FilmSkool — a free film school
Nashville
The intersecting stories of twenty-four characters—from country star to wannabe to reporter to waitress—and their connection through the music business in Nashville, Tennessee.
1975 · Directed by Robert Altman · 160 min · Drama · Comedy · Music · Screenplay in the scene database · 20 frames
Tagline
The damndest thing you ever saw.
Plot
Hal Phillip Walker, Replacement Party candidate in the 1976 United States presidential election, arrives in Nashville for a fundraising gala. Meanwhile, two recording sessions are taking place in a nearby studio: in one room, country superstar Haven Hamilton records a patriotic song commemorating the Bicentennial, while next door, Linnea Reese, a white gospel singer, records a song with the Jubilee Singers of historically black Fisk University. Opal, an Englishwoman who claims to be working on a documentary for the BBC (though she refers to the British Broadcasting Company, not the British Broadcasting Corporation), attempts to listen in on the sessions.
Later that day, country singer Barbara Jean returns to Nashville following what the crowd believes was a burn accident (which may actually have been a nervous breakdown and stay at a mental hospital). She is greeted at Berry Field by local industry elites, including Haven and his companion, Lady Pearl, a nightclub owner. Also present are Pfc. Glenn Kelly, who is obsessed with Barbara Jean, and a popular folk trio consisting of married couple Bill and Mary, and guitarist Tom, who are in town to record an album. Meanwhile, Martha, a teen groupie going by the name "L.A. Joan", is picked up by her uncle, Mr. Green, at the airport; she has arrived to visit her dying aunt Esther, but covertly plans to pursue musicians. In the airport cafe, African-American cook Wade Cooley and his co-worker, a waitress named Sueleen, discuss her aspirations to become a singer.
On the tarmac, Barbara Jean collapses from heat exhaustion, and those in attendance depart the airport only to become stranded after a vehicle pile-up occurs. During the commotion, Winifred, an aspiring country singer, runs away from her husband Star; Star then gives a ride to Kenny Frasier, who has just arrived in town carrying a violin case. Opal takes advantage of the traffic jam to interview Linnea, as well as Tommy Brown, an African-American country singer. That night, Sueleen performs at an open mic, demonstrating no singing ability, but leading to her recruitment as entertainment for Walker's fundraiser. Meanwhile, Linnea's husband Del has John Triplette, Walker's political organizer, over for dinner. Throughout the meal, Linnea mainly focuses on communicating with her two deaf children. Tom, who crossed paths with Linnea a few weeks earlier, phones the house to ask Linnea on a date, but she dissuades him. At a party he hosts, Haven is offered a political career by Triplette despite being informed that Haven will never take political sides. Glamorous singer Connie White performs that night, in lieu of Barbara Jean at the Grand Ole Opry. Mary misses Connie's performance to Bill's dismay, instead having sex with Tom at the hotel. At the hospital, Barbara Jean argues with her manager husband Barnett over Connie replacing her, and he accuses her of having another nervous breakdown, angrily establishing his dominance.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Written by: Joan Tewkesbury
- Cinematography: Paul Lohmann
- Edited by: Dennis M. Hill, Sidney Levin
- Music: Arlene Barnett, Jonnie Barnett, Karen Black, Ronee Blakley
- Produced by: Scott Bushnell, Robert Altman, Robert Eggenweiler
Cast
- David Arkin as Norman
- Barbara Baxley as Lady Pearl
- Ned Beatty as Delbert Reese
- Karen Black as Connie White
- Ronee Blakley as Barbara Jean
- Timothy Brown as Tommy Brown
- Keith Carradine as Tom Frank
- Geraldine Chaplin as Opal
- Robert DoQui as Wade Cooley
- Shelley Duvall as L.A. Joan
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: English
- Studios: Paramount Pictures, ABC Entertainment, Jerry Weintraub Productions
- Budget: $2,200,000
- Box office: $9,995,555
- Themes: country music, satire, music festival, candidate, nashville, tennessee, multiple storylines, presidential campaign, celebrity worship, rally
Own the film
FilmSkool earns a small commission from qualifying Amazon purchases, at no cost to you.
More by Robert Altman
On this film
This is the plain index, shown because JavaScript is off. Every lesson here is a free video published by the channel credited on it and plays through that channel's own embed — FilmSkool hosts nothing.