Review of Nashville (1975) by David V — 19 Nov 2008

"People may say that I ain't free, but it don't worry me.".

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My fellow Tennesseans, let us not be bitter about Robert Altman's classic "Nashville". After all, it isn't JUST an attack on us. It is an attack on the whole country! Our state flag is shown only once in this epic film that is nearly 3 hours long. The American flag, however, is everywhere.

With 24 characters in an interlocking story- which doesn't connect the characters in a conventional way- "Nashville" is one of the most complex films that I have ever seen. It is almost so big that it feels like several movies in one. In fact, Altman had wanted it to be a two-part epic. Of course, the studio wouldn't allow this.

Out of all of the characters in the film, the story that I find the most compelling is Barbra Jean's. She is a celebrity who, among all the hypocrisy, appears to be a genuinely good person. She is also very frail and sickly. (I could not help but think of my mother when I saw her.) Sadly, the public can't get enough of her, and she spends so much time in the spot light that her personal life seems to suffer. Despite the fact that she is never really alone, she seems to be the loneliest character in the film. She has nervous breakdowns and is losing her mind. By the end of the film, she is killed. I almost felt like the assassin wanted to put her out of her misery. And then, the people sing: "...it don't worry me". I almost cried when I saw the ending both times that I have seen the film.

Even if you don't agree with Altman's view of our society and the media, you should still see the film. It is quite powerful. But be warned, it is not light entertainment, and if you have a short attention span and don't give it your undivided attention, it may bore you to tears. This is a film that demands more from its audience than for them to just to be brain-dead and eating popcorn.