My Darling Vivian (2020) User Reviews

Facts counter fiction of I WALK THE LINE

[dlsaltzberg · 7/10 · 8 October 2023]

Enjoyed the film; fascinating how history can be rewritten by the "victors," even if those victors are screenwriters, directors or producers with a point of view.

Great home movies and photos.

Loved the differing memories of Viv and Johnny's daughters--"Really? I don't remember it that way," one quietly murmurs at her sister's words. The film builds power through the daughters' loving testimonies, the weight of family photos, and interspersed film clips showing life in the '50s, '60s through the '90s and aughts.

Right now, I want to complain about IMDb, one of my sacred websites...How can they list the first two stars of MY DARLING VIV as Joaquin and Reese?! Why aren't Vivian and Johnny Cash first and foremost?

For shame!!!

vivien's story, told by the kids

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 10 July 2023]

This is listed as a documentary, and features some of the cash children, so one expects that there is some amount of truth in what is being portrayed. It was even produced by tara cash. Lots of family legends and stories, some of which are nice and cozy, some of which are not. Lots of family stories, photos, videos that we've never seen before. They talk about the drug use. How vivien was left high and dry, financially and personally, when june came along. Even the church abandoned vivien, because of the divorce. The story is told almost exclusively from the point of view of the children, who were quite young when this all occurred. It's well done. Vivien, john, and june are all gone at this point, so clearly they won't have a chance to comment. Directed by matt riddlehoover.

They Tried to Erase Her

[kimschut · 9/10 · 30 April 2020]

This was a lovely and heartbreaking film. The story of a woman who found herself in a life she did not choose with a man who was not being a great deal of help. It was wonderful to hear the story of this woman who was essentially erased from Cash's history by those who chose to mythologize his relationship with June Carter. The portrait that emerges from the interviews with their 4 daughters is complex. Highly recommend this for a different view on the Johnny Cash myth.

A voice given

[CaitlynsWay · 10/10 · 1 May 2020]

My Darling Vivian is a well put together documentary telling the life story of Johnny Cash's first wife, Vivian Liberto, through their four daughters.

Most people aware of Johnny Cash's story only know Vivian as the first wife he was already married to when he fell in love with June Carter. But this story gives a glimpse into his life before fame, before drugs, and before the "Johnny and June" love story was over romanticized by both Hollywood and CMT. This documentary doesn't take away from that, but it gives you a perspective on the people that suffered because of Cash's fame and drug use. Being gone for long periods of time leaving Vivian to fend for four children alone. All while trying to deal with crazy fans, the threat of wild animals, her husbands drug addiction, and extramarital affair. Also seeing how this effected their four daughters, particularly the oldest three. What I loved most about this doc, was the honesty from the interviewees. They were honest about their frustrations with all of the adults in their life. Parents, Step-Parents, everyone played a role. It's being able to be honest with yourself and understanding that our parents are flawed human beings who somehow unintentionally mess us up in the process, but we love them anyway.

Vivian's voice was never heard in her lifetime. And there's something beautiful about it coming to light now. In the hands of those who loved her. Not some Hollywood Producer looking to make millions. I really hope this film goes as far as it possibly can.

A must see

[bonderenka · 10/10 · 30 April 2020]

Just a wonderful, gracious look into who Vivian really was.. I felt like walk the line tarnished this poor woman and that it was so slanted to make her look bad, this documentary really gave a good look into who she really was.. all 4 daughters told her story without tarnishing the memory of anyone else involved.. so gracious.. you could tell they loves and respected both their mom and dad.. what a hard story to tell and they did it with pure love.. not an easy task..

What a treasure!! An admirable tribute to Vivian (Cash) Liberto.

