Nashville (1975)

Robert Altman's sprawling, yet remarkably rich, compelling, and cohesive mosaic of Bicentennial-era America chronicles several days in the lives of a vivid and eclectic array of people in the country music capitol of Nashville, Tennessee. Altman and the incisive script by Joan Tewkesbury astutely captures the hopes, dreams, and delusions of America in the mid-1970's, with a specific emphasis on our nation's obsession with fame, success, and celebrity, the fierce distinction between the haves and the have nots, the complex interrelationship between politics and entertainment, and the various ways men exploit, abuse, and/or degrade women. Few movies depict both the negative and positive aspects of American culture with the same wit, warmth, and vitality as this pip does. Moreover, the uniformly terrific cast rates as another substantial asset: Ronee Blakley as the fragile Barbara Jean, Allen Garfield as her overprotective husband Barnett, Keith Carradine as callous and narcissistic womanizing heel Tom Frank, Henry Gibson as the arrogant Haven Hamilton, Michael Murphy as smarmy politician John Triplette, Lily Tomlin as the sweet Linnea Reese, Ned Beatty as her neglectful lawyer husband Delbert, Gwen Welles as the ambitious, but untalented Sueleen Gay, Geraldine Chaplin as clueless and obnoxious reporter Opal, Shelley Duvall as kooky groupie L.A. Joan, David Hayward as troubled loner Kenny Frasier, Barbara Harris as the daffy, but determined Albuquerque (the climax with Harris belting out "It Don't Worry" me on stage is a real show-stopper), Bert Remsen as her cranky husband Star, Karen Black as the haughty Connie White, Scott Glenn as the smitten Private Glenn Kelly, Barbara Baxley as the brash and outspoken Lady Pearl, Robert DuQui as the hard-nosed Wade, and, in an especially poignant role, Keenan Wynn as the kindly Mr. Green. Best of all, it's a total treat to the watch the colorful characters continually cross paths with each other in a multitude of surprising and inspired ways, with a particular highlight being when Carradine sings the excellent song "I'm Easy" in a club to a handful of women who he's seduced and bedded. The songs featured on the soundtrack range from the sublime (the rousing "My Idaho Home") to the gloriously hokey (the jingoistic tune "200 Years"). Essential viewing.

This is one of those films which viewers will probably either love or hate due in large part to the rather haphazard assortment of scenes which seem quite dull and tend to go nowhere. The trick to understanding this film, however, is to realize that all of these scenes either directly or indirectly lead to a climatic finale which is both dramatic and yet puzzling as the same time. At least, that is how it seemed to me. That being said, this movie chronicles several different characters whose lives intertwine in such a manner that some of them don't even realize how their behavior influences others around them--or the future course of events which subsequently play out right before their eyes. It's all rather remarkable in that respect with the scene involving the pop singer named "Tom Frank" (Keith Carradine) serenading "Linnea Reese" (Lily Tomlin) being one of the best. Conversely, there are several others which are downright unremarkable as well with the scene featuring the BBC newscaster "Opal" (Geraldine Chaplin) giving a monologue in the junkyard as possibly the most boring and inane. Likewise, I thought the special guest appearances of both Elliott Gould and Julie Christie (as themselves) were rather awkward as well. In any case, this film was definitely a unique product of its time and all things considered I rate it as slightly above average.

There are dozens of relevant characters as they spend their time in the city of Nashville. The stories weave an interconnected tapestry. There is a forthcoming political rally for Hal Phillip Walker as the Replacement Party candidate for President which is omnipresent throughout the movie.I disliked this movie the first time I tried to watch it. There are so many characters that it's hard to follow anything. It's story chaos. It's not just a matter of being lost. I couldn't see the point of not following the lead characters. After a few half-hearted attempts, I finally gave it a serious try. There is a zen feel about watching this movie. I could lock onto a couple of characters especially played by some of the most recognizable actors. I let the movie wash over me. The singing gets me zoned out. It's a hypnotic form of people watching. It's got the Altman style. I'm not sure whether most modern audiences could ever truly love this.

I had seen this film before or maybe even a few times over the years but decided to watch it on DVD again this past weekend. I have been checking out Altman flicks, particularly for the director commentaries that some dvds come with.I was 20 years old in 1975 when the country was on the verge of disco and all that went with that experiment in debauchery, fantasy and excess; the whole Warhol, Bianca, Studio 54 mess, if you will, of which I was right in the middle. A young sailor, I appreciated Cinderella Liberty AND The Last Detail; a Baby Boomer, I appreciated American Graffiti AND the Exorcist. And then there is Nashville. The first thing I noticed is that I had the exact same shirt Haven's son wore, all of his shirts in fact. That right there was enough to depress me. Next, the Nashville airport - been there too and THAT depressed me. I guess you can tell by now that that period does not have really fond memories for me: the wood paneling, the Formica in avocado green, harvest gold, and I can never remember what they called the red one just all seem so cheesy. Maybe it was because in those days Times Square and most big cities were one big X-rated peep-show extravaganza. Like I said I was a sailor then and that's what we did. Anyway, I found most of the characters dull; particularly Jeff Goldblum who even then had that kind of irritating shtick about him; Carradine too (I must have been stoned back then (probably was) but I actually used to like "I'm Easy". Now, I don't think it was so hot at all. Tomlin was okay, although with all the hoopla, you'd think her part would have been more developed. Maybe it was because she had theretofore been on Laugh-In that it was a sensation. Ditto for Henry Gibson who I really thought WAS good. I don't know, maybe it was the film stock but it just all seemed old to me, like Altman's M*A*S*H. By the way, Elliot Gould showing up in a cameo just reminded me why I never cared for his smart ass either. And I honestly felt the same way about Julie Christie i.e. who the hell is SHE? Even though I knew who she was.I guess in closing, I just don't think this movie is a classic for me nor would I place it on any must see list. I'd much rather watch any number of other movies from that year. Cuckoo's nest or something.