Walk the Line and Ladder 49

The hubby and I went to see Walk the Line a couple weeks ago and I don't recall mentioning it here. My main interest in going is that I am a big Reese Witherspoon fan, plus I was curious to see how she and Joaquin (how on earth do you pronounce that?) Phoenix did with the music since they did all their own vocals and instruments for the movie. I've never known anything about Johnny Cash, and couldn't have told you even one of his song titles.

I loved the music part of the movie. Reese and Joaquin did a fabulous job and I was really impressed. I even found that I like Johnny Cash music! (Well, some of it) However, the story line was, to me, just like every other famous musician story I've ever heard. Whether it be Elvis, Ray Charles, or Frank Sinatra, the story is always the same. Nice young guy finds nice young girl, they get married, start a family, the guy gets some lucky breaks and gets a music career. Then he's gone from home all the time while his wife and kids miss him, he starts to make a lot of money, and moves his family into a big house. Then he gets into drug, alcohol, or other trouble, starts sleeping around, his family falls apart, and he ends up with someone else. Some of them eventually get cleaned up.

So, I guess you could say that I am not sure why anybody felt that this story needed to be told, since it doesn't seem that compelling or original to me. It was fun to watch because of the music, but that's all I got out of it.

Last night my husband brought home Ladder 49. Believe it or not, I had not yet seen it. As most of you may remember, my husband is a professional fire fighter. I guess that naturally creates a love-hate situation when it comes to firefighter movies. My husband told me that the guys he works with all liked Ladder 49 more than any other fireman movie because it's more realistic. So, we watched....

Again--Joaquin Phoenix in the starring role. He did a great job. I tried to watch the movie through the technical lens, asking my husband, "Does that really happen?" and "how realisic is this?" but eventually the questions beg to be asked, "Are you ever in situations like this?" and "Are there any buildings in your city this dangerous?" The answers aren't always comforting.

Watching the movie and talking to my husband reminded me of this post that I wrote in Oct. '04, and my sentiments that the government people that are first in line at funerals, are so often the last in line to provide firemen with equipment and safety standards that will keep them from being killed in the first place. Watching a movie like Ladder 49, or reading a book like 3000 Degrees reminds me that someday it might be me on the front row of a funeral, and wondering if it will be because somebody screwed up. The movies usually show noble deaths that couldn't have been prevented. The ones we know about in real life are so often more about things like the local government would not supply PASS devices to every firefighter, or other equipment budget issues. If only the powers that be would realize that proper safety equipment is cheaper than a fancy died-in-the-line-of-duty funeral. (or a law suit)

I don't worry a lot about his job, partially because I'm used to it, partially because I've already asked myself all the questions and come up with answers too. (What would I do? Where would we go? How would we live?) But every now and then when it's late at night and I know he's been called out to a serious fire, I get these little images of having to buy 5 boy's suits, or of figuring out how to raise kids without a dad. Or of sitting by a hospital bed with a seriously burned and injured husband in it. The possibilities aren't pretty.....

So, did I enjoy Ladder 49? Not in the traditional sense. But I think it does a good job of honoring the people that fight fire and put their lives in jeopardy for the sake of others.