This amazing bank heist 1961 movie stars Johnny Cash, Vic Tayback, Ron Howard, and country music great, Merle Travis. Johnny Cash gives a surprising performance as a guitar playing, sadistic psycho-killer. Six year old Ron Howard is absolutely adorable and practically steals the whole show.
The funny thing is, this movie was re-issued under the title "Door to Door Maniac" -- which is how it was advertised when I saw it at a third-run theater in New Orleans back in the 1960s. Flash-forward to 1976: I'm working for the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., and I get to interview Johnny Cash before he performs at the Mississippi State Fair. He's backstage in his dressing room, paring an apple with a knife, when I mention I had seen "Door to Door Maniac." He nearly dropped the knife. And his expression could only be described as stricken. “Oh, Lord!” he exclaimed. “I thought everybody had forgotten about that! Please don’t hold that against me!” He seemed a bit relieved when I explained that I actually had been impressed by his performance in the film. But not so relieved that he didn't appreciate it when I quickly changed the subject.
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