Nashville
Tags: tragedy, humor, satire, atmospheric

Plot synopsis:
The overarching plot takes place over five days leading up to a political rally for Replacement Party candidate Hal Phillip Walker, who is never seen throughout the entire movie. The story follows 24 characters roaming around Nashville, in search of some sort of goal through their own (often overlapping) story arcs.Day OneThe film opens with a campaign van for presidential candidate Hal Phillip Walker driving around Nashville as an external loudspeaker blares Walker's folksy political aphorisms and vaguely anti-establishment populism. This is juxtaposed with country superstar Haven Hamilton (Henry Gibson) recording an overblown patriotic song ("200 Years") intended to commemorate the upcoming Bicentennial, and growing irritated with the accompanying musicians in the studio. A young Englishwoman named Opal (Geraldine Chaplin), who claims to be working on a radio documentary for the BBC, appears in the studio but is told to leave by Haven. Down the hall from Haven's session is Linnea Reese (Lily Tomlin), a white gospel singer recording a song with a black choir.Later that day, the beloved country singer Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakley) is returning to Nashville, having recovered from a burn accident, and the elite of Nashville's music scene, including Haven Hamilton and his companion Lady Pearl (Barbara Baxley), have converged on Berry Field to greet her plane as it arrives. Also present are Pfc. Glenn Kelly (Scott Glenn) and the folk/rock trio "Bill, Mary, and Tom" whose catchy hit song "It Don't Worry Me" seems to be on everybody's lips. They are in town to record their second album. Bill (Allan F. Nicholls) and Mary (Cristina Raines) are married, but largely unhappy, partly due to the fact that Mary is in love with womanizing Tom (Keith Carradine).Meanwhile, Mr. Green (Keenan Wynn) arrives at the airport to pick up his niece, Martha (Shelley Duvall), who has renamed herself "L.A. Joan", a teenage groupie who has come to Nashville ostensibly to visit her aunt Esther Green who is sick in the hospital. However, Martha repeatedly puts off visiting her aunt in favor of chasing after musicians or pretty much any male she comes across, including the oddball motorcyclist known as "Tricycle Man," (Jeff Goldblum). Working at the airport restaurant are African-American cook Wade Cooley (Robert DoQui), and his pretty waitress friend, Sueleen Gay (Gwen Welles), an aspiring country singer who refuses to recognize that she can't carry a tune.After greeting the crowds on the tarmac, Barbara Jean faints due to the heat, and her handlers, headed by her domineering husband-manager Barnett (Allen Garfield), rush her to the hospital. Barbara Jean's appearance having been cut short, those in attendance depart the airport in a rush, and wind up stranded on the highway after a pile-up occurs. During the commotion, Winifred (Barbara Harris), an aspiring country singer who has chosen the stage name "Albuquerque," runs away from her husband, Star (Bert Remsen), after he refuses to take her to the Grand Ole Opry. Star gives a ride to Kenny Frasier (David Hayward), a nondescript, bespectacled young man who has just arrived in town carrying a violin case. Opal takes advantage of the traffic jam to interview first Linnea and then Tommy Brown (Timothy Brown), an African-American country singer who is performing at the Opry. Tommy and his entourage later go to Lady Pearl's nightclub, but Wade, who is drinking and trying to pick up white girls at the bar, insults Tommy for acting too "white" and starts a fight.Linnea's husband, Del Reese (Ned Beatty) is working with political organizer John Triplette (Michael Murphy) to plan a small fundraiser and a large outdoor concert gala for the Walker campaign. Sueleen appears at a local club's open mike night in a provocative outfit, and despite her lack of singing ability, club manager Trout (Merle Kilgore) recommends her to Triplette for the fundraiser based on her appearance. Winifred shows up at Trout's club trying to recruit musicians to record a demo with her, but Star sees her and chases her out. Del invites Triplette for a family dinner with Linnea and their two deaf children. Linnea and Del are having communications problems and she focuses on the children rather than on him. In the middle of dinner, Tom calls trying to make a date with