...'Nashville'...remains Altman’s most ambitious and successful ensemble-cast effort.
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Multi-character mosaics experienced a sort of resurgence in the late-90s in the hands of writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson. "Boogie Nights" (1997) and "Magnolia" (1999) received significant critical acclaim and earned Anderson two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay. These days, most film sites have at least one fan quoting from an Anderson film. His ability to juggle the lives of a variety of characters while prodding at issues of fate and coincidence reflects an obvious resemblance to the work of maverick filmmaker Robert Altman. Altman is famous for working with large casts of great actors in films including "Short Cuts" (1993), "The Player" (1993), and recently "Gosford Park" (2001). Yet, "Nashville" (1975) remains Altman´s most ambitious and successful ensemble-cast effort. It comes as no surprise, then, that many critics noted "Nashville" in their reviews of the similar "Magnolia." Yet, fans of Paul Thomas Anderson should keep in mind that "Magnolia" is a poor man´s "Nashville."
At the time of "Nashville´s" original release, many critics questioned the film´s apparent lack of a traditional narrative. However, "Nashville" is simply a glimpse into the lives of 24 people over the period of 5 days in the American country music capital. Of the 24 people, there is Linnea Reese (Lily Tomlin), a gospel singer in a loveless marriage; Tom (Keith Carradine), a womanizing rock star; Haven Hamilton (Henry Gibson), a politically savvy country music icon; Opal (Geraldine Chaplin), an overly enthusiastic BBC reporter; and Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakley), a fragile country music starlet. Altman uses his vivid characterizations of the sad and the lonely as the perfect backdrop to employ his allegorical references to the universal sense of disillusionment in the United States during the 1970s. These characters share at least one thing in common - the struggle to define a clear sense of direction and purpose in their lives. Each has personal problems, and each attempts to deal with these particular dilemmas in his/her own manner. Meanwhile, Altman works his magic and pieces their stories together to create a startling slice of Americana.
Following the Watergate scandal, "Nashville" struck a chord with audiences and critics alike. Altman´s harsh indictment of American society is perhaps one of the bravest accusations in film history. Altman satirically critiques the American bicentennial anniversary celebration as evident in Hamilton´s opening number ("we must be doing something right to last for 200 years"). The irony in Hamilton´s words becomes extremely obvious very quickly as the film becomes more about what is obviously wrong with society than what it´s done right. Yet, what´s more fascinating is how the film´s music advances the plot. "Nashville" is certainly just as much a musical as it is an intense drama and a light comedy. In fact, "Nashville" is home to over half an hour of country music. Call me crazy, but country music interests me just about as much as watching paint dry. Nonetheless, it´s difficult not to appreciate what Altman has created here. He didn´t hire professional singers; instead, he wisely hired character actors. While I initially cringed at the thought of actors attempting to belt out various country tunes, Altman had a knack for coaxing authentic performances from his performers. The vocals are far from perfect, and that´s the very point. Altman hardly wants his audience to be distracted from the underlying messages and more importantly, the words are far more valuable to the film than the entertainment. Still, if Keith Carradine´s Oscar-winning song "I´m Easy" doesn´t move you emotionally, you´d better make a point of catching up on Uwe Boll´s latest flick.
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