Nashville (1975) - Gwen Well as Sueleen Gay - IMDb

Contents:

• GWEN WELL: SUELEEN GAY
• FOM: NASHVILLE BY GENEVIEVE KOSKI AND KEH PHIPPS EACH WEEK, THE DISSOLVE SIGNAT A MOVIE OF THE WEEK FOR STAFFERS AND REARS TO WATCH AND DISCS TOGETHER. FEEL EE TO PCH OR SUGGT YOUR OWN DISCSN POTS. TWO DISSOLVE WRERS KEEP THE NASHVILLE NVERSATN GOG... KEH: THERE’S SO MUCH GOG ON NASHVILLE, ROBERT ALTMAN’S MAMMOTH 1975 FILM, THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD START WH THE ALTMANQUE MOVE OF ZOOMG ON ONE MOMENT. SPECIFILLY, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE LATE-FILM SCENE WHICH SUELEEN GAY (GWEN WELL) PERFORMS BEFORE A CROWD OF HORNY, DNKEN MEN AT A FUNDRAISER FOR THE THIRD-PARTY POLIL NDIDATE HAL PHILLIP WALKER. EXPECTG A CHANCE TO SG BEFORE A CROWD THAT EXPECTS HER TO STRIP, SUELEEN’S THE VICTIM OF, AT BT, A MISUNRSTANDG, HAVG BEEN SENT TO THE BENEF BY A BOOKER WHO KNOWS SHE N’T, THE WORDS OF ONE CHARACTER, “SG A LICK.” BUT SUELEEN DON’T KNOW SHE N’T SG, AND DON’T EXPECT TO HAVE TO TAKE HER CLOTH OFF. SHE TAK THE GIG EXPECTG WILL SERVE AS A NG ON HER ASCENT. INSTEAD, ENDS HUIATN. NASHVILLE HAS MOSTLY PLAYED SUELEEN’S LNS FOR LGHS UP TO THIS POT. SHE’S AN AWFUL SGER. (AND, BY ALL ACUNTS, SO WAS ACTRS GWEN WELL. IT’S TOUGH TO FAKE BEG THAT BAD.) SHE’S ALSO A LUD DIMW. BUT THIS SCENE, NASHVILLE PUTS THE FOC ON HER PA AND HUIATN—AND WH , HER HUMANY. IN THE DOCUMENTARY THE MAKG OF NASHVILLE, CLUD ON THE CRERN COLLECTN EDN OF THE FILM, SCREENWRER JOAN TEWKBURY TALKS ABOUT THAT SCENE BEG “THE SENCE OF EVERY SGLE CHARACTER THIS MOVIE.” SHE GO ON TO EXPLA THAT EVERYONE TAK STOCK OF HOW MUCH OF THEMSELV THEY’RE WILLG TO GIVE AWAY FOR SUCCS, ONLY TO REALIZE TOO LATE THAT THE PRICE IS GOG TO BE MORE THAN THEY’RE WILLG TO PAY. NOT TO NTRADICT THE SCREENWRER OF THE MOVIE, BUT I’M NOT SURE THAT APPLI TO EVERY CHARACTER. GERALDE CHAPL’S OPAL, A SELF-PROCLAIMED BBC REPORTER, IS FED BY HER ABSENCE OF SELF-AWARENS. BUT ’S CERTALY A PATTERN THAT RECURS THROUGHOUT THE FILM, AND ONE WHOSE UGLS ALTMAN DON’T ATTEMPT TO PAPER OVER. IN THE SAME DOCUMENTARY, ALAN RUDOLPH, WHO WORKED AS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ON NASHVILLE, SAYS THAT SCENE “MA YOU, AND EVERYBODY THE DIENCE, FEEL ABSOLUTELY UNCLEAN.” NASHVILLE’S PICTN OF THE MOMENT IS UNSPARG. WHEN CUTS AWAY OM WELL’ AWFUL PERFORMANCE AND, LATER, HER SAD STRIPTEASE, ’S MOSTLY TO SHOW CHARACTERS WHOSE DIFFERG REACTNS ONLY MAKE WORSE. DEL REE (NED BEATTY), A LAWYER, EATS UP. (LATER, HE’LL PUT THE MOV ON SUELEEN AS SHE REMAS PARALYZED HUIATN.) NEXT TO HIM, WALKER MPAIGN REP JOHN TRIPLETTE (MICHAEL MURPHY) REALIZ THE EVENG HAS GONE TOO FAR YET DO NOTHG TO STOP . THE FILM IMPLIT THEM AND IMPLIT VIEWERS, WHO ARE MA PLIC THE MOMENT BY PREVLY FDG SUELEEN RIDICULO. THAT WILLGNS TO PROVOKE DISFORT, WHICH NASHVILLE RETURNS TO AGA AND AGA, IS PART OF WHAT MAK THE FILM SO POWERFUL. IT BALANC A SHARP, SATIRIL W WH A FEEL FOR S CHARACTERS’ HUMANY. THE PT-SIZED, BEWIGGED, NUDIE SU-CLAD HAVEN HATON (HENRY GIBSON) IS A RIDICULO EGOTIST HAPPY TO PANR TO HIS DIENCE’S BAST EMOTNS, BUT HIS FAL MOMENTS ON SCREEN AT THE PARTHENON ARE SOME OF THE FILM’S MOST MOVG. NASHVILLE ALSO—AND AFTER MULTIPLE VIEWGS OVER SEVERAL YEARS, I STILL DON’T UNRSTAND HOW—NEVER SHORTCHANG ANY OF S 24 CENTRAL CHARACTERS. EVERYONE OM HAVEN TO JEFF GOLDBLUM’S SILENT TRICYCLE MAN GET THEIR MOMENTS, AND A SENSE OF AN NER LIFE WE NEVER GET TO SEE. WHAT DO LNEA  (LILY TOML) FEEL AS SHE LEAV TOM’S (KEH CARRADE) ROOM? I’VE SEEN THIS FILM I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TIM AND I STILL ULDN’T TELL YOU. HOW ABOUT YOU, GENEVIEVE? IS THERE A SGLE MOMENT THAT DOUBL AS THE FILM MIATURE TO YOU? GENEVIEVE: ONE MOMENT STANDS OUT TO ME, AND ACTUALLY MIRRORS THE ONE YOU HIGHLIGHT TERTG WAYS: BARBARA JEAN’S (RONEE BLAKLEY) DISASTRO OPRYLAND PERFORMANCE, THE ONE THAT PROMPTS HER HBAND-MANAGER BART (ALLEN GARFIELD) TO M HER TO SG AT THE WALKER BENEF, TH SEALG HER SAD FATE. PRR TO THE PERFORMANCE, ’S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR HOW MUCH OF BARBARA JEAN’S BEHAVR IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO SELF-LUD DIVAHOOD AND HOW MUCH IS GENUE EMOTNAL DAMAGE. HER HOSPAL-ROOM ARGUMENT WH BART, BED WH HER FAIRLY SILLY PORTRAYAL UP TO THAT POT, SUGGTS THE FORMER—“YOU’RE MAK’ ME MY NAIL-POLISH JOB!”