[hsixfam · 10/10 · 30 April 2020]

Hollywood could never write a love story as pure and loving as Ms. Vivian's. This documentary brought Vivian out of the shadows that Hollywood cruelly casted on her for decades. The life Vivian endured for 13 years as Mrs. Cash was far from a glamorous one. Vivian was a woman of courage and strength. She endured so much without any support from those in the music industry. She had to figure many things out on her own and yet she was the wife of the biggest new country star, though she felt so lonely. She had no voice, no outlet and spent most of her time isolated with her four little girls. This documentary broke my heart because I could feel her pain. Though in the beginning everything was like a fairly tale and life seemed good, even though they didn't have much, they knew they had each other. As time went on and the "rags to riches" became a reality, Vivian's life sadly turned for the worst. Ms. Vivian's persona was perceived as loving, far from selfish, classy and very reserved. She truly walked the line for the one she always loved, but sadly she was left with only empty promises. Thank you to the Cash daughters for bringing their mother's story to light and for allowing Ms. Vivian to finally shine!!!

Stunning

[amyjj-84210 · 10/10 · 28 April 2020]

I absolutely loved this movie. Vivian was one strong woman, and I enjoyed her truth. At the end of the day through all of the pain, she was a mother and grandmother. And despite her self doubt, she was so beautiful and loved.

Nice to experience another story

[douglasetaylor · 2 May 2020]

I enjoyed and appreciated the love and personal perspectives in this well made documentary. The sharing by all four daughters made this powerful story even more so. The never before seen photos and home movies put me in the intimate story. Being a Cash family appreciator was enhanced by knowing much more about Vivian and her powerful story. The love put into this film comes forward in an honest way; thank you.

There is a hypocrisy to this documentary.

[MyMovieTVRomance · 5/10 · 9 November 2021]

As a documentary, this was a fun watch. But, there is a hypocrisy and irony to it:

This was made as a rebuff to "I Walked the Line" about Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, which painted Vivian in a rather negative light compared to June, according to many who've seen it. But, the irony is that this documentary does the same to June, paints her in a negative light, makes her seem like a home-wrecker (even though Johnny and Vivian were already having problems by the time he met June and they were already emotionally separated), and the daughters speak of her with no affection at all, even though she was their step-mom and mother to three of their siblings! They reminded me of bratty kids who scream "You're not my mother!" to a dad's new love, spoiling what could be a beautiful bond.

At one point, one of the daughters talks about a letter she found that Vivian wrote to Johnny but didn't send, wherein she had asked Johnny to please tell June to stop referring to their daughters as hers. I kinda get where she was coming from, but what she apparently failed to realize is that it's better for the kids to be embraced by the step-mom than to be rejected by her! Many step-children complain of the opposite of what Viv's kids had- and they wish their step-parents would embrace them as their own!

Speaking of step-parents, they also spoke disparagingly of their step-dad, whom Vivian stayed married to until her death! Considering that their marriage lasted until the end, it was gross to hear one of the daughters say things like "Why him?... I didn't like him very much" and making it seem like he only married Vivian for the perks of semi-celeb status! Honestly, the daughters revealed themselves to be not very likable in this. I'm surprised more people don't notice or comment on how rude they come across. The only one who really seemed nice to me was the youngest one, Tara.

I'm sure June was not trying to take the girls away from Vivian, she was just trying to love them, so that they could be one big, happy family. It's a pity that the girls don't seem to appreciate that, and instead describe her as rude, a homewrecker, etc. The hypocrisy is that their mother Vivian's 2nd husband was married when she started seeing him! So, her daughters have no room to criticize June in that regard! That being said, I am not very fond of June at all. She comes across as fake to me in interviews and such, and I don't think she should have made out like she was raising the girls if she wasn't, even for comic effect. Still though, the girls seem very callous and unloving to both their step-parents, and I find that very distasteful. In the wrong or not, they were family and should have cared more.

I do think that it's terrible that Vivian was erased by networks during the Johnny Cash Memorial tribute, and I do think she should have been more acknowledged over the years. But, I also understand that with both Johnny and Vivian having remarried, talking about the previous spouse could easily be seen and felt as disrespectful to the current one, so I totally get perhaps why she wasn't mentioned more. While people try to make it about race these days, I think it had more to do with not wanting to disrespect current spouses, and that makes total sense.