Linnea, but she puts him off, so he takes Opal back to his room instead. Pfc. Kelly sneaks into Barbara Jean's hospital room and sits in the chair by her bed all night, watching her sleep.Day TwoTom calls Linnea again but, with Del listening on the other line, Linnea yells at Tom and tells him not to call her any more. Kenny rents a room from Mr. Green. Haven Hamilton throws a pre-show party at his house before the evening's Grand Ole Opry performance. At the party, Opal talks to Haven's son Bud (Dave Peel) who tells her, unconvincingly, that he is happy to act as his father's business manager and has no musical ambitions of his own. Under Opal's prodding, Bud starts to sing her a song he wrote, a tender love ballad, but Opal departs in a rush when she spots a movie star among the guests. Lady Pearl talks about her love for John and Bobby Kennedy, the only politicians she ever admired. Triplette tries to persuade Haven to perform at the Walker gala by telling him that if Walker is elected, Walker would back Haven for Governor of Tennessee. Haven says he'll give Triplette his decision after the Opry show that night.At Opryland USA, the Grand Ole Opry broadcast begins with Tommy Brown ("Bluebird") and Haven Hamilton ("For the Sake of the Children", "Keep a-Goin"). Haven then introduces Connie White (Karen Black) as a substitute for the hospitalized Barbara Jean. Connie sings "Memphis" and "I Don't Know If I Found It in You" while Barbara Jean and Barnett listen morosely on the radio in her hospital room. Winifred tries unsuccessfully to get backstage. Barbara Jean and Barnett have an argument because he is going to the after-show gathering to thank Connie for substituting at the last minute. Barbara Jean doesn't want him to go, and he suggests in an accusatory tone that she may be headed for another nervous breakdown. Barnett finally calms down Barbara Jean and goes to the after-party at a nightclub, but Connie doesn't seem happy to see him. Connie takes the stage ("Rolling Stone") but the disgruntled Barnett criticizes her performance. Lady Pearl regales Opal with stories about the Kennedy brothers, rendering Opal for once speechless. Haven tells Triplette that Barbara Jean and Connie never appear on the same stage, and that he (Haven) will appear anyplace Barbara Jean also appears. Bill gets upset when his wife Mary doesn't show up all evening, and he confesses to chauffeur Norman (David Arkin), that he suspects her of having an affair. Mary, in bed with Tom, keeps whispering "I Love You," but Tom doesn't respond.Day ThreeIt is Sunday morning and the characters are shown attending various local church services. A Roman Catholic service includes Lady Pearl, Wade and Sueleen; Haven Hamilton sings in the choir at a Protestant service; and Linnea is seen in the choir at a black Protestant church as a baptism is taking place, with Tommy Brown in the pews. At the hospital chapel, Barbara Jean sings a hymn from her wheelchair while Mr. Green and Pfc. Kelly, among others, watch. Mr. Green tells Kelly how he and his wife lost their son in WWII. Opal wanders alone through a huge auto scrap yard making free-form poetic speeches about the cars into her tape recorder. Haven, Tommy Brown and their families attend the stock car races, where Winifred attempts to sing on a small stage but cannot be heard over the cars. Bill and Mary argue in their hotel room and are interrupted by Triplette, who wants to recruit them for the Walker concert gala. Tom tries to get Norman to score him some pills.Day FourOpal walks alone through a large school bus parking lot trying to spin a commentary linking the buses to racism in the South, but has trouble hitting the right note. Barbara Jean is discharged from the hospital at the same time Mr. Green shows up to visit his sick wife. Barbara Jean asks after Mrs. Green and sends her regards. After Barbara Jean and her entourage have left, a nurse tells Mr. Green his wife died earlier that morning. Pfc. Kelly tells Mr. Green why he has been following Barbara Jean around; his mother saved Barbara Jean's life in the fire and loved her more than anything. She asked her son to go see Barbara Jean on his leave from Vietnam service. Back at Mr. Green's house, Kenny gets upset when Martha tries to look at his violin case.Barbara Jean performs a matinee at Opryland USA. Triplette and Del attend and try to convince Barnett to have Barbara