—AND BART’S ALLNS TO HER “GO’ NUTSY ON ME” AND “HAV’ ONE OF THEM NERVO BREAKDOWNS AGA” MAK SEEM LIKE ULD ALL BE PART OF AN ONGOG BID FOR ATTENTN. BUT BARBARA JEAN’S NONSENSIL RAMBLG AT THE OPRYLAND—CULMATG HER CLUCKG LIKE A CHICKEN, FOR GOD’S SAKE—MAKE CLEAR SHE’S NOT SAVVY, SHE’S LEGIMATELY MSED-UP. AND BART’S REACTN TO THE SUATN, TO HTLE HER OFF STAGE AND BERATE THE DIENCE FOR MAKG THAT “LTLE GIRL” CRY, THEN VOLUNTEERG HER FOR THE DOOMED GIG SHE WASN’T EVEN SUPPOSED TO TAKE, SHOWS HOW LTLE NTROL SHE HAS OVER HER REER, AND HER LIFE. BARBARA JEAN HAS BEEN ENTIRELY OBJECTIFIED AND FANTILIZED—RIGHT DOWN TO HER ANGELIC, NIGHTGOWN-LIKE DRS AND THE BOWS HER HAIR—BY NOT JT BART, BUT THE ENTIRE DTRY, WHICH MAK HER EVENTUAL FATE ALL THE MORE TRAGIC, NOT TO MENTN POTED. BARBARA JEAN PROVIS AN TERTG UNTERPOT TO SUELEEN: BOTH WOMEN ARE MANIPULATED AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY THOSE PURPORTG AN TERT AND VTMENT THEIR REERS; BUT BARBARA JEAN IS TALENTED WHERE SUELEEN IS CLEARLY NOT, AND FANTILIZED WHERE SUELEEN IS SEXUALIZED. (THERE’S FELY A B OF VIRG-WHORE MENTARY GOG ON THERE.) AND BOTH WOMEN ARE TROTTED OUT AS PRODUCT, NOT AS ARTISTS, TEND TO BE SCTIZED AND NSUMED BY AN DIENCE THAT HAS NO REGARD FOR THEM AS PEOPLE, ONLY AS OBJECTS OF AMEMENT. THE WAY THE CROWD TURNS ON BARBARA JEAN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, PARED TO THE RELENTLS WAVE OF SYMPATHY AND WELL-WISH SHE RECEIV WHILE THE HOSPAL, SPEAKS TO HOW FICKLE FANS N BE TOWARD MICIANS THEY VIEW AS “THEIRS.” TAKEN TOGETHER, THE SCEN OF SUELEEN AT THE FUNDRAISER AND BARBARA JEAN AT THE OPRYLAND PROVI THE TRAGIC BEATG HEART BENEATH NASHVILLE’S LIVELY SATIRIL BE.  BUT SUELEEN’S FUNDRAISER PERFORMANCE IS ALSO TERTG FOR WHAT ’S JUXTAPOSED AGAST: TOM’S CLUB PERFORMANCE WHERE HE BUTS THE SONG “I’M EASY.” ON THE SURFACE, ’S AMG TO SEE ALL THE WOMEN TOM HAS SCED—OPAL, HIS BANDMATE MARY (CRISTA RA), STICK-FIGURE GROUPIE L.A. JOAN (SHELLEY DUVALL), AND LNEA, WHOM HE SEEMS TO VIEW AS HIS BIGGT NQUT—TERPRET THE SONG AS BEG ABOUT THEM. IT’S A GREAT LTLE PERFORMANCE MOMENT OM ALL THE ACTORS VOLVED, AND REALLY GETS AT THE TERWOVEN NATURE OF NASHVILLE’S PLOT AND CHARACTERIZATNS. BUT ’S ALSO TERTG FOR THE DOUBLE MEANG TOM’S LYRICS, WKG AT HIS LOTHAR NATURE WH A ROMANTIC BALLAD. IN A WAY, TOM IS BEG SEXUALIZED (OR SEXUALIZG HIMSELF) THE SAME WAY SUELEEN IS DURG HER PERFORMANCE, BUT THE DIFFERENCE THEIR GENR AND THE NTROL EACH HAS OVER THEIR RPECTIVE SUATN—HE’S A STAR, AND A RPECTED MICIAN, SHE IS NOT—LORS THE NATURE OF EACH PERFORMANCE DRAMATILLY DIFFERENT FASHN.  I FEEL LIKE I ULD WRE AN ENTIRE DISSERTATN ON GENR AND POWER THIS MOVIE, BUT THERE IS A LOT MORE TO VER, SO LET’S MOVE ON TO SOMETHG A LTLE LS LOAD (OR MAYBE NOT): THE SETTG. BACK 2013, NOEL MURRAY OFFERED A FORMER RINT’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE FILM’S PORTRAYAL OF THE TOWN AND S MIC—NEHER OF WHICH HE EMED PARTICULARLY ACCURATE—BUT AFTER WATCHG NASHVILLE, I WAS STCK LS BY S SENSE OF PLACE THAN S SENSE OF TIME. HAVG BEEN BORN ALMOST A AFTER NASHVILLE ME OUT, I HAVE LTLE PERSONAL NNECTN TO THE ERA WHICH ’S SET, BUT FOUND MYSELF FAIRLY TRANSFIXED BY THE 1970S-NS OF ALL; ’S UNLIKE MOST PORTRAYALS OF THE I’VE SEEN, YET UNNIABLY PART OF THE TIM. KEH, AS SOMEONE SLIGHTLY—ONLY SLIGHTLY!—OLR, AND MORE TAPPED TO 1970S CEMA GENERAL, HOW DO YOU THK THE FILM REFLECTS AND PORTRAYS S ERA? KEH: I’M JT OLD ENOUGH THAT THIS MOVIE FIR OFF SOME MEMORI OF THE ERA. (THAT MY PARENTS AND I SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME WATCHG UNTRY MIC PERFORMANC ON TV DON’T HURT.) AND I’M EXACTLY THE RIGHT AGE TO FEEL A B OF A PERSONAL NNECTN TO ALL THOSE SHOTS OF CHILDREN THE DIENCE. THIS, THE FILM SEEMS TO BE SAYG, IS THE CRAZY WORLD THE KIDS ARE GOG TO GROW UP . AND THEN WE DID. BUT, BEYOND MY FUZZY MEMORI, THE FILM SQUAR WH THE 1970S I’VE SCE READ ABOUT AND ENUNTERED VIA FILMS, MIC, AND OTHER PIEC OF ’70S CULTURE. THAT OPENG SCENE WHERE HAVEN—TRYG TO RERD A SAPPY, PANRG, BICENTENNIAL-THEMED SONG—EAKS OUT ON A SSN PIANIST NAMED FROG (PLAYED BY MIC SUPERVISOR RICHARD BASK) AND ASKS FOR PIG STEAD SPEAKS TO A LARGER DIVI. FROG, WHO’S A GENERATN YOUNGER THAN HAVEN, HAS LONG HAIR THAT MARKS HIM AS PART OF THE UNTERCULTURE. PIG REFERS TO HARG “PIG” ROBBS, WHO WAS AT THAT POT ONE OF THE MOST -MAND