Yes, this documentary is just as slanted against June as critics say the movie "Walk the Line" is against Vivian. As long as you're objective enough to realize that, maybe you'll come away with a feel for the true story, whatever that may be.

All in all, I came away from this with very little respect left for any of them, and liking everyone a lot less. So, the doc didn't accomplish what it set out to do- at least not with me- but I know more now than I did before watching, so it wasn't a total loss. However, I rather wish I didn't. Ignorance is bliss.

A good perspective view of her

[elaineshold · 10/10 · 28 April 2020]

Loved this documentary of Vivian. It gives us insight of everything she went through. Her daughters tells us as if we were physically there watching this unfold.

Wonderful film!

[rachann-47888 · 10/10 · 29 April 2020]

This a wonderful film! I'm so glad Vivian got the chance to tell her story.

Excellent!

[cavegirl-78037 · 10/10 · 27 April 2020]

My Darling Vivian is a wonderful, must-see documentary. I loved the old home movies and photographs and the daughters giving their account of events is priceless. If you enjoy documentaries, you will not be disappointed. The heartbreak in the film is a little sad but leaves you knowing there was also a lot of love. Thank you for sharing such a great story.

A real love story from her daughters

[davidajoseph · 10/10 · 28 April 2020]

Wow, I'm in tears. It was a beautiful, heart wrenching love story. I'm not crying. 😭 I highly recommend.

Kills Walk the Line

[pcn-42651 · 10/10 · 16 May 2020]

This doc was amazing. It gives an amazing woman the defense she deserves. Be warned, Walk the Line will never be the same. Personally I'll never be able to watch walk the line again, it's so false, or at least one sided. She was an amazing wife, mother and woman who loved a man far more than he deserved.

Worth Watching, But Be Cautious

[graceclark-58642 · 4/10 · 16 August 2023]

Heartfelt but disheartening and this movie is not for everyone. I suppose everyone deserves to have their story told, and Vivian Liberto is no exception. She did play a large part in the time of Johnny Cash, and her life was enjoyable to hear in its own way.

The story is mainly told through Vivian liberto's daughters. They are fun to hear from, and they paint a vibrant picture of a good but complex woman, yet I wished at times we could have heard from people other than Vivian's daughters. I did appreciate Roseanne's transparency on Vivian's flaws as a mom and as a person, and how hurtful and foolish she could be at times. It distorts the image we got in the autobiography of Vivian as this matyr and lifts her up as human.

The journey takes you through the early days of Vivian Liberto in love with a young Johnny Cash and gives you glimpses of the sweet Love letters they sent each other. It's easy to understand when you hear all the promises of love he gave her, why she was so heartbroken when it all fell apart years later. Vivian deserved better than to fall in love with a man who would nearly destroy her. It's a tragedy that the Catholic Church didn't give premarital counseling in those days, I think that the incompatible differences of these two might have been revealed in some in depth counseling.

I think if Johnny Cash had been anybody but Johnny Cash, and had stayed that salesman or had gone on to have an ordinary job, they probably could have stayed together. This is probably unpopular to say but they maybe shouldn't have gotten married. Especially after only really spending time with each other in person for effectively 1 month. Letters over 3 years don't really help you get to know someone. You see the beginning of the end of the marriage when his career starts taking off. Vivian was not a woman who enjoyed being a celebrity wife, she wilted under the media attention and desperately missed Johnny while he was on the road.

The blame for the collapse of the marriage is placed on Johnny's drug use which really took hold in California, and I'm sure it played a role. But I would argue that he was making decisions without caring how Vivian felt long before. Such as the move out to California that left Vivian isolated, and always finding excuses to leave. You get the sense when you watch the documentary that Vivian was much more committed to the marriage than Johnny was.

