="12.2,11 12.2,10.9 21.9,1.2 20.7,0 10.9,9.7 1.2,0 0,1.2 9.7,10.9 9.7,11 9.7,11.1
      0,20.8 1.2,22 10.9,12.3 20.7,22 21.9,20.8 12.2,11.1 "/></svg>
    </span>
  
    </div>
  
  </div>
  <!-- end scrim share menu -->