NASHVILLE SSN MICIANS AND HAD BEEN FOR OVER A (AND WOULD BE FOR S TO E). THERE’S THE TABLISHMENT AND THERE’S WHAT’S G NEXT, AND NEHER KNOWS HOW TO AL WH THE OTHER. FACTOR HAL PHILLIP WALKER’S REPLACEMENT PARTY MPAIGN, WHICH TRAFFICS NOSTALGIC VAGARI (“DO CHRISTMAS SMELL LIKE ORANG TO YOU?”) AND WEIRDLY SPECIFIC, UNREALISTIC IAS, LIKE KICKG LAWYERS OUT OF ERNMENT, AND PLAYS LIKE THE EARLY STAG OF THE POLIL AND CULTURAL DIVI WE’RE LIVG TODAY. (NOW THAT I THK OF , NASHVILLE WOULD MAKE A GREAT PAIRG WH RICK PERLSTE’S BOOKS.) ONE OF THE SMARTT ELEMENTS OF THE FILM IS THE WAY THROWS A FEW CHARACTERS WHO N TIE ALL THE DIFFERENT LOTNS AND CHARACTERS TOGETHER. TRICYCLE MAN DRIFTS THROUGH MANY SCEN, AS DO OPAL, WHOSE FG QUALY SEEMS TO BE HER ABILY TO MISTERPRET EVERYTHG SHE SE. EVEN AS BARBARA JEAN GO THROUGH HER OPRYLAND MELTDOWN, OPAL IS STILL TRYG TO TERVIEW PFC. GLENN KELLY (STT GLENN), MISSG THE STORY UNFOLDG RIGHT ONT OF HER. (THEN AGA, EVERYONE MISS WHAT’S UP WH KENNY (DAVID HAYWARD), WHO’S STG NEXT TO GLENN THE WHOLE TIME.) OPAL N’T NCEAL HER RACISM OR HER CLASSISM, (“I MAKE A POT NEVER TO GOSSIP WH SERVANTS.”) ONE OF THE FILM’S SLIT JOK IS THAT, BEE WE ONLY HAVE HER WORDS AS HER CRENTIALS, SHE ULD BE A BBC REPORTER OR SHE ULD JT BE ANOTHER CRAZY. EHER SEEMS EQUALLY PLSIBLE. THAT’S PARTLY HER FLT. OPAL MAK ME LGH, BUT SHE MAY BE THE MOST AWFUL CHARACTER THE FILM, WHICH HAS S SHARE OF NTENRS FOR THE TLE. BUT SHE’S ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU N GO TO A PLACE, LOOK AROUND, DO YOUR BT TO SOAK UP, EVEN MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT , AND STILL NEVER REALLY KNOW . NASHVILLE IS A PORTRA OF THE CY MA BY OUTSIRS AND NEVER REALLY PRETENDS TO BE ANYTHG ELSE. IF ANYTHG, OPAL IS A B OF SELF-CRIQUE WOVEN TO THE FILM, WHICH MAY NOT GET THE CY ENTIRELY RIGHT BUT AT LEAST DON’T GET THAT WRONG. THAT SAID, I THK ’S BETTER THAN A FILM MA BY SIRS ULD HAVE BEEN. TEWKBURY AND ALTMAN WORK BROAD STROK, BUT THEY’RE BROAD STROK THAT PTURE A LARGER TTH. EVEN THE STYLE SUGGTS AN OUTSIR LOOKG . SO MANY SCEN FEATURE BY POSNS AND OVERLAPPG NVERSATNS, THEN, AS ANDREAS POTS OUT THE KEYNOTE, THE FILM ZOOMS ON ONE TELLG TAIL THAT NTRIBUT TO THE LARGER STORY. TO LOOP BACK TO NOEL’S PIECE, AND TO THE LARGER POT OF THAT PIECE, ’S TE WHOUT BEG ACCURATE. AND TO LOOP BACK TO A POT I MA: MOST AWFUL CHARACTER? FACTORG OUT KENNY, I’D SAY THE NDIDAT WOULD BE OPAL AND TOM, THOUGH YOU’D HAVE TO PUT BART TO THE MIX, TOO, RIGHT? GENEVIEVE: ALL GOOD NDIDAT FOR THE WORST, AND I’LL THROW THE DISEMBODIED VOICE OF HAL PHILLIP WALKER ON THE LIST AS WELL, SIMPLY FOR THE OBNOXNS FACTOR. BUT I THK I WAS MOST PUT OUT BY WIED’S (BARBARA HARRIS) NAYSAYG HBAND STAR (BERT RAMSEN), WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE NASHVILLE SEEMS TO BE CHASG HIS WIFE DOWN AND STOMPG ON HER DREAMS. OH, AND HE GIV A LIFT TO KENNY AND FAILS TO BAT AN EYELASH AT HIM RRYG THAT VL SE, EVEN AFTER KENNY TELLS HIM HE DON’T PLAY MIC. THAT OBLIVNS, BED WH THE ROLUTE SIRE TO RRAL HIS WIFE, MAK STAR A PERFECT STAND- FOR THE SORT OF BLKERED TRADNALISM THAT PROVIS A LOT OF NASHVILLE’S DRAMATIC TENSN. HE’S PERHAPS TOO MOR TO BE THE MOST HATEABLE OF NASHVILLE’S TWO-DOZEN PLAYERS, BUT HIS APATHY TOWARD APPARENT EVIL, BED WH HIS SIRE TO UNRME JOY OTHERS, MAK HIM A VERY PARTICULAR SORT OF EVERYDAY MONSTER.  THEN AGA, WIED ALSO FAILS TO REGISTER THE ODDNS OF SOMEONE WHO SAYS HE’S NOT A MICIAN RRYG A VL SE. (SAME WH L.A. JOAN WHEN KENNY SHOWS UP TO RENT A ROOM OM HER UNCLE.) SHE’S TOO BY CHASG HER OWN DREAM, ONE THAT, AS TURNS OUT, SHE ACHIEV THE WAKE OF THE VERY TRAGEDY SHE AND EVERYONE ELSE FAILS TO FOREE. THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF IRONY SURROUNDG KENNY’S ARRIVAL NASHVILLE, HIM TOTG A SYMBOL OF THE THG EVERYONE AROUND HIM IS OBSSED WH—MIL STARDOM—THAT BLDS THEM TO HIS TE PURPOSE. WHICH IS… WHAT, EXACTLY? KENNY’S ARRIVAL NASHVILLE SEEMS ACCINTAL—HIS R BREAKS DOWN—BUT DO CI WH BARBARA JEAN’S RETURN TO THE CY, AND HE’S OFTEN SEEN HOVERG AROUND HER. THEN AGA, HE HOVERS AROUND A LOT OF PEOPLE; HE’S A SHIFTY-EYED LURKER, AND WHILE MAY BE APPARENT THAT HE’S UP TO NO GOOD TO THOSE WHO KNOW TO WATCH FOR , HIS LACK OF AN OBV PURPOSE A TOWN FILLED WH PEOPLE SO FOCED ON THEIR OWN SUCCS AND HAPPS IS STRIKG, AND SPIC. WE NEVER REALLY GET A CLEAR MOTIVE OM KENNY, WHICH IS TRATG OM A NARRATIVE STANDPOT, BUT KEEPG WH NASHVILLE’S KALEIDOSPIC FOC.  