Jean play the Walker concert gala at the Parthenon the next day, but he refuses. Kenny and Pfc. Kelly are both in the audience and watch raptly as Barbara Jean sings, although Opal annoyingly tries to interview Kelly about Vietnam during a song. Barbara Jean gets through the first couple of songs ("Tapedeck in his Tractor", "Dues") all right, but then begins to tell rambling stories about her childhood instead of starting the next song. After several false starts, Barnett escorts her from the stage and tells the disappointed audience that they can come to the Parthenon tomorrow and see Barbara Jean perform for free, thus committing her to the Walker concert.Tom calls Linnea and invites her to meet him that night at a club called the Exit Inn. Linnea arrives but sits by herself because Martha is trying to pick up Tom. Mary and Bill are also there, and Opal sits with them and mentions that she slept with Tom, causing Mary to look away in humiliation. Wade tries unsuccessfully to pick up Linnea, while Norman tries equally unsuccessfully to pick up Opal. Tom is introduced as a surprise guest artist. He casually mentions that he "used to be in a trio," but then invites Bill and Mary up to the stage, where the three perform an uncomfortable rendition of "Since You're Gone". Again alone on the stage, Tom introduces his new solo number, "I'm Easy," which he dedicates to someone special in the audience. Mary, Opal, and Martha all hope that they are the one, but Tom only has eyes for Linnea. She goes to his room where they make love. When Linnea says she has to go, Tom begs her to stay another hour, and is visibly miffed when she refuses. Without even waiting for her to get dressed and leave, Tom grabs the phone and calls a girlfriend in New York, inviting her to fly down and join him.Sueleen appears at the all-male Walker fundraiser, but is booed off the stage when she sings poorly and doesn't take off her clothes. Del and Triplette explain to her that the men expect her to strip and that if she does so, they will let her sing the next day at the Parthenon with Barbara Jean. Sueleen is humiliated, but strips anyway. Winifred shows up at the fundraiser hoping to get a chance to sing, but after she sees what is going on, she stays hidden behind a curtain. Del drives Sueleen home and drunkenly comes on to her, but she is rescued by Wade. After he hears what happened, Wade tells Sueleen the truth, that she can't sing, and asks her to go back to Detroit with him the next day. Sueleen refuses because she is determined to sing at the Parthenon with Barbara Jean.Day FiveThe performers, audience and Walker and his entourage arrive for the Parthenon concert; Walker will wait in his limousine until his speech after the musical performances. In the performing lineup are Haven, Barbara Jean, Linnea and her choir, Bill, Mary and Tom, and Sueleen. Winifred has shown up again hoping for a chance to sing. Barnett gets upset because Barbara Jean will have to perform in front of a large Walker advertisement, but has to go along with it because his wife's career will be harmed if he pulls her out of another show. Mr. Green and Kenny attend Esther Green's burial service and Mr. Green leaves angrily, vowing to find Martha (who is not at the service) and make her show some respect to her aunt. Mr. Green and Kenny go to the Parthenon to look for Martha.The Walker gala starts and Haven and Barbara Jean perform a song together ("One, I Love You"), then Barbara Jean sings a very personal solo song about her childhood ("My Idaho Home"). As the song ends, gunshots are heard. Kenny has pulled a gun from his violin case and fired at the performers, grazing Haven and seriously wounding Barbara Jean. Pfc. Kelly disarms Kenny as chaos breaks out. Barbara Jean is carried bleeding and unconscious from the stage. Haven tries to calm the crowd by exhorting them to sing, asserting that "This isn't Dallas, this is Nashville" in reference to the JFK assassination. As he is led from the stage for treatment of his wounds, Haven hands the microphone off to Winifred, who tentatively begins to sing "It Don't Worry Me." As she is joined by Linnea's gospel choir, Winifred's confidence grows until all eyes are upon her. The film ends with the audience clapping and dancing as Winifred belts out the chorus, "You may say that I'm not free, but it don't worry me." She has finally gotten her big break.

