Watch Johnny Cash make his acting debut in ‘Five Minutes to Live’
“What all can you give, with five minutes to live, Get dressed for your date or you’re gonna be late, Live a little while you can, don’t you sit there and wring your hands, Here comes a great big sedative, you got five minutes to live.”
2021 would mark the 89th birth anniversary of the legendary Johnny Cash, an artist who was well-known for his suave ‘The Man in Black’ persona; a larger-than-life icon whose ubiquitous presence is still palpable years after his death. Well-loved by all, Cash’s outlaw image transcended the mere country genre and ventured into the other spheres of the entertainment industry, including talk-shows, films, TV shows and more.
In the 1960s, following the barrage of Elvis-mania, Hollywood wanted more and more musical icons to play lead roles as they would help infuse music into their roles. While Johnny Cash is celebrated for his music worldwide, what some fans might not know is that this renowned singer made his acting debut in Bill Karn’s 1961 film Five Minutes to Live, which was re-released as Door-to-Door Maniac, and helped him pave a path for himself into the world of cinema.
Cash starred alongside Cay Forrester, Donald Woods and Ron Howard, among others in this film, and he portrayed the role of a New Jersey gangster named Johnny Cabot, who held the bank’s vice president’s wife hostage. In the project, he is ruthless, vile and impatient while teasing the poor damsel-in-distress, scorning her and singing to her while also making sexual advances. Although vice president Ken Wilson is initially scared for his wife’s life, Cabot’s foolproof plan soon gets intercepted by the police who shoot him fatally, causing his death.
The lurid poster of the film is in accordance with the theme of the swingin’ sixties, which was one of the most important decades of pop culture. Although Cash was not a very deft actor, his outlaw character, as well as the overall aesthetic of being clad in black suits with a somewhat intimidating demeanour, worked well with the film’s general demands.
Cabot and Cash were somewhat the same people with the same aura of a slightly psychopathic guitar teacher who takes his students hostage.
Joaquin Phoenix did a phenomenal job portraying this enigmatic legend in Walk the Line. As portrayed by Phoenix, this distinguished icon never had the knack for acting. Despite appearing in films of every genre, he never was very convincing in his roles. His music, as well as the depth of his voice, made the difference and helped create a riveting voice to convey stories. In Five Minutes to Live, Cash’s lack of acting training makes him appear more natural and in sync with the character. He delivers iconic dialogues with the stealth and calmness of a character; his most memorable dialogue leaves an indelible mark on us: “This suburb life ain’t for me”.
It was Five Minutes to live in which Johnny Cash made his acting debut. Sloppy yet charismatic, he forged for himself a path in the world of cinema. Check out the full film on youtube and stay tuned in for Cash’s performance, who appears nearly 36 minutes into the film.