IT SPEAKS TO HOW MUCH IS GOG ON NASHVILLE THAT WE’VE BARELY TOUCHED ON WHAT’S OSTENSIBLY THE NVERGENCE POT OF THAT MULTI-FOC: THE MIC. THE AFOREMENTNED “I’M EASY” IS THE OSR-WNG POPULAR STANDOUT OM THE FILM’S SOUNDTRACK, BUT I DON’T THK ’S TOO NTROVERSIAL FOR ME TO CLAIM THAT “IT DON’T WORRY ME” IS THE BT SONG THE FILM, NOT TO MENTN THE MOST THEMATILLY RONANT. WHAT SONGS—OR EVEN JT PERFORMANC—STICK OUT MOST TO YOU, KEH? KEH: I LOVE BOTH OF THOSE, BUT ’S RONEE BLAKLEY’S PERFORMANCE AS BARBARA JEAN THAT GET ME EVERY TIME. IN SOME WAYS, THE SONGS ARE OVERSHADOWED BY THE BREAKDOWNS AROUND THEM, BUT THE SONGS THEMSELV, WHICH BLAKLEY WROTE, ARE WONRFUL. BARBARA JEAN’S CLEARLY PARTLY BASED ON LORETTA LYNN, WHO PEPPERS HER NCERTS WH TOBGRAPHIL ASIS AND SEEMS PABLE OF WRG A SONG THAT’S NOT STRAIGHT OM THE HEART. IT’S CLEAR THAT SHE’S MUCH MORE TALENTED THAN HER RIVAL CONNIE WHE (KAREN BLACK), BUT THEIR RIVALRY ALLOWS NASHVILLE TO MAKE ANOTHER POT ABOUT SHOW BS, AND LIFE SELF: TALENT ONLY GETS YOU SO FAR. CONNIE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE ARTISTIC HEIGHTS OF BARBARA JEAN, BUT SHE SHOWS UP AND GETS THE JOB DONE. AFTER A WHILE, EVEN GENI N OUT OF PEOPLE WHO WILL PUT UP WH THEIR BULLSH.  ALL THAT BEG SAID, ’S “KEEP A GO’,” ONE OF THE FILM’S MOST OBNOX SONGS—BY SIGN—THAT I FD MYSELF HUMMG AFTER WATCHG NASHVILLE. WHY? ANY THEORI?  GENEVIEVE: WELL, LIKELY BEE ’S TCHY AS ALL GET-OUT, THAT WAY THAT DOWN-HOME SG-ALONG UNTRY SONGS OF S ILK N BE. IT’S APPROPRIATE THAT ’S HAVEN WHO SGS THAT PARTICULAR SONG, A “SPECIAL OLD FAVORE” HE CLAIMS GAVE HIM HIS START THE BIZ, AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE “LOVED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.” (APPROPRIATELY, “KEEP-A-GO’” BEGAN LIFE AS A POEM THAT HENRY GIBSON RECED ON A 1966 EPISO OF THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW; HE RETROFTED TO A SONG FOR NASHVILLE.) HAVEN IS A SYMBOL OF THE COUNTRY MIC ESTABLISHMENT, NUDIE SU AND ALL, AND HE PERFORMS THE SONG AT THE GRAND OLE OPRY, SELF A SYMBOL OF THE GENRE’S, AND THE CY’S, TRADNAL ROOTS. BUT UNTRY MIC IS NOWHERE NEAR AS HOMOGENO AS PERFORMERS LIKE HAVEN WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE; OUTLAW UNTRY WAS ALREADY AN TABLISHED SUBGENRE AT THIS POT, AND THE NASHVILLE WELE OF FOLK TR BILL, MARY, AND TOM—A GROUP THAT IS UNTRY-ADJACENT, AT BT—SPEAKS TO THE BLURRG OF L THAT WAS HAPPENG THE GENRE AROUND THIS POT.  AS CHARL POTS OUT HIS SAY TODAY, THE MIC OF NASHVILLE IS REFLECTIVE OF A SCHISM THAT WAS GOG ON THE CULTURE AT THE TIME, BETWEEN A DISILLNED OLD GUARD AND A DISILLNED NEW GUARD. SONGS LIKE “KEEP A-GO’” BELONG TO THE FORMER MP, WHO YEARN FOR THE GOOD OL’ DAYS WHEN THE WORLD WAS SIMPLER AND THE MIC REFLECTED THAT. IT’S A LTLE HARR TO FD SUCH A NEAT REPRENTATIVE OF THE LATTER MP ON NASHVILLE’S SOUNDTRACK, THOUGH, PROBABLY BEE THE FILM PTUR A MOMENT WHEN NEWER STRAS OF UNTRY MIC WERE STILL G TO THEIR OWN. MORE THAN ANY OTHER GENRE I N THK OF—EXCEPT PERHAPS HIP-HOP, WHICH WASN’T A GOG NCERN AT THIS POT—UNTRY MIC POSSS AN TERNAL TENSN BETWEEN RPECT FOR THE PAST AND THE IMPET TO MOVE FORWARD. IT’S A GENRE THAT’S HARD-WIRED FOR TRADNALISM, WHICH V NFLICT AS EVOLV WH EACH NEW GENERATN. IN THAT WAY, ’S THE PERFECT I FOR NASHVILLE’S STRA OF SATIRE, WHERE THE TENSN BETWEEN DIFFERENT GENERATNS STGGLG FOR PRIMACY AND RELEVANCE WH A PERPETUALLY SHIFTG CULTURAL LANDSPE REVEALS EVERYONE AS A FOOL, AND A VICTIM OF THEIR OWN NARROW THKG. OUR MOVIE OF THE WEEK DISCSN OF NASHVILLE ENDS HERE. DON’T MISS CHARL’ SAY ON HOW THE FILM’S MIC TAK THE NATNAL TEMPERATURE CIR 1975, AND TUDAY’S KEYNOTE SAY ON WHY THE FILM’S BACKGROUND IS AS IMPORTANT AS S FOREGROUND. AND E BACK NEXT WEEK FOR OUR MOVIE OF THE WEEK DISCSN OF ALIENS.  MOST READ FEATUR
