The Baron And The Kid (1984) Starring Johnny Cash and Darren McGavin

The Baron And The Kid is folksy fun from Johnny and June Carter Cash, who created increasingly family friendly entertainment as their careers went along.

The Baron, a road player legend played by Johnny Cash, soon discovers his long-lost son (Greg Webb as Billy Joe "The Cajun Kid" Stanley) is quite the hand at pool, too, a hustler and a contender for greatness at the game if and when he can master his temper. June Carter Cash plays Dee Dee Stanley, The Baron's estranged spouse.

Many pool films are tragically short on the pool itself. From the opening at a charity exhibition turned to a Baron run-a-thon to its closing scene, pool halls, pool tournaments and pool tables coat this film. While the usual close cutting and sometimes easy shots are made throughout, (anyone who has tried to shoot pool on camera knows you want to keep to easy shots!) the pool movie fan will be pleased with the Nine Ball and other action that permeates the story.

The several subplots keep the tale humming along, including boy meets girl, boy loses girl, great players find and lose their pool stroke, bad guys pull double crosses and good guys triumph--all the usual refinements that make for a packed but light drama. I was impressed on first viewing by the emotional impact of the story besides the pool action.

Johnny Cash and the other actors play decent pool, and look as if they have solid pool experience away from the cameras.

The solid casting throughout includes the magnetic Darren McGavin as a scheming pool backer, the always-enjoyable and stylish Richard Roundtree as a wealthy pool gambler, Michael J. Fox's wife Tracy Pollan in an early and feisty role and Claude Akins as Harley, The Baron's longtime friend and pool hall partner.

Adding Johnny Cash's theme song performance and skillful actors making lemonade out of any script lemons, and overall The Baron And The Kid is one of the better pool movies ever produced.