The largely unknown story of Vivian Liberto, Johnny Cash's first wife and mother of his daughters.
The documentary is well-written and well-told by her daughters, hundreds (if not thousands) of letters between Miss Vivian and Johnny, and historical footage.
It's almost like Johnny Cash had a secret life, a mostly good one until he got hooked on drugs.
Miss Vivian's life story, as shared with us by her daughters, is complex and melancholy.
She met Johnny when they were both very young and impressionable. They fell in love in the way that seemed so easy and natural for their ages and the time they grew up in.
But what started out as a fairy tale love story morphed into real world heart break and a haunting tale of things unsaid and unknown.
The pitfalls of fame...
There was an accusation that Miss Vivian was "negro" after she was photographed in public with Johnny Cash, an accusation that threatened to derail Johnny Cash's career. It resulted in a huge campaign to declare her as caucasian, of Italian heritage.
Today we know that both things were true. She was of Italian heritage, on her father's side. She was also Black, thanks to her mother's heritage.
In America, there is a saying: it only takes "one drop" to make you Black. Today, Miss Vivian would have been considered light-skinned.
This revelation isn't covered in the film because it wasn't known until after she died. The discovery was made by her daughter Roseanne. (https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/rosanne-cash-mom-vivian-liberto-black-ancestry-finding-your-roots-rcna86672 )
The heartache that she endured when Johnny Cash struggled with addiction, his infidelity, the divorce that followed -- her daughters detail it all in candid detail.
It truly is their story as well. It is evident that these women loved their mother deeply despite her flaws.
She made the best life she knew how, despite the hardships she endured.
Rest peacefully beautiful lady.