• IN ROBERT ALTMAN’S NASHVILLE, EVERY TAIL NTRIBUT TO THE BIG PICTURE BY ANDREAS STOEHR EACH WEEK, THE DISSOLVE SIGNAT A MOVIE OF THE WEEK FOR STAFFERS AND REARS TO WATCH AND DISCS TOGETHER. FEEL EE TO PCH OR SUGGT YOUR OWN DISCSN POTS. AN HOUR TO ROBERT ALTMAN’S NASHVILLE, A SHOT OPENS WH A CLUTTERED WARDROBE WHERE STATU OF SATS RT NEXT TO A NDLE, A HAIR DRYER, A LAVA LAMP, AND A MIRROR. A ZOOM OUT REVEALS A BATHROBE-CLAD WOMAN THAT MIRROR, SGG AND SHIMMYG AS SHE LISTENS TO THE GRAND OLE OPRY ON THE RAD. SHE’S SUELEEN GAY (GWEN WELL), AND SHE’S ALREADY BEEN TABLISHED AS A WARS AT AN AIRPORT Fé WH DREAMS OF UNTRY-MIC STARDOM. SHE’S ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FILM’S FOOD CHA, AND HER NASALLY DRONE OF A SGG VOICE MEANS SHE’S UNLIKELY TO RISE ANY HIGHER. (“THEY GONNA TEAR YOUR HEART OUT IF YOU KEEP ON!” SISTS WORKER WA (ROBERT DOQUI). “THEY GONNA WALK ON YOUR SOUL, GIRL!”) NEVERTHELS, HERE’S THE MERA HER NER SANCTUM, LISTENG TO HER SG DURG A QUICK BREAK THE FILM’S 15-MUTE OPRY SETPIECE. IN A MOMENT THE SOUNDTRACK WILL BE FILLED AGA WH THE VOIC OF HAVEN HATON (HENRY GIBSON) OR DIVA CONNIE WHE (KAREN BLACK), THE ROYALTY OF THE FILM’S FICTNALIZED UNTRY SCENE. BUT THIS SLOW ZOOM BELONGS TO SUELEEN GAY, STARRY-EYED WANNABE. IT’S A SLIVER OF TIMACY THAT SHOWS WHERE THE FILM’S PRRI LIE. NASHVILLE HAS A DIZZYG SPE, PACTG THE EXPLOS OF TWO DOZEN CHARACTERS ACROSS FIVE DAYS TO 160 MUT. BUT STILL ALLOWS TIME FOR SOLILOQUI AND MURMURED EXCHANG, BEE S BREADTH IS BACKED UP BY FORMAL NSY. EXPANDG ON THE STYL OF EARLIER WORKS LIKE M*A*S*H (1970) AND THE LONG GOODBYE (1973), ALTMAN PACKED EVERY AME OF NASHVILLE WH DVISUAL RMATN. CONSEQUENTLY, MULTIPLE SUBPLOTS OFTEN UNFOLD WH THE SAME SCENE, RIGHT ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER. EVEN AS SUELEEN GAY SERENAS HER MIRROR, FOR EXAMPLE, AN AD FOR GOO GOO CLTER NDI—A REAL-LIFE GRAND OLE OPRY SPONSOR—REMAS DIBLE THE BACKGROUND, D THAT PROVIS A SEGUE BACK TO THE NCERT, WHERE THE PRODUCT’S JGLE IS PERFORMED LIVE. THIS IS A BOLD AND POTENTIALLY OBFTG WAY TO NSTCT A MOVIE, SCE MAK IMPOSSIBLE TO TCH EVERYTHG THAT TRANSPIR ONSCREEN A SGLE VIEWG. BUT ’S ALSO CCIAL TO FILM’S EGALARIAN DRAMA, WHICH NO SGLE STAR PREDOMAT. IN NASHVILLE, THE BACKGROUND IS JT AS IMPORTANT AS THE FOREGROUND, AND THIS DIFFN OF FOC ALLOWS ALTMAN AND HIS LLABORATORS TO BUILD A WHOLE WORLD OUT OF MCULE TERACTNS. AS S BS AND PIEC ACCUMULATE, NASHVILLE BTL LIKE A BEGHEL CYSPE. THE MERA’S ATTENTN FLS OM ONE SECTOR OF THE ENSEMBLE TO ANOTHER. MIC-DTRY ARISTOCRATS LIKE HAVEN AND CONNIE NGREGATE WH THEIR RPECTIVE ENTOURAG AT VENU OR AT THE HATON TATE. BELOW THEM THE FILM’S HIERARCHY ARE HANGERS-ON, JOURNALISTS, AND GROUPI, TRYG BUT FAILG TO PERATE THAT ELE CIRCLE. SOME, LIKE SMUG OUT-OF-TOWNER JOHN TRIPLETTE (MICHAEL MURPHY), N ROAM WHERE THEY LIKE; HE STRIK BARGA AFTER BARGA AS HE RECS TALENT FOR AN UPG POLIL RALLY. OTHERS, LIKE THE ELRLY MR. GREEN (KEENAN WYNN), GET SWEPT UP WH THE RT OF THIS MOB ONLY BY PROXIMY, SCE HIS WIFE IS STAYG AT THE SAME HOSPAL AS AILG UNTRY SUPERSTAR BARBARA JEAN (RONEE BLAKLEY). AS THE CHARACTERS NAVIGATE THE SHOWS AND SOIRE THAT NSTUTE A WEEKEND NASHVILLE, THEIR MOVEMENTS OUTLE A TEEMG ESYSTEM OF POWER AND ART. EACH CHARACTER VEERS ALONG A PBALLG ARC TOWARD A DISTANT OBJECTIVE. THE PLOTTG TERLAC THE ZIGZAGS, TRODUCG SET-UPS AND PAY-OFFS THAT N BE SEPARATED BY HOURS OF SCREEN TIME. IN ORR TO SQUEEZE THIS ABUNDANCE OF NARRATIVE, ALTMAN RELIED ON CERTA TRANSNAL STRATEGI. FREQUENTLY, ACTN IS STAGED AROUND MIL NUMBERS, WH THE SGER’S VOICE LGERG THE BACKGROUND WHILE OTHER CHARACTERS HOLD SI NVERSATNS NEARBY. WHEN HAVEN PERFORMS HIS SACCHARE BALLAD “FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN” AT THE OPRY, HE’S THE CENTER OF ATTENTN, BUT PLENTY TAK PLACE THE MARGS: ASPIRG SGER ALBUQUERQUE (BARBARA HARRIS) TRI TO SNEAK PAST A SECURY GUARD BACKSTAGE; HER HBAND PROWLS THE DIENCE LOOKG FOR HER; AND TRIPLETTE MUTTERS RISIVELY ABOUT HAVEN’S HEIGHT AND OUTF TO LAWYER DEL REE (A PERPETUALLY FLHED NED BEATTY). AS HAVEN LNCH TO HIS NEXT NUMBER, “KEEP A-GO,” A CUT SHIFTS THE ACTN TO BARBARA JEAN’S HOSPAL ROOM—BUT HIS VOICE PERSISTS, NOW STATICKY AND DIMUTIVE ON THE RAD. THE FILM’S NOVATIVE MULTI-TRACK SOUND ENABL THE SPATIAL JUMPS EVEN AS THE SONGS PLAY FULL. SIAR TRANSNS TAKE PLACE DURG PHONE LLS, WH THE VOICE ON THE SPEAKER STILL THERE, IF BARELY DIBLE, AS THE ACTN BOUNC BETWEEN LOTNS. THE POT ISN’T NECSARILY THAT EVERY WORD BE HEARD; ’S THAT THE NVERSATNS ARE HAPPENG AT ALL. THEY’RE CIPHERABLE OM NTEXT, LKG MULTIPLE L OF ACTN. THE PHONE LLS ARE LIKE THE VANS THAT CRISSCROSS THE CY, BLASTG MONOLOGU SPOKEN BY TRIPLETTE’S UNSEEN NDIDATE, HAL PHILLIP WALKER: THEY GLUE SEQUENC TOGETHER THROUGH SOUND. WHEN A SCENE STAYS WH A SGLE LOTN, SOUND CU TEND TO BE SUPPLEMENTED