Review: But there is no way around the fact that it is an important film, a highly influential film, to most Altman fans his finest films, and to most series critics quite possibly the single finest film made during the whole of the 1970s.According to the movie trailer available on the DVD release, NASHVILLE is "the damnedest thing you ever saw"--and a truer thing was never said, for it is one of those rare film that completely defies description.
On one level, the film follows the lives of some twenty characters over the course of several days leading up to a political rally, lives that collide or don't collide, that have moments of success and failure, and which in the process explore the hypocrisy that we try to sweep away under the rug of American culture.
If it were merely that, the film would be so much soap-opera, but it goes quite a bit further: it juxtaposes its observations with images of American patriotism and politics at their most vulgar, and in the process it makes an incredibly funny, incredibly sad, and remarkably savage statement on the superficial values that plague our society.What most viewers find difficult about NASHVILLE--and about many Altman films--is his refusal to direct our attention within any single scene.
The opening shot of "Nashville" shows a van with a loudspeaker offering platitudes from Hal Phillip Walker, Replacement Party candidate for President and the perfect middleman for the movie "Nashville," which like the never-seen candidate offers a series of apparently disconnected vignettes that touch on deeper truths but remain enigmatic and yet, somehow, substantial and truthful."Nashville" is the kind of film scholars champion and no one else watches, which is a shame because it has a lot to offer, and not just to pointyheads.
Over time, however, the vignettes gel into a mosaic of related setpieces that seem to move in tandem, until by the end, they gain a sort of terminal velocity that feels almost like destiny.There are nearly 30 characters at the center of "Nashville." Some are stars, like Ronee Blakley's fragile Barbara Jean and Henry Gibson's Haven Hamilton.
Then there's folks like Michael Murphy's sleezy politico John Triplette, Geraldine Chaplin's sophistic reporter Opal, and Shelley Duvall's shallow and slutty L.A. Joan, whom one wishes weren't more representative of the human race.The nice thing about "Nashville," actually the great thing about it, is how we see these people in such depth and richness.
Altman's 1975 film uses country music and the people who perform, listen to and produce it as a metaphor about America in the '70s, when, as Warren Beatty said in "A Parallax View," released a year earlier, "everytime you turned around, one of the best people in the country was getting shot." Anyone who has seen the film and visits the Parthenon, where the final scenes are filmed, may feel a sense of unease.
A star is born when the Albuquerque character and a gospel group minus its leader belt out a Nashville standard, "It Don't Worry Me." The Sueleen Gay character, meanwhile, suffers one final indignity; Albuquerque, on the same stage and with the same ambitions, achieves the fame that might have gone to Sueleen, a waitress/stripper/wanna-be recording artist, had Sueleen gotten the microphone first.We never know what caused the Kenny Frazier character to crack; perhaps like Mark David Chapman (John Lennon) he was obsessed with the Holden Caulfield character in "Catcher in the Rye," although we can feel fairly certain that he did not share John David Hinckley's (President Reagan) obsession with Jodie Foster since "Taxi Driver" would not be released for another year.Watching "Nashville" for the first time, you may feel protective of Barbara Jean's character for reasons you can't immediately explain but will learn all too well.
Hamilton (masterfully played by Henry Gibson) would stomp anyone in his path to create a hit record but is the first to care for Barbara Jean in her moment of need.Sure, some of the songs are terrible -- some country music is terrible -- but could anything be more poignant than Barbara Jean's rendition of "My Idaho Home" or Keith Carradine singing "I'm Easy" in a nightclub where four of his conquests look on equally with lust and bewilderment.
