Nashville (1975)

Review:

“We are Nashville…Please somebody sing!” These are the pleading words of a desperate musician in Robert Altman’s panoramic film, Nashville. A whirlwind exploration of the country music industry, Nashville proves to be more an exploration of America during a period of political and social uncertainty.

Unlike the more sacrilegious rock and roll, country music has always been invested in nostalgia: missing home and loved ones, pride in one’s family and country, and the belief that God is watching. Altman uses this music as the gateway into the plethora of characters in this film that collectively represent Nashville and America. Nashville has a strange and unlikely centerpiece. It is not the recording studio or one particular musician but instead an independent party’s campaign for the presidency. Although we never see him, Hal Phillip Walker is the presidential candidate the film orbits. He has already won three primaries, promising the abolition of the Electoral College and removal of lawyers from Congress. He now seeks to win Tennessee’s primary by holding a large rally at which Nashville’s most famous country stars will perform. But, as is so typical in a Robert Altman film, aside from that underlying plot there is a plentitude of subplots. Most involve the country musicians struggling to gain recognition while others struggle to keep it. Henry Gibson plays Haven Hamilton, a former country legend whose fame is now on the wane. Ronee Blakely plays Barbra Jean an angelic country phenomenon on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Both these actors play their characters with a note of pity that is often overshadowed by their large egos and dignity. Another fine performance is Lily Tomlin as Linnea Reese, a choir leader and neglected wife, who struggles to be cheery with her deaf children.

But what links all these characters is not actually the music or the political rally. These characters are thematically linked by how lost they are. Selling themselves to causes and to demanding fans, these musicians have forfeited their personal sense of nostalgia and home that country music preaches. But with the addition of having each musician sell out to the phantom Presidential candidate Hal Phillip Walker, Altman makes the larger claim that it is ultimately America that has lost its sense of home. When we cannot trust the people in charge how can we sing a happy song and mean it?

Robert Altman has never made a light comedy or a heavy drama. His films are hard to classify. They are either brilliantly dark or intelligently hopeful. I can never decide. But regardless, Nashville will continue to speak to subsequent viewers, so long as politics and country music can coexist.

Review:

On a scale of one to Casablanca this film is a "Tender Mercies."

Rationalization:

I do not love country music, but I seem to love movies about country music. Strange phenomenon. I suppose you could say the same thing about serial killers. Anyways, this movie strikes a chord (Ha!) about the music industry and all its ins and outs - from the stars to the has-beens, to the fanatics. Its not quite a satire and not quite reality and maybe thats just where Altman's films always lay.