BY A FAVORED VISUAL TACTIC: PANS ACROSS ROOMS THAT TURN TO ZOOMS, DRAWG A NEW CHARACTER EPER TO THE HEART OF THE AME. THE TECHNIQU JUGGLE THE FILM’S MASSIVE ENSEMBLE. THEY MAKE POSSIBLE FOR NASHVILLE TO REPLITE THE NFN AND CHANCE ENUNTERS OF REAL LIFE WHOUT GENERATG TO ACTUAL CHAOS. THROUGHOUT, THE FILM BALANC S TIGHTLY STCTURED STORYTELLG WH FORAYS TO DOCUMENTARY. REAL NASHVILLE LOTNS, DIENC, AND MICIANS BEE ELEMENTS OF S FICTNAL WORLD. ONE EXTERR SHOT PANS QUICKLY OM LEFT TO RIGHT AS THE TRICYCLE MAN (JEFF GOLDBLUM), AN ECCENTRIC BIKER, RIS TO TOWN. ONLY THROUGH CLOSE EXAMATN DO GROW APPARENT THAT THE ROAD IS DOTTED WH POSTERS FOR THE WALKER MPAIGN. THE LANDSPE HAS BEEN LONIZED BY THE MOVIE. THE SCPULO NATURALISM OF THE SURROUNDGS HELPS THE FILM’S EQUENT CINC AND PARALLELISM SEEM LS SCHEMATIC. EVEN THOUGH SUELEEN GAY AND ALBUQUERQUE’S EXPERIENC N SI BY SI—HUNTG FOR GIGS THE SAME DIVE BAR, THEIR PATHS EVENTUALLY NVERGG WH BARBARA JEAN’S—’S PLSIBLE WHEN ’S SET SUCH A THOROUGHLY VELOPED SEMI-FICTNAL CY. IT’S PECIALLY REALISTIC BEE THE TWO WOMEN NEVER EVEN TERACT. ALL OF THIS IS NVEYED STRICTLY THROUGH IMPLITN. LTLE NASHVILLE IS STATED EXPLICLY. CHARACTERS’ PERSONALI ARE EXPAND ON THROUGH THE VISUAL SHORTHAND OF STUME AND PRODUCTN SIGN. CLUELS REPORTER OPAL (GERALDE CHAPL) WEARS A HAT BECKED WH A MIL NOTE, A SIGNIFIER OF TOURIST STAT JT LIKE THE JACKET WORN BY TROUBLED DRIFTER KENNY (DAVID HAYWARD), WHICH HAS “COLUMB, OH” EMBLAZONED ON THE BACK. L.A. JOAN (SHELLEY DUVALL), ANOTHER OUTSIR, CHANG TO CREASGLY OUTRAGEO WIGS OVER THE URSE OF THE FILM; THEY MARK HER AS MORE FASHNABLY PROTEAN THAN THE TENNSEANS AROUND HER. HAVEN HATON’S LOSSAL EGO IS MA MANIFT A SET OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS HE SENDS TO BARBARA JEAN, EACH OF THEM SHAPED AS AN “HH” RGED BY A HORSHOE, AND PHILANRG FOLK SGER TOM (KEH CARRADE) WAK UP TO THE SOUND OF HIS OWN BETIFUL VOICE ON A RERD—AN D RRELATIVE OF HIS SELFISHNS. LIKE THE RATNS ON SUELEEN GAY’S WARDROBE, THE TAILS ALLOW A PEEK TO EACH CHARACTER’S PSYCHE BY WAY OF SELF-PRENTATN WHILE MAKG ENOMIL E OF EACH ACTOR’S TIME ONSCREEN. BY SELF, EACH ONE OF THE CISNS IS SENTIAL AND EASY TO MISS. BUT TOGETHER, THEY NTRIBUTE TO NASHVILLE’S TERNAL NSISTENCY. THEY’RE FLOURISH THAT MAKE THE MOVIE MORE PLETE. THE STTERED PROPS AND GARMENTS ARE LIKE THE LYRICS TO BARBARA JEAN’S SONGS, WHICH LIKEWISE ADD EMOTNAL DIMENSN TO HER STORY. LIKE MANY MEMBERS OF THE FILM’S ST, RONEE BLAKLEY (HERSELF A TRAED MICIAN) WROTE THE MATERIAL SHE PERFORMED. HER SONGS SPEAK POIGNANTLY OF PERSONAL HISTORY: “MY DADDY GREW UP ON HIS OWN, MORE OR LS,” SHE SGS “MY IDAHO HOME,” WHOSE TLE REFERS TO THE ACTRS’S OWN HOME STATE. “HIS MAMA DIED WHEN HE WAS JT 11.” THIS IS NO DISPOSABLE WDOW DRSG; STEAD, ’S A SONG SO RILIENT THAT BLAKLEY RPORATED TO HER REPERTOIRE AND STILL PERFORMS S LATER. SHE PENNED A SONG THAT, LIKE MANY OF NASHVILLE’S GRACE NOT, LAYS BARE HER CHARACTER’S VULNERABILI AS READI THE DIENCE FOR THE HEARTBREAKG CLIMAX TO E. THE WORDS TO THAT SONG RM THE RT OF THE FILM, THEIR NOSTALGIA RIPPLG BACK THROUGH EARLIER EVENTS. AS WH EVERY LTLE PIECE OF NASHVILLE, THE MICRO FILTERS TO THE MACRO. THE AGGREGATN OF DIALOGUE, DéR, AND MERA MOVEMENT TERM THE OVERALL TEXTURE. THEY’RE THE BUMPS AND GROOV S GRA. THAT SURFACE IS POCKED WH THE DISPARATE LONGGS OF THE FILM’S MANY PLAYERS. SUELEEN GAY’S QUIXOTIC YEN FOR STARDOM GETS S VERY OWN PATCH OF ONSCREEN SPACE, AS DO BARBARA JEAN’S VEXATNS WH THE BURNS OF FAME. THEY EXIST, SOMETIM THE SAME SHOT, WH OTHER CHARACTERS’ MORE IGNOBLE TENNCI, LIKE TRIPLETTE’S POLICKG AND TOM’S WOMANIZG. TOGETHER, THEY FORM A RICH, PAC PANORAMA OF AMERIN DISNTENT GOG TO S UNTRY’S 200TH YEAR, S NVAS BROAD BUT S ATTENTN STILL DOLED OUT TO EVEN THE SMALLT OF GTUR. IN ALTMAN’S NASHVILLE, TRAGEDI E A MULTU OF SHAP AND SIZ, AND ALL OF THEM ARE SRED TO UNTRY MIC. Y’ALL E ON BACK ON THURSDAY, WHEN KEH PHIPPS AND GENEVIEVE KOSKI NTUE THE NASHVILLE DISCSN THE FOM DISCSN, AND CHARL BRAM DIV TO THE FILM’S MEMORABLE MIC AN ACPANYG SAY.  MOST READ FEATUR

GWEN WELL: SUELEEN GAY

Sueleen Gay:. Sueleen Gay (Gwen Well) is a tone-af wars who is termed to do whatever tak to make the mic biz. Gwen Well, 42, a film actrs probably bt known for her portrayal of trated untry-Wtern sger Sueleen Gay the 1975 Robert Altman classic “Nashville.