There is also the sense that the daughters don't quite know the secrets of the marriage, because why was their dad away on tour so often if he was happy with their mother? There's quite a few subjects the girls don't visit that they should have. The fact that Johnny had other affairs besides June, and no mention of the close friendships Vivian had with Patsy Cline and Billie Jean Horton. So much riveting material wasted. This is why I complain that I wish we'd heard from adults that saw the things Vivian saw, all the behind closed doors secrets the children would not have seen.

This is definitely the life Vivian experienced. Is it the full story? Of course not. Just like Johnny did not experience the pain Vivian did, Vivian never experienced what he did. He changed out there on the road traveling the world, and she didn't.

Then we get to how the affair with June affected Vivian. It was sad to hear how it led her almost to the brink of suicide, and no matter how much he and June loved each other I'm sure it caused severe distress to his family. I wish that Johnny Cash had been a man about the problems and just told his wife she was him driving crazy or whatever else was happening instead of cheating and breaking Vivian's heart. Although that conversation probably would have destroyed her too.

Though Vivian was thankfully able to end the marriage and live her own life, I was annoyed to see how she rushed into another unhappy marriage just to be married before Johnny and June and then continue to mourn over a man who treated her so badly. She watched all the interviews Johnny gave over the years, pretty odd she didn't accept he led a very good life without her.

Regarding this anger at the media and the world, I understand the anger the women have at how their mother was dismissed and ignored. But did they ever stop to think, maybe their dad wasn't so bothered by it? When someone divorces their partner, they have the right to think or say that their previous marriage wasn't all that important to them. I'm not saying it's right. But Johnny Cash was like anybody else with broken relationships, he probably didn't want to be reminded of his failures.

Some criticisms I would like to make. Look, I know the girls want to honor their mother, but they can honor their mother without disrespecting June's part. For a man to THANK a woman and her family for helping him get saved, it is beyond insulting for the kids treat what he says as meaningless. Being that these women were little Rugrats living with Mom when this battle was happening, I trust what Johnny says about his own life more. They also should have been a little more compassionate for their stepfather, he was willing to stay married for the rest of his life to a woman who never loved him. Sounds like he sacrificed a lot to give Vivian what she needed.

Secondly, All four girls knew June for almost their entire lives and Roseanne even did June's eulogy. For them to be scolding Carter literally years after her death for her way of including her own kids and Johnny's kids as "their children" is flat out backstabbing. At least she was trying to be good to them! What did they want? To be treated like stepchildren? That lowered my opinion of every single one of these women, and just for their judgmental attitude I'm slapping the documentary they're so proud of with four stars. They can thank themselves for this negative review.

Overall, the family admits the divorce was for the best, and I agree it was. But like I said, this movie is not for everyone. It's a painful story of what happens when you marry before you really are mature. I don't know that I would consider Vivian a strong woman that was inspiring, more like a tragic figure.

Impressive and insightful documentary about Vivian Cash

[agnesvillwock · 10/10 · 27 April 2020]

What an exceptional, touching, and outstandingly produced movie. I read Vivian Cash's autobiography some years ago (please go ahead and read it!), and I am so glad that this documentary gives her the voice she deserves. The producers have really managed to portrait the life of Vivian Cash from an intimate and honest, yet always respectful perspective. The individual reflections from all her daughters left an especially big impression on me. Highly recommended!

Entertaining, Informative and So Very Well Done

[artist-823-928087 · 10/10 · 28 April 2020]

To say this particular film is touching or emotional, is an understatment. Understatement... Yes everything about this film is understated, which is why it is so impressive, passionate and enduring. This is not an easy or comfortable story, but Matt Ridlehover directed a home run here. Dustin Title along with his mother and aunts tell a hard story. Vivian was a complex woman, and we all know the icon who was her husband. Dustin and Matt were able to get the real Vviain across to the viewer in an entertaining, respectful and extremely forthcoming way. To be bold, this film is not a contender for a festival prize, it is a winner. Don't take my word for it, watch My Darling Vivian and be taken on emotional journey with an amazing mother, wife and lady.

