The operating principle here seems to be "generosity of spirit", both in theme and form. altman's wide-screen compositions are egalitarian in the way they give your eyes the freedom to roam the frame, with the ostensible "stars" sharing just as much screen space as the dozens of background extras. even when his characters are at their most petulant and pathetic, he treats them with an unreserved gentleness. unlike say, the coen brothers, altman doesn't see their foibles as cause for cynicism; he simply has too much affection for these people. the accumulated weight of all this takes on a remarkable poignancy in the climactic rally, which manages to offer up powerful emotional dividends by simply cross-cutting between reaction shots. the sequence is certainly tragic but altman, recognizing that life is rarely so monolithic in its emotional tenor, also infuses the proceedings with a sly humor that weirdly enough brought to mind the malfunctioning stretcher scene in MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. it's a remarkable tonal tightrope to walk, but altman does it with aplomb (and i haven't even mentioned the sheer wealth of hilarious gags in this thing, from jeff goldblum's aptly named "tricycle man" racing across the periphery of the frame to shelley duvall's character ditching her aunt's funeral to hang out with boys)

This is Altman's masterpiece without a doubt. It is filled wonderful performances from a huge cast, several of which are real gems.Having said that, I must say that as amazing as it sounds, Lily Tomlin is the biggest standout. At the time, she was known mostly for her comedic work on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In so her work in "Nashville" was an astounding surprise. The scene where Keith Carradine sings "I'm Easy" is beautifully filmed with Tomlin stealing it without saying a word and yet still saying so much. She is the dramatic heart of the film. While I love Lee Grant and am glad she finally got an Oscar after being blacklisted early in her career, I wish Tomlin had won the Oscar in 1975 for this film.My second favorite has to be Barbara Harris who spends most of her scenes in the background until she gets to end the film with a spectacular final scene.

There are dozens of relevant characters as they spend their time in the city of Nashville. The stories weave an interconnected tapestry. There is a forthcoming political rally for Hal Phillip Walker as the Replacement Party candidate for President which is omnipresent throughout the movie.I disliked this movie the first time I tried to watch it. There are so many characters that it's hard to follow anything. It's story chaos. It's not just a matter of being lost. I couldn't see the point of not following the lead characters. After a few half-hearted attempts, I finally gave it a serious try. There is a zen feel about watching this movie. I could lock onto a couple of characters especially played by some of the most recognizable actors. I let the movie wash over me. The singing gets me zoned out. It's a hypnotic form of people watching. It's got the Altman style. I'm not sure whether most modern audiences could ever truly love this.

I had seen this film before or maybe even a few times over the years but decided to watch it on DVD again this past weekend. I have been checking out Altman flicks, particularly for the director commentaries that some dvds come with.I was 20 years old in 1975 when the country was on the verge of disco and all that went with that experiment in debauchery, fantasy and excess; the whole Warhol, Bianca, Studio 54 mess, if you will, of which I was right in the middle. A young sailor, I appreciated Cinderella Liberty AND The Last Detail; a Baby Boomer, I appreciated American Graffiti AND the Exorcist. And then there is Nashville. The first thing I noticed is that I had the exact same shirt Haven's son wore, all of his shirts in fact. That right there was enough to depress me. Next, the Nashville airport - been there too and THAT depressed me. I guess you can tell by now that that period does not have really fond memories for me: the wood paneling, the Formica in avocado green, harvest gold, and I can never remember what they called the red one just all seem so cheesy. Maybe it was because in those days Times Square and most big cities were one big X-rated peep-show extravaganza. Like I said I was a sailor then and that's what we did. Anyway, I found most of the characters dull; particularly Jeff Goldblum who even then had that kind of irritating shtick about him; Carradine too (I must have been stoned back then (probably was) but I actually used to like "I'm Easy". Now, I don't think it was so hot at all. Tomlin was okay, although with all the hoopla, you'd think her part would have been more developed. Maybe it was because she had theretofore been on Laugh-In that it was a sensation. Ditto for Henry Gibson who I really thought WAS good. I don't know, maybe it was the film stock but it just all seemed old to me, like Altman's M*A*S*H. By the way, Elliot Gould showing up in a cameo just reminded me why I never cared for his smart ass either. And I honestly felt the same way about Julie Christie i.e. who the hell is SHE? Even though I knew who she was.I guess in closing, I just don't think this movie is a classic for me nor would I place it on any must see list. I'd much rather watch any number of other movies from that year. Cuckoo's nest or something.