Some people are just born with a purpose, a passion, and a love matched with unbelievable talent. And while some rise rapidly to fame and success, others are strapped in for the ride. No one emulates this more than Blues legend Buddy Guy. Passionate and humble, he has dedicated his life to the licks of music history, bringing the Blues to the masses and inspiring future generations to carry on the torch. Jim Farrell’s The Torch chronicles not only the extraordinary life of Buddy Guy, but the captures his undefinable effort to keep the blues alive.
Everlasting Flame
The Torch opens with its central figure, Buddy Guy doing what he does best – playing the Blues. As he sings the lyrics to “Born to Play Guitar”, there is a literal encapsulation of the man before us, as well as an immediate understanding that the documentary is welcoming its audience to know the man behind the legend. Establishing what it will spend the remainder of the documentary capturing, Buddy Guy really was born to play.
Audiences will find The Torch more intimately structured from its very beginning, the primary talking head Buddy Guy himself. There are no historians of music to recount Guy’s story, the documentary going straight to the source. There is a carefree nature to his storytelling as he recalls his past and early introductions to music. Yet, as he tells his story, he welcomes us into not only his past but to his present and future.
Legends Enrich the Future
The Torch brings in Quinn Sullivan, Buddy Guy’s protégé and precocious Blues artist that has been playing with Guy since he was only seven years old. While this is a Buddy Guy vehicle, there is the established need to focus on the future of Blues as well. Talking heads, including Johnny Lang, Carlos Santana, and Beck and Bones (among others), speak to Guy’s demeanor and journey, their observations infused with the mentorship he has given each of them. Because as much as Buddy Guy is a symbol of the music he loves so dearly, it is the future generation of artists that will take the history and sounds of the Blues forward.
And that is the portion of this feel-good documentary that viewers need to keep in mind. The Torch is a platform for Buddy Guy to tell his story, but his story is interwoven in the history of others. He learned licks and skills from the greats before him – Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf – and they themselves from those before them. To copy is to honor those artists that came before, giving newer generations the power to literally carry history in every note they play. It is through Buddy Guy’s knowledge and homage to the past that he is able to be a part of it, and see where the future of the Blues can be invested.
With many of those legendary Blues artists passed, Buddy Guy is one of the remaining few who holds the torch, a personification of a legacy that is passed through the ages and generations. As we watch Guy, and those around him, lift up the upcoming talent – the film focusing primarily on Quinn Sullivan – you see the eventual passing of this torch in real life. Because while the road can be long and hard, so too can be the passing of a legacy. It can not be done in an instant, but gradually over time. There are stories to be told, many told by Buddy Guy here that will bolster the heartwarming nature of The Torch, and leave a desire for more.
Conclusion
As the documentary comes to its conclusion, Buddy Guy and Quinn Sullivan are shown in the process of recording a song together, a passing of the torch, and words of wisdom interlaced within its riffs as if it was written specifically for Quinn. But it is a love song, much like this love letter of a documentary, to the history of the Blues and everything owed to those who came before and the need to continue the inspiration of future Blues artists.
The Torch is as inspiring as its legendary subject, working as part of the effort to keep the Blues heard and alive. There is a communal nature to the music and the documentary itself, each and every Blues artist culminating into one artistically inspiring venture of sound.
Have you seen The Torch? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!
The Torch was released in theaters and VOD on March 18, 2022!
Watch The Torch
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.