Nashville (1975)

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Directed by Robert Altman.

Starring Barbara Baxley, Ned Beatty, Ronee Blakely, Geraldine Chaplin, Henry Gibson, Karen Black, Keith Carradine, Lily Tomlin.

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Following 24 characters through 5 days in the country music capital, Robert Altman's 1975 epic presents a complexly textured portrayal (and critique) of American obsessions with celebrity and power. Among the various stars, aspirants, hangers-on, observers, and media folk are politically ambitious country icon Haven Hamilton (Henry Gibson) and his fragile star protegée Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakley); Tom (Keith Carradine), a self-absorbed rock star who woos lonely married gospel singer Linnea Reese (Lily Tomlin); Sueleen Gay (Gwen Welles), a talentless waitress painfully humiliated at her first singing gig; Albuquerque (Barbara Harris), a runaway wife with dreams of stardom; nightclub owner Lady Pearl (Barbara Baxley), who reminisces about "those Kennedy boys"; single-minded groupie L.A. Joan (Shelley Duvall); vapid BBC commentator Opal (Geraldine Chaplin); and campaign guru John Triplette (Michael Murphy), who is trying to organize a concert rally for the unseen but always heard populist presidential candidate-cum-demagogue Hal Phillip Walker. Everything comes to a head during a climactic concert at Nashville's replica of the Parthenon temple, as the entertainment-hungry audience is momentarily woken out of its stupor by unexpected violence, only to be lulled into a restorative sing-along to "It Don't Worry Me." ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

Imitation of Angst : Gypsy 83
by jlgdrd in Wicked Fun

loved it.

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"Often there comes a time when a bad (or inept, or failed) movie will unwittingly tip its hand. It could be a piece of dialogue that encapsulates a central flaw, or it might be a device that functions as damage control. In Gypsy 83, it’s a chapter when Gypsy and Clive, en route to a singing competition in New York, spend an evening with a more or less retired singer, Bambi LeBleau (Karen Black). She is congenial, down-to-earth, unperturbed and dishonest only in the sense that she is trying to put a brave face on adversity. Black has been acting for at least thirty years now (Five Easy Pieces, Nashville, Easy Rider) and her screen presence and skill are so effortless that they too often go unnoticed. Her performance appears to infect Sara Rue (Gypsy) and Kett Turton (Clive) who seem completely different in this sequence, and outshines them in the rest of the film. She’s invested in the role, but experienced enough to trust her intuitions. When they decide to leave Bambi b ... " [More]

The Great Movies: Nashville
by erico_77375 in erico_77375 Blog

loved it.

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"I have never had a problem writing a review before trying to tackle what has to be one of the most difficult films to discuss. There's just so much to talk about, so many different characters, all of them playing major parts in an epic story of music, politics, and eccentricities put together with the magic touch by screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury and director Robert Altman. Nashville is a film you can dissect for days and still find new things to talk about, or you can float through it and allow the film to surround you. Either way, you're in for a great time.There are 24 major characters played by actors who live inside these roles. They are bound together in a string of events held together by other characters and events that out of each other's control. It spirals into an event that blindsides you away from convention and leaves you with a sense of wonder. The film winds through five days in Nashville in the midst of a political campaign for Hal Phillip Walker of the & ... " [More]

Re: Top 5 Movies About Music
by chesterfilms in chesterfilms Blog

loved it.

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"1. Almost Famous (2000) - I know a lot of people who dismiss this film, but It's one of my favorites. I truly captures the spirit of the era. 2. Nashville (1975) - An epic, sprawling masterpiece. One of Altman's finest achievements. 3. This Is Spinal Tap (1984) - What more should be said. Fantastic music & possible the funniest movies of all time.4. High Fidelity (2000) - Frears & company perfectly capture the spirit of the book. Made the whole Top 5 list process even more relevant.5. A Hard Day's Night (1964) - Obviously the songs are amazing, but this is one of the most fun films you could ever see.Runners Up:The Red ShoesFive Easy Pieces Amadeus " [More]

Nashville
by dlcollins in Filmspotting

loved it.

"I know it's probably on the verge of being a pantheon movie, but I have to mention Henry Gibson as Haven Hamilton from Nashville. When we first see him, he's a singing a pompous and unbelievably cheesy song about how great America is, and then he throws a tantrum when the piano player screws up. Aside from being a really funny scene, it tells us a lot about him. " [More]

M*A*S*H
by HairyLime in HairyLime Blog

loved it.

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"In a discussion group recently the topic of 'book adaptations' has been brought up, and while I was watching this last night it occurred to me that this one is another good example of a successful 'book to movie' transformation that is neither too literal of a rote retelling, and stands on its own as a film.Caught the final third of this one a couple weekends ago while flipping channels, and then watched the rest of the movie yesterday evening. Not the first time I'd seen it (I've actually lost count how many times), and it struck me how very fresh and innovative it still seems 30 plus years after the fact. There wasn't really anything like it seen before, with its overlapping dialog, meandering storyline and counter-cultural viewpoints.Those brought up on the television series may find the flavor a little hard to digest, no neatly tied up plotlines, no laugh track, a subtler brand of humor.Gould and Sutherland are a great pairing, and would go on to cos ... " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

loved it.

Following 24 characters in the country music capital, Robert Altman's 1975 epic presents a complex, critical portrait of the twin national obsessions with celebrity and power. Culminating Altman's experiments in loose, multi-character narrative structure; mobile wide-screen composition; and layered sound design, the film seamlessly interweaves many stories and moods, even within a single shot, creating a mosaic of "America" on the cusp of the Bicentennial. The improvisational acting enhances the casual feel of events, as does the dense mix of songs, dialogue, and background noise (like the campaign loudspeakers spewing populist bromides). Amid this random ambiance, characters consistently act out of base self-interest, intimating that these are the skewed values of contemporary America. Combining his somber social commentary with a lightly musical and comic atmosphere, punctuated by 27 songs by various cast members, Altman reveals how the worship of entertainment precludes personal relationships and political awareness, even as the film itself seeks to amuse. Critics, especially Pauline Kael, greeted the film as an incisive masterwork, predicting that Nashville would be a blockbuster like Altman's MASH (1970). While not a flop, it did not live up to those financial expectations, as audiences increasingly turned to such lighter diversions as the 1975 blockbuster Jaws. Nashville received Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress for Lily Tomlin's adulterous gospel singer and Ronee Blakely's fragile star, but Joan Tewkesbury's screenplay was ignored; Keith Carradine's seductively folksy "I'm Easy" won the Best Song statuette. With its technical invention, narrative intricacy, provocative insights, and command of entertainment, Nashville still stands as one of Hollywood's most remarkable achievements; Paul Thomas Anderson's multi-character tapestries, Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), reveal just a small measure of its influence. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

Tags: americana , music , politician , reporter , shootout
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