The Man in Black had a guitar case full of rebel yell (and likely an ample supply of amphetamines) with attitude and snarl to spare. Starting in the late 50s, if Johnny Cash wasn’t busting out the country blues, he was taking a swing at acting with various levels of success. One of his highlights, in a film full of low-lifes, is his performance as Johnny Cabot, a rough and tumble hood turned kidnapper who snags the family of a bank VP at their suburban home and waits for the call from the rest of the gang that the payoff has been successful.

Cash is armed with a gun in one hand and a guitar in the other, finding time to not only taunt the family, but strum the strings which gives the B-movie proceedings an odd and creepy vibe. It’s performances like this and films like THE GUNFIGHT that showed Cash had the goods to be a bruiser on film, just not enough time. Directed by Bill Karn (MA’BARKER’S KILLER BROOD) and narrated by old school pro Vic Tayback. Aka FIVE MINUTES TO LIVE (a song featured in the film).

LOCKED AND LOADED,
MR. SIX

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Jon Abrams

Editor-In-Chief at Daily Grindhouse

Jon Abrams is a New York-based writer, cartoonist, and committed cinemaniac whose complete work and credits can be found at his site, Demon’s Resume. You can contact him on Twitter as @JonZilla___.

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Tags: bill karn, Johnny cash, Ron Howard