All the – and many more – characters’ liv crisscross, their dialogue overlappg the middle-distance sound sign while the ndidate’s megaphone-van tndl around the cy, blarg s choric polil mentary, an ambient effect rather like the tannoy announcements M*A*S* film’s most btal moment is the treatment of Sueleen Gay, the wars and tone-af wannabe untry star played by Gwen Well, who is tricked by the unspeakable Delbert and Triplette to appearg on stage, purely bee they want her to do a striptease for the brayg good ol’ boys prent. Sueleen Gay: Oh, What? Sueleen Gay: I had to do me a striptease tonight ont of all those men...

Sueleen Gay: What are you talk' about? Sueleen Gay: Yeah? Sueleen Gay: You jt e and watch, I'm leav' for Detro, and if you wanna go you jt e on.

FOM: NASHVILLE BY GENEVIEVE KOSKI AND KEH PHIPPS EACH WEEK, THE DISSOLVE SIGNAT A MOVIE OF THE WEEK FOR STAFFERS AND REARS TO WATCH AND DISCS TOGETHER. FEEL EE TO PCH OR SUGGT YOUR OWN DISCSN POTS. TWO DISSOLVE WRERS KEEP THE NASHVILLE NVERSATN GOG... KEH: THERE’S SO MUCH GOG ON NASHVILLE, ROBERT ALTMAN’S MAMMOTH 1975 FILM, THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD START WH THE ALTMANQUE MOVE OF ZOOMG ON ONE MOMENT. SPECIFILLY, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE LATE-FILM SCENE WHICH SUELEEN GAY (GWEN WELL) PERFORMS BEFORE A CROWD OF HORNY, DNKEN MEN AT A FUNDRAISER FOR THE THIRD-PARTY POLIL NDIDATE HAL PHILLIP WALKER. EXPECTG A CHANCE TO SG BEFORE A CROWD THAT EXPECTS HER TO STRIP, SUELEEN’S THE VICTIM OF, AT BT, A MISUNRSTANDG, HAVG BEEN SENT TO THE BENEF BY A BOOKER WHO KNOWS SHE N’T, THE WORDS OF ONE CHARACTER, “SG A LICK.” BUT SUELEEN DON’T KNOW SHE N’T SG, AND DON’T EXPECT TO HAVE TO TAKE HER CLOTH OFF. SHE TAK THE GIG EXPECTG WILL SERVE AS A NG ON HER ASCENT. INSTEAD, ENDS HUIATN. NASHVILLE HAS MOSTLY PLAYED SUELEEN’S LNS FOR LGHS UP TO THIS POT. SHE’S AN AWFUL SGER. (AND, BY ALL ACUNTS, SO WAS ACTRS GWEN WELL. IT’S TOUGH TO FAKE BEG THAT BAD.) SHE’S ALSO A LUD DIMW. BUT THIS SCENE, NASHVILLE PUTS THE FOC ON HER PA AND HUIATN—AND WH , HER HUMANY. IN THE DOCUMENTARY THE MAKG OF NASHVILLE, CLUD ON THE CRERN COLLECTN EDN OF THE FILM, SCREENWRER JOAN TEWKBURY TALKS ABOUT THAT SCENE BEG “THE SENCE OF EVERY SGLE CHARACTER THIS MOVIE.” SHE GO ON TO EXPLA THAT EVERYONE TAK STOCK OF HOW MUCH OF THEMSELV THEY’RE WILLG TO GIVE AWAY FOR SUCCS, ONLY TO REALIZE TOO LATE THAT THE PRICE IS GOG TO BE MORE THAN THEY’RE WILLG TO PAY. NOT TO NTRADICT THE SCREENWRER OF THE MOVIE, BUT I’M NOT SURE THAT APPLI TO EVERY CHARACTER. GERALDE CHAPL’S OPAL, A SELF-PROCLAIMED BBC REPORTER, IS FED BY HER ABSENCE OF SELF-AWARENS. BUT ’S CERTALY A PATTERN THAT RECURS THROUGHOUT THE FILM, AND ONE WHOSE UGLS ALTMAN DON’T ATTEMPT TO PAPER OVER. IN THE SAME DOCUMENTARY, ALAN RUDOLPH, WHO WORKED AS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ON NASHVILLE, SAYS THAT SCENE “MA YOU, AND EVERYBODY THE DIENCE, FEEL ABSOLUTELY UNCLEAN.” NASHVILLE’S PICTN OF THE MOMENT IS UNSPARG. WHEN CUTS AWAY OM WELL’ AWFUL PERFORMANCE AND, LATER, HER SAD STRIPTEASE, ’S MOSTLY TO SHOW CHARACTERS WHOSE DIFFERG REACTNS ONLY MAKE WORSE. DEL REE (NED BEATTY), A LAWYER, EATS UP. (LATER, HE’LL PUT THE MOV ON SUELEEN AS SHE REMAS PARALYZED HUIATN.) NEXT TO HIM, WALKER MPAIGN REP JOHN TRIPLETTE (MICHAEL MURPHY) REALIZ THE EVENG HAS GONE TOO FAR YET DO NOTHG TO STOP . THE FILM IMPLIT THEM AND IMPLIT VIEWERS, WHO ARE MA PLIC THE MOMENT BY PREVLY FDG SUELEEN RIDICULO. THAT WILLGNS TO PROVOKE DISFORT, WHICH NASHVILLE RETURNS TO AGA AND AGA, IS PART OF WHAT MAK THE FILM SO POWERFUL. IT BALANC A SHARP, SATIRIL W WH A FEEL FOR S CHARACTERS’ HUMANY. THE PT-SIZED, BEWIGGED, NUDIE SU-CLAD HAVEN HATON (HENRY GIBSON) IS A RIDICULO EGOTIST HAPPY TO PANR TO HIS DIENCE’S BAST EMOTNS, BUT HIS FAL MOMENTS ON SCREEN AT THE PARTHENON ARE SOME OF THE FILM’S MOST MOVG. NASHVILLE ALSO—AND AFTER MULTIPLE VIEWGS OVER SEVERAL YEARS, I STILL DON’T UNRSTAND HOW—NEVER SHORTCHANG ANY OF S 24 CENTRAL CHARACTERS. EVERYONE OM HAVEN TO JEFF GOLDBLUM’S SILENT TRICYCLE MAN GET THEIR MOMENTS, AND A SENSE OF AN NER LIFE WE NEVER GET TO SEE. WHAT DO LNEA  (LILY TOML) FEEL AS SHE LEAV TOM’S (KEH CARRADE) ROOM? I’VE SEEN THIS FILM I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TIM AND I STILL ULDN’T TELL YOU. HOW ABOUT YOU, GENEVIEVE? IS THERE A SGLE MOMENT THAT DOUBL AS THE FILM MIATURE TO YOU? GENEVIEVE: ONE MOMENT STANDS OUT TO ME, AND ACTUALLY MIRRORS THE ONE YOU HIGHLIGHT TERTG WAYS: BARBARA JEAN’S (RONEE BLAKLEY) DISASTRO OPRYLAND PERFORMANCE, THE ONE THAT PROMPTS HER HBAND-MANAGER BART (ALLEN GARFIELD) TO M HER TO SG AT THE WALKER BENEF, TH SEALG HER SAD FATE. PRR TO THE PERFORMANCE, ’S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR HOW MUCH OF BARBARA JEAN’S BEHAVR IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO SELF-LUD DIVAHOOD AND HOW MUCH IS GENUE EMOTNAL DAMAGE. HER HOSPAL-ROOM ARGUMENT WH BART, BED WH HER FAIRLY SILLY PORTRAYAL UP TO THAT POT, SUGGTS THE FORMER—“YOU’RE MAK’ ME MY NAIL-POLISH JOB!”