Thanks to the Oscar-winning film, “Walk the Line,” film fans are probably very familiar with the love affair and decades-long marriage between music legend Johnny Cash and fellow performer June Carter. But the upcoming documentary, “My Darling Vivian,” aims to tell the tale of Cash’s first wife and the mother of his four daughters, Vivian Liberto.
With “My Darling Vivian” arriving in December, we’re happy to give our readers an exclusive first look at the new trailer for the doc. As mentioned, the film tells the story of Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto, who met in 1951 when he was just an Air Force cadet, and she was a Catholic schoolgirl. From there, the two fell madly in love, and their marriage is recounted by hundreds of letters between the two, as well as home movies and interviews with their four children. The documentary shows the rise of Johnny Cash and how his newfound fame greatly affected his first real love.
The new documentary comes from director Matt Riddlehoover, a veteran filmmaker who previously helmed films such as “Strategy and Pursuit,” “What’s the Matter with Gerald?” and “Paternity Leave.” “My Darling Vivian” was selected as part of this year’s SXSW Film Festival.
“My Darling Vivian” will be released on DVD and VOD on December 8. You can watch the exclusive trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis for the film:
In 1951, Catholic schoolgirl Vivian Liberto met handsome Air Force cadet Johnny Cash at her local San Antonio, Texas skating rink. Their whirlwind summer romance lays the foundation for a feverish three-year-long correspondence while Johnny is stationed in Germany. Thousands of letters later, the two marry upon his return in 1954. Within a year, a career blossoms, and a family is started. By 1961, Johnny Cash is a household name, number one on the music charts, and perpetually on tour. Meanwhile, only two weeks postpartum, Vivian settles into their custom-built home in Casitas Springs, California, with their four young daughters. Plagued by bobcats, rattlesnakes, all-hours visits from fans, and a growing resentment toward her husband’s absence, Vivian is pushed to a near breaking point when she and her daughters are targeted by hate groups over her perceived race. In My Darling Vivian, we will meet the first Mrs. Cash as her daughters, Rosanne, Kathy, Cindy, and Tara, share with us first hand, for the first time, the entire story of love, isolation, fear, heartbreak, and survival.