Johnny Cash Five Minutes To Live - Movie - Spielfilm (DVD)

well-made low budget movie about a bank robbery

"Five Minutes To Live" has a lot going for it. Some low budget movies from the 1950s and 1960s were actually pretty good and this is one of them, not a tongue-in-cheek exploitation movie. Johnny Cash and Vick Tayback (who would co-star in the TV comedy series "Alice" for ten years in the 1970s and 1980s) have meticulously planned a combination bank robbery and kidnapping, which, according to their plans, must unfold exactly as timed. This causes a sense of tension throughout the film. There is a surprisingly convincing chase scene where Johnny Cash runs after and tackles a five-year-old Ron Howard ("The Andy Griffith Show", "Happy Days", and successful film director) through backyards in a residential neighborhood. Women were rarely script writers or film directors in those days, so this movie is ground-breaking in that the script was written by Cay Forester, who also plays the housewife held for ransom at home while the bank is being robbed downtown. Her performance is highly believable. Not for one second does she show any belief that Johnny Cash might leave her unharmed. This DVD release offers and sharp, clear, and clean picture and soundtrack. Bonus: Merle Travis has a small role. He also wrote the theme song, which is expertly sung by Johnny Cash.