—AND BART’S ALLNS TO HER “GO’ NUTSY ON ME” AND “HAV’ ONE OF THEM NERVO BREAKDOWNS AGA” MAK SEEM LIKE ULD ALL BE PART OF AN ONGOG BID FOR ATTENTN. BUT BARBARA JEAN’S NONSENSIL RAMBLG AT THE OPRYLAND—CULMATG HER CLUCKG LIKE A CHICKEN, FOR GOD’S SAKE—MAKE CLEAR SHE’S NOT SAVVY, SHE’S LEGIMATELY MSED-UP. AND BART’S REACTN TO THE SUATN, TO HTLE HER OFF STAGE AND BERATE THE DIENCE FOR MAKG THAT “LTLE GIRL” CRY, THEN VOLUNTEERG HER FOR THE DOOMED GIG SHE WASN’T EVEN SUPPOSED TO TAKE, SHOWS HOW LTLE NTROL SHE HAS OVER HER REER, AND HER LIFE. BARBARA JEAN HAS BEEN ENTIRELY OBJECTIFIED AND FANTILIZED—RIGHT DOWN TO HER ANGELIC, NIGHTGOWN-LIKE DRS AND THE BOWS HER HAIR—BY NOT JT BART, BUT THE ENTIRE DTRY, WHICH MAK HER EVENTUAL FATE ALL THE MORE TRAGIC, NOT TO MENTN POTED. BARBARA JEAN PROVIS AN TERTG UNTERPOT TO SUELEEN: BOTH WOMEN ARE MANIPULATED AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY THOSE PURPORTG AN TERT AND VTMENT THEIR REERS; BUT BARBARA JEAN IS TALENTED WHERE SUELEEN IS CLEARLY NOT, AND FANTILIZED WHERE SUELEEN IS SEXUALIZED. (THERE’S FELY A B OF VIRG-WHORE MENTARY GOG ON THERE.) AND BOTH WOMEN ARE TROTTED OUT AS PRODUCT, NOT AS ARTISTS, TEND TO BE SCTIZED AND NSUMED BY AN DIENCE THAT HAS NO REGARD FOR THEM AS PEOPLE, ONLY AS OBJECTS OF AMEMENT. THE WAY THE CROWD TURNS ON BARBARA JEAN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, PARED TO THE RELENTLS WAVE OF SYMPATHY AND WELL-WISH SHE RECEIV WHILE THE HOSPAL, SPEAKS TO HOW FICKLE FANS N BE TOWARD MICIANS THEY VIEW AS “THEIRS.” TAKEN TOGETHER, THE SCEN OF SUELEEN AT THE FUNDRAISER AND BARBARA JEAN AT THE OPRYLAND PROVI THE TRAGIC BEATG HEART BENEATH NASHVILLE’S LIVELY SATIRIL BE.  BUT SUELEEN’S FUNDRAISER PERFORMANCE IS ALSO TERTG FOR WHAT ’S JUXTAPOSED AGAST: TOM’S CLUB PERFORMANCE WHERE HE BUTS THE SONG “I’M EASY.” ON THE SURFACE, ’S AMG TO SEE ALL THE WOMEN TOM HAS SCED—OPAL, HIS BANDMATE MARY (CRISTA RA), STICK-FIGURE GROUPIE L.A. JOAN (SHELLEY DUVALL), AND LNEA, WHOM HE SEEMS TO VIEW AS HIS BIGGT NQUT—TERPRET THE SONG AS BEG ABOUT THEM. IT’S A GREAT LTLE PERFORMANCE MOMENT OM ALL THE ACTORS VOLVED, AND REALLY GETS AT THE TERWOVEN NATURE OF NASHVILLE’S PLOT AND CHARACTERIZATNS. BUT ’S ALSO TERTG FOR THE DOUBLE MEANG TOM’S LYRICS, WKG AT HIS LOTHAR NATURE WH A ROMANTIC BALLAD. IN A WAY, TOM IS BEG SEXUALIZED (OR SEXUALIZG HIMSELF) THE SAME WAY SUELEEN IS DURG HER PERFORMANCE, BUT THE DIFFERENCE THEIR GENR AND THE NTROL EACH HAS OVER THEIR RPECTIVE SUATN—HE’S A STAR, AND A RPECTED MICIAN, SHE IS NOT—LORS THE NATURE OF EACH PERFORMANCE DRAMATILLY DIFFERENT FASHN.  I FEEL LIKE I ULD WRE AN ENTIRE DISSERTATN ON GENR AND POWER THIS MOVIE, BUT THERE IS A LOT MORE TO VER, SO LET’S MOVE ON TO SOMETHG A LTLE LS LOAD (OR MAYBE NOT): THE SETTG. BACK 2013, NOEL MURRAY OFFERED A FORMER RINT’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE FILM’S PORTRAYAL OF THE TOWN AND S MIC—NEHER OF WHICH HE EMED PARTICULARLY ACCURATE—BUT AFTER WATCHG NASHVILLE, I WAS STCK LS BY S SENSE OF PLACE THAN S SENSE OF TIME. HAVG BEEN BORN ALMOST A AFTER NASHVILLE ME OUT, I HAVE LTLE PERSONAL NNECTN TO THE ERA WHICH ’S SET, BUT FOUND MYSELF FAIRLY TRANSFIXED BY THE 1970S-NS OF ALL; ’S UNLIKE MOST PORTRAYALS OF THE I’VE SEEN, YET UNNIABLY PART OF THE TIM. KEH, AS SOMEONE SLIGHTLY—ONLY SLIGHTLY!—OLR, AND MORE TAPPED TO 1970S CEMA GENERAL, HOW DO YOU THK THE FILM REFLECTS AND PORTRAYS S ERA? KEH: I’M JT OLD ENOUGH THAT THIS MOVIE FIR OFF SOME MEMORI OF THE ERA. (THAT MY PARENTS AND I SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME WATCHG UNTRY MIC PERFORMANC ON TV DON’T HURT.) AND I’M EXACTLY THE RIGHT AGE TO FEEL A B OF A PERSONAL NNECTN TO ALL THOSE SHOTS OF CHILDREN THE DIENCE. THIS, THE FILM SEEMS TO BE SAYG, IS THE CRAZY WORLD THE KIDS ARE GOG TO GROW UP . AND THEN WE DID. BUT, BEYOND MY FUZZY MEMORI, THE FILM SQUAR WH THE 1970S I