In TV movie "The Pride of Jesse Hallam", the late singer Johnny Cash plays the titular Jesse Hallam, an illiterate widower who moves to Cincinnati. Cash plays the character wonderfully, conveying the pride and frustration of an illiterate man living in a literate world. As the character searches for career opportunities in the big city, so he can support his struggling son and ailing daughter, his inability to read strikes him as it never has before, you can truly feel the man's great pain. He fights for his son, who also struggles to read, to remain in the tenth grade, and he supports his daughter as she undergoes spinal surgery. This film shows a character whose life is full of struggle and frustration, and it moves one to tears. As Hallam finally begins to learn, under the tutelage of a reluctant but enthusiastic school administrator, the joy, but caution, of a man so long denied that fundamental skill is palpable. There are not many words to describe this film, as it is quite simple, but terribly emotional. It is a tale of a man breaking from the bonds of circumstance, and becoming more than his forefathers. The greatest flaw of this film lies not in its content, but its production. The movie was a low-budget, made for television film, and it, at times, really shows. Never does it actively detract from the experience, but it warrants mention. Overall, this film explores the trials of an illiterate man, and his family, as he grows and changes towards a better future, and it is truly amazing.
Review of The Pride of Jesse Hallam
