SLIFF 2014 Review – THE WINDING STREAM

THE WINDING STREAM screens as part of the 23rd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival on Saturday, November 15 at 5:30 PM at  The Stage at KDHX. Get ticket information here

In the history of recorded American country music (or as they liked to call it then, “Old Time-y Music”) one of the pioneers was AP (Alvin Pleasant) Carter, who along with wife Sara and her sister Maybelle, were the original Carter Family. Beth Harrington’s fascinating documentary feature film traces their still ongoing legacy that began in the 1920’s in the back hills of Virgina. The film talks with many modern-day members of the clan who share their memories and take viewers to the often barely still-standing homestead where the music was created. We follow the trio to Bristol Virginia where several of AP’s tunes were committed to old 78 records which flew off store shelves. An early hit was Sara’s rendition of “Single Girl/Married Girl” a sisterhood anthem far ahead of its time. Their popularity exploded with the advent of unregulated (by the US FCC) border radio in the early thirties. The story of radio station XERA and its powerful signal that blanketed much of the States is a compelling tale worthy of another feature. We hear of AP’s constant travels in search of songs (often aided by African-American musician Lesley Riddle) and how lonely Sara fell for his cousin, nearly breaking up the act. Luckily Maybelle provided a second generation with daughters Anita, Helen, and June, who later married Johnny Cash beginning another generation of performers. Harrington makes excellent use of archival footage (Technicolor film footage along with TV kinescopes), family photos (Maybelle loved hippies!), and those scratchy, but still toe-tappin’ records. There are interviews why most of the principals (including great quotes from the late “Man in Black”) and new recreations of classic melodies by many contemporaries, from George Jones to Sheryl Crow. This is an overflowing treasure trove of entertainment, even some energetic ‘high-steppin'”.

Harrington keeps the movie flowing at a wonderful, brisk pace, knowing just when to cut away to another delightful piece of prized film or audio. The choice to animate some of the old photos almost distracts as they resemble Terry Gilliam’s Python clip art work, but thankfully it’s not overdone. This is a film to dazzle music fans and film goers, as several songs were featured predominately in the superb soundtrack for O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU. If THE WINDING STREAM doesn’t have you humming and swaying along to the beat, better have someone check your pulse. What a sweet slice of Americana!