Nashville (1975)
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A sprawling ensemble piece captures the intersecting lives of musicians, politicians, and dreamers in the heart of the country music industry.
The story
Over a five-day period leading up to a gala concert for a populist presidential candidate, the film follows various people involved in the country and gospel music industry in Nashville, Tennessee. The narrative weaves through multiple storylines, including a country superstar recording a patriotic song, a white gospel singer recording with a black university choir, and a glamorous singer returning to the city after a rumored accident. Meanwhile, a teen groupie arrives to visit a dying aunt but secretly seeks to pursue musicians, and a waitress with no singing ability is recruited for the upcoming political fundraiser.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Hal Phillip Walker, a Replacement Party candidate, arrives in Nashville for a fundraising gala. Nearby, country superstar Haven Hamilton records a patriotic song while Linnea Reese, a white gospel singer, records with the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University. Opal, an Englishwoman, attempts to eavesdrop on these sessions. Country singer Barbara Jean returns to Nashville following a rumored accident and is greeted by industry elites, including Haven and his companion Lady Pearl. A folk trio, Bill and Mary, and guitarist Tom, are also in town. Martha, a teen groupie, arrives to visit her dying aunt but secretly seeks to join the music scene. After a vehicle pile-up strands several people, Sueleen, a waitress with no singing ability, is recruited for Walker's fundraiser. Linnea's husband Del and political organizer John Triplette also navigate the city's social circles. Barbara Jean, after a poor performance at Opryland USA, is pledged to perform at the gala. At the final concert at the Parthenon, a chaotic shooting occurs: Kenny Frasier opens fire, shooting Barbara Jean and grazing Haven. Amidst the chaos, Haven exhorts the crowd to sing as Winifred and Linnea's choir join in a final performance.
- First release year
- 1975
- Runtime (minutes)
- 160
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Altman
- Writers
- Joan Tewkesbury · writer; Robert Altman · improvised scenes and plot strands
- Cast and characters
- David Arkin; Barbara Baxley; Ned Beatty · Del; Karen Black · Connie White; Ronee Blakley · Barbara Jean; Timothy Brown · Tommy Brown; Keith Carradine · Tom; Geraldine Chaplin · Opal; Robert DoQui; Shelley Duvall · Martha; Allen Garfield; Henry Gibson · Haven Hamilton; Scott Glenn; Jeff Goldblum; Barbara Harris · Winifred; David Hayward; Michael Murphy; Allan F. Nicholls · Bill; Dave Peel · Bud; Cristina Raines · Mary
- Genres
- satirical; musical; comedy; drama
- Themes
- ambition; greed; talent; politics; celebrity; American culture
- Tone and mood
- satirical; funny; moving; provocative
- Premise and plot tags
- musical; satire; ensemble cast; political drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Joan Tewkesbury's diary of her trip to Nashville in 1973 and her experiences as an outsider visiting the city.
- Reception
- The film received widespread critical acclaim and is considered Altman's magnum opus. It was praised for its ensemble cast, mise-en-scène, and soundtrack, though it faced a critical backlash from some reviewers who found it superficial or cynical. It is considered one of the greatest films of all time.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 96 · scale: 100 · review count: 24
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Song · win; Golden Globe · Best Original Song - Motion Picture · win; BAFTA Film Award · Best Sound Track · win; Academy Award · Best Picture · nomination; Academy Award · Best Director · nomination; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actress · nomination; New York Film Critics Circle · Best Supporting Actress · win
- Production trivia
- The film contains 24 main characters and an hour's worth of musical numbers.; The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1992.; The film was nominated for a total of 11 Golden Globe Awards, the highest number received by one film to date.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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