Hamilton's character is never better than when between songs he asks listeners to send Barbara Jean a card and "tell her that Haven told you to write."Altman would rate among the greatest directors -- as the American Fellini -- if this were his only effort.
Mention is frequently made of Altman's use of overlapping dialogue in the sound but what struck me this time around is how often two or more characters, acting out different lines of the story are captured within the same shot - giving this film much of its sense of verisimilitude, a fantastic control of pace while feeling natural.
The unseen presidential candidate's spiel in "Nashville" could easily have been sound bites from contemporary populists; he could be seen as the cinematic trend-setter for the Ross Perots, Jesse Venturas, Howard Deans and Ralph Naders.The film is at once a political drama, musical and documentary all effortless woven together by a master storyteller, who truly is an American treasure.
There's Ronee Blakley's country singer; Lily Tomlin's doting housewife and mother; Scott Glenn's caring soldier; Keith Carradine's lecherous pop star; Ned Beatty's disinterested father; Keenan Wynn's loving husband; Michael Murphy's sleazy campaigner; and Gwen Welles' sad wannabe country singer, whose scene at a political fund-raiser is heartbreaking.
And Jeff Goldblum's motorcyclist and Geraldine Chaplin's Opal are the threads that weave through all the lives in this marvelous tapestry.There are plenty of terrific songs in "Nashville" - some might complain too many - but the best are Carradine's Oscar-winning "I'm Easy" and "It Don't Bother Me." They add to the nice sense of cynicism that layers the movie.Altman's one of the big reasons the 1970s is regarded as the greatest decade of American filmmaking.
Leaving the theatre dazed, numbed and shattered, in a way only a truly great work of art is able to accomplish, at having seen something so unique and so powerful it helped this then 21 year old Canadian see life and the possibility of film in an entirely different light.
She's all aflutter as she attempts a triumphant return to her fans; Karen Black is her chief rival and has a very funny interaction with Julie Christie, who plays herself; Lily Tomlin is a gospel singer with two deaf children and a disengaged husband; Keith Carridine is one part of a folk trio who beds just about every female in the cast; Barbara Harris plays a struggling singer whose big break comes at a very unexpected moment; Henry Gibson is Haven Hamilton, a ego maniacal music legend; Geraldine Chaplin plays Opal, a BBC reporter doing an expose of Nashville and serves as a decidedly callous Greek chorus.
Somewhere between This Is Spinal Tap and Crash is a little movie about the American people, American politics, and the American capital of country music.Nashville is not a film that will likely appeal to everyone.
Robert Altman's best film is a fascinating look at twenty-four people whose lives all revolve around a political rally in Nashville.
Director Robert Altman picked up the two last and made this wonderful film that is "Nashville".First of all, you don't have to like country music to enjoy "Nashville".
You gain an appreciation for how deeply important the music is to the characters by watching this movie; a lot of the time they seem to be in a trance as they are either singing or listening to other people sing.
It is one of Gibson's best performances.One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when Keith Carradine, looking like a California surfer, sings "I'm Easy" while scoping out Lily Tomlin in the back of the club.
Through all of this, the characters and the story weave in and out, the camera pulls into conversations and pulls out again to other conversations, there are quick cuts to other scenes, all this is typical Altman, his trademark directorial style which creates an eerie sense of realism, like you're actually watching everything happen.
( Kieth Carradine's character is the only one reputed to have any strong feelings about politics and all we see of this is a heartless, smartass remark he makes to the Private at the beginning of the film.)  And there is all the free-love going around, about which the movie is both brutal (Carradine) and whimsical (Duvall), but generally condemned as being the pastime of most shallow of the cast.
But all the performances are wonderful and unique and you feel for each character in the country music setting of Nashville.So what exactly is this film about?
A musical, a docudrama about life in Nashville, a political story that was influenced by events like the Watergate scandal, and it is also a satire about country music.With such a large ensemble, I was surprised how much Altman was able to get from all of his characters.
