Bound for Glory

Woody Guthrie was an American Folk hero who fought for worker's rights and entertained thousands of down on their luck Americans during The Great Depression. His life is captured in this wonderful song filled biopic by director Hal Ashby. The film opens in 1936 Pampa, Texas where sign painter Guthrie sees his fellow dustbowl folk pack up and leave their barren land for California (there is a magnificent scene of a dust storm engulfing the city). Woody decides to follow their lead and make his way out west. As he meets folk by way of hitchhiking or train (the train hopping segment is spectacular) he becomes aware of the plight of the poor while playing his upbeat tunes. In Los Angeles he falls in with some union organizers, gets discovered, sends for his family, refuses to bow to authority, and continues to uplift the poor, all the while retaining his infectious optimism. Bound for Glory features a wonderful performance by David Carradine who embodies Guthrie and does all of his own strumming and singing. The cinematography by Haskell Wexler of the Texas dustbowl, boxcars, and California work camps is extraordinary and this is one of the finest looking films I've seen. This is a loving portrait of a man who saw hope in a time of despair and was able to inspire a country and a whole generation of songwriters.