Daughter probes Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: A new documentary by his daughter is a career tribute to the semi-obscure legendary folksinger and one-time protege of Woody Guthrie. ‘Interviewee Kris Kristofferson tells her, “I never met anyone who was so enchanting on subjects I didn’t give a damn about.” Indeed,
Elliott is delightful company: a master at spinning tales, killing time, even doing drop-dead parodies of musical styles he doesn’t fancy.
But pic does arrive at a wistful half-catharsis when Jack, cornered at last by his exasperated daughter, confesses they’ll “never uncork
the secret” of why he’s been a less-than-ideal father. He is what he is: a rambler, albeit a marginally more settled one these days,
based in Northern California…, buoyed by belated accolades, including a ’95 Grammy for his first
recording in 20 years, and a ’98 National Medal of the Arts handed over by President Clinton himself.’