The story revolves around a lot of different characters and their lives in the Nashville country music scene.
We never focus long enough on any character to really care about them, and I don't think Mr. Altman knew a thing about Nashville or country music.
Director Robert Altman's sprawling put-down of the Capitol of Country Music features a headache-inducing amount of overlapping dialogue recorded in a fuzzy, pseudo-documentary manner; add to that an over-abundance of 'colorful' characters and muddy cinematography, and "Nashville" nearly self-destructs before its second-half.
Saved in the end by terrific performances, Altman gets superlative acting turns from Shelley Duvall and Keenan Wynn (in the film's most moving side-plot), Henry Gibson (perhaps doing a Conway Twitty), Lily Tomlin (excellent), Gwen Welles as a would-be singer who ends up stripping, and of course Ronee Blakley (whose Barbara Jean might be modeled after Loretta Lynn).
In fact, I'll even go as far to say that the songs are even more important than a lot of the dialogue, most of which is only half-heard, like we're eavesdropping on dozens of conversations.I also think this is an accurate portrayal of the city of Nashville itself, although non-Nashvillians should take note that there are many, many people here who do not aspire to be a songwriter or even could care less about country music, myself included.
In the interview that comes along with the DVD, Altman says that the spine of the script was on the basis of one woman's experiences, and says more than a few times that ideas and characters were quickly thrown in the mix, and he says it proudly, as if simply fitting in random story ideas due to circumstance is enough to make the movie itself accomplished and worthwhile.The film contains more than an hour of music, and even for someone like me who's fond of good country (and don't mistake what you hear on country radio for country music -- it isn't, it's pop with a slide guitar and the occasional banjo), the only song that gives the film a real kick is one of the last, the one Carradine won an Oscar for, "I'm Easy."One of the more observant, if pedantic and wrong-headed, reviewers on this site noticed the connection between country music and Altman's storytelling.
Whereas popular country music is often simple story-songs, Altman's interests in relaying his narrative are anything but simple (for the time, that is).For a movie so roundly praised, I can't help but feel as if I needed to experience the film when it was first released to fully grasp what it meant [means].
Their surprise appearances serve little purpose in the storytelling and jar the viewer right out of the film.Originally, Joan Tewkesbury seems to have written a quirky ensemble comedy about some colorfully eccentric characters that habituate the country music milieu in Nashville.
Instead, it is the most realistic depiction of our nation captured on film.I cannot put into words the tidal wave of emotion the viewer experiences in the movie's final scene when all the story's characters are united for a single moment in song.
Compare the obnoxiousness of the character played by Keith Carradine who seemed to have gotten half the female cast on his bed with the melancholic tune of his "I'm Easy" you can't even tell whether he has pride or contempt toward himself, but the gaze of Lilly Tomlin while listening to him says everything.Music is like the only way to arouse genuine emotions, in another powerful scene, a wannabe singer (Glew Welels) of mediocre talent gets booed, she can only indulge to a striptease to provoke the cheers.
Just like in "Nashville", the more we meet these people, the more we care for them, as we care for ourselves.Only the New Hollywood period could have made this gem possible, a time where America was still mourning an innocence and where the baby-boomers like today's millennials (count me among them) were cherishing their childhood, a time without the Vietnam War, incarnated by a Wizard-of-Oz-like childhood, Kennedy's dashing smile, the very American Pie Don McLean said bye-bye to.And this end-of-an-era is magnificently captured by the performance of Roney Blakely (Oscar-nominated along with Tolmin) as a fragile and emotionally vulnerable country singer named Barbara Jean.
I'd really recommend watching the commentary of "Nashville" because, like most Altman films, there are many interesting behind the scenes stories.
