The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack
Movie · Documentary · Music

From his unlikely roots as the son of a Brooklyn doctor, to his ongoing ramblings as the last of the singing cowboys, Ramblin' Jack has packed so many adventures into his life that he seems more myth than man. After running away to join the rodeo at fifteen, he traveled and sang with Woody Guthrie and became friends and mentored Bob Dylan. His music helped ignite a folk revolution and has influenced some of the most popular musicians and performers of our day. Jack's daughter Aiyana wanted to capture the great rambler in action and bring his story to light. But when she hit the road with him the focus of the story shifted from the roving cowboy's life on the road to the search for a father who was rarely at home. Shot over the course of two years, the film skillfully weaves stellar performances, contemporary verite, candid interviews and a wealth of archival material, resulting in a film that takes us beyond the legend and into the psyche of the man.

2000 · 1h 52m
  • 94%
Starring Jack Elliott, Gil Gross, Arlo Guthrie
Director Aiyana Elliott

Trailers

  • The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack
    Music

Related

Cast & Crew

  • J‌E
    Jack Elliott
    Himself (as Ramblin' Jack Elliott)
  • G‌G
    Gil Gross
    Self
  • Arlo Guthrie
    Self
  • Kris Kristofferson
    Self
  • H‌L
    Harold Leventhal
    Self
  • Alan Lomax
    Self
  • V‌M
    Victor Maymudes
    Self
  • Odetta
    Self
  • D.A. Pennebaker
    Self
  • Pete Seeger
    Self
  • J‌S
    June Shelley
    Self

About

The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack

Documentary

From his unlikely roots as the son of a Brooklyn doctor, to his ongoing ramblings as the last of the singing cowboys, Ramblin' Jack has packed so many adventures into his life that he seems more myth than man. After running away to join the rodeo at fifteen, he traveled and sang with Woody Guthrie and became friends and mentored Bob Dylan. His music helped ignite a folk revolution and has influenced some of the most popular musicians and performers of our day. Jack's daughter Aiyana wanted to capture the great rambler in action and bring his story to light. But when she hit the road with him the focus of the story shifted from the roving cowboy's life on the road to the search for a father who was rarely at home. Shot over the course of two years, the film skillfully weaves stellar performances, contemporary verite, candid interviews and a wealth of archival material, resulting in a film that takes us beyond the legend and into the psyche of the man.

94%

TOMATOMETER
Average 7.4
Reviews 18
Fresh 17
Rotten 1

Information

Studio
Sundance
Released
2000
Run Time
1 hr 52 min
Rated
PG-13
Region of Origin
United States
© 2000 Verisimilitude, LLC

Languages

Original Audio
English
Audio

English (United States) (AAC)

Subtitles

English (CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
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  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
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