A bright spot in a cancelled festival

[brandiereeves-59754 · 10/10 · 29 April 2020]

I am selfishly grateful that SXSW released this to the general public so that I can see it now. So well done. Beautiful storytelling with home videos to complete the experience. I am so grateful to know Vivian's story and her family's stories.

Johnny Cashed out on the best investment in his life!

[jdsantos-95954 · 10/10 · 2 May 2020]

I'm sure he knew it too upon any honest self-reflection over his lifetime. I'm not diminishing anything he had between June Carter - I'm sure it was great, but after watching the story of his first wife Vivian I am certain he had regrets about how he treated her and his girls. Vivian by all appearances was a good, strong woman and a classy lady that she allowed Johnny's life to play out on the world stage and did nothing in an attempt to take him out or tarnish his reputation in any way. Towards the end, the youngest daughter laments a letter her mom had written to her dad and never having sent it - about leaving them out June's claim on them as their daughters - but I am sure just having written the letter in itself, Vivian experienced the healing she needed. Great film and I am thankful to have heard a little about her story. Wish I could have told her in person what a great example she is for all in how to handle the dissolution of a marriage. Thanks for making the video available on Prime! John D

Excellent

[lorideutscher · 10/10 · 7 May 2020]

This was so well done. I could not believe how fast the time went. My interest was kept from beginning to end. What a great tribute!!!!!

Johnny and Vivian Cash

[marybirkel · 10/10 · 27 April 2020]

I just finished watching Matt's documentary, My Darling Vivian....about one of the greatest love stories of all time!! So much insight into Vivian's love story with Johnny Cash and the undeniable fact that their love never died. So moving and I am writing this with tears of joy and heartbreak. A must see for all fans of Johnny Cash! I recommend reading Vivian's book, I Walked The Line, written just before she passed away. Thank you for making this film, Matt Riddlehoover. Thank you to their daughters, for sharing their inner most private thoughts of their parents' lives, during their marriage and after their divorce, that could not have been easy to do. It's clear, they both loved you all so much and did the best they could with what they knew at the time. May God bless you all! I've no doubt your parents are smiling down on the beautiful family they created by loving each other.

Our Darling Vivian

[melinda_klier · 10/10 · 1 May 2020]

So worth the wait. God Bless Vivian and Johnny's daughters as well as Matt & Dustin for sharing the beautiful soul and broken heart of Vivian Liberto. I have always loved Rodney Crowell; my admiration for him has risen to another level. Rodney's dedication captured in this film moved my heart in a way I've never felt before. Thank you for sharing that moment with us (it was hidden from us far too long) as well as sharing the woman who will now be Our Darling Vivian.

Must See Documentary

[evanise-46063 · 10/10 · 14 June 2021]

Outstanding documentary! The film was fascinating, loving and heartbreaking told from the perspective of Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto's children. So glad they finally got to see their mom celebrated. Thank you for telling this story.

I'd give 100 stars if I could

[saracain-13383 · 10/10 · 28 April 2020]

I had been counting the days until I could see this documentary. I loved every second of it. It was a beautiful piece dedicated to a woman who was long overdue for the recognition she deserved. Watching it both uplifted me and broke my heart. It is one of my all time favorite documentaries and I loved the light it shined on her life and how hard she worked to keep her girls at the forefront. Beautiful tribute to a phenomenal woman.

Excellent Documentary of Vivian Liberto told by the Cash Daughters

[mjsdreamer · 9/10 · 4 May 2020]

This film was so well done and a great account of the time Vivian and Johnny met through their marriage and to the end. The photos and narratives of the Cash daughters pieced this story together beautifully and made it a real masterpiece. What a tribute to an amazing woman. Vivian Liberto, I'm so glad we know her story which otherwise would have been overlooked by so many.