Product Review

Kentucky coal miner Jesse Hallam moves his two children to Cincinnati so that his daughter can have life-saving spinal surgery. Jesse learns that life in the city can be cruel and that jobs are often scarce, especially so given Jesse's life-long secret: he is illiterate. Determined to provide a good life for his children, Jesse struggles to overcome his disability so that he can graduate from high school alongside his son.

Brilliant country-western musician Johnny Cash delivers a poignant and realistic portrayal of a hard-working rural miner trying his best to provide for his children against overwhelming odds in a harsh urban landscape. Prolific character actor Eli Wallach shines in this compelling 1981 TV movie as the gruff boss who gives Hallam the break he needs.