It's one of our country's most important films from both a cultural and a historical standpoint.My favorite moments: Tom Frank (Keith Carradine) sings "I'm Easy" to wound his audience: Mary (Cristina Raines), Opal (Geraldine Chaplin), L.A. Joan (Shelley Duvall) and Linnea Reese (Lily Tomlin); Sueleen Gay (Gwen Welles) sings in her wonderfully awful style; Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakely) breaks down at the fairgrounds; Haven Hamilton (Henry Gibson) goes on an egomaniacal tirade while recording "200 Years"; Albuquerque (Barbara Harris) gets her big chance; Connie White (Karen Black) sings those ridiculous songs with a straight face; and of course the stunning end sequence, which reunites every member of the cast.Without giving it away, that ending reveals director Robert Altman's genius--we've come to know each of the characters, so that every shot contains gravitas and emotion.
Only more recently have I been looking up his older work, such as 'The long goodbye' (pretty darn good, getting better every time I watch it), 'Images' (disappointing as an effective horror drama, but still not bad), 'McCabe and Mrs. Miller' (a little disappointing in some way, but still pretty good, intriguing and one I will definitely will try again) and '3 Women' - an excellent, spellbinding piece of alternative American cinema and a personal Altman favorite at this point.'Nashville', I'm sorry to say, did disappoint me also, this first viewing.
In this case, the large cast of characters is made up of people in and around Nashville's country music scene.
I think Altman did a good job of evoking a setting and some of the characters stories were interesting, but he could have done all that with a 1/2 of the mind numbing musical performances in the movie.
If you are a fan of country music you are much more inclined to like this movie (I however am not and would advise anyone looking to see an example of Altman's film-making to look elsewhere).
Many of the actors did some of their best work in this movie, and I particularly like Henry Gibson, Ronee Blakley, Keith Carradine, Lily Tomlin, and Keenan Wynn..
After watching a real masterpiece "Three women" and several very good films of Altman, like "Images","McNabe and Mrs.Miller","That cold day in the park", this piece of poor film making has stolen three hours of my time actually spent for nothing!I don't understand so many positive reviews about the movie which simply doesn't deserve this.Those calling it "a masterpiece" most probably have never seen real masterpieces on the screen.Otherwise it's very difficult to explain calling this schlock "a masterpiece" so easily.Overlong,poorly directed and greatly overrated film..
That's because there are no quiet moments--only scenes where practically everyone is talking at the same time and it seemed like they were trying to cram 3000 minutes of film into one movie.
Robert Altman's insightful dissection about Nashville, the cradle of American country music, astutely captures the zeitgeist of 1970s and deploys a kaleidoscope of motley characters.
His "I'm Easy" deservedly won the Oscar for Best Music, Original Song.Some of the scenes in "Nashville" come close to rivaling sequences from Altman's masterpiece "MASH": In particular the interstate pileup which shows an assortment of characters whose lives will intertwine in hilarious situations including a guy selling treats to the by-standers.
This film remains unique, not only for it's constant ability to attract serious comment over 30 years after release, but also for it's undoubted quality as a study in fame, power, comedy and love.Centered around a political rally in the world capital of country music, Robert Altman's masterpiece brings maximum rewards as he lets the viewer eavesdrop on the ups and downs of a couple of dozen characters who casually - and perhaps unwittingly - team-build a patchwork of immense story telling through music, candid dialogue, joy and tears.The country music icons, notably played by Keith Carradine, Henry Gibson, Karen Black and Timothy Brown effectively lead the tale, bolstered by a political machine over-lorded by the Primary seeking hopeful (and anonymous, as he is never seen) Hal Phillip Walker, with his duo of sycophantic, in your face supporters, played effortlessly by Ned Beatty and Michael Murphy.The performances of the country stars, coupled with political stunts to bring Walker into office, blend in to a climax at a star-spangled vote-for-me open air freebie where a twist in the tale leaves the viewer feeling short changed and shocked.
If you never watch another movie, you'll never see Robert Altman's Nashville.
It's like if Robert Altman put the viewer in the seat of God and has the viewers watch the people's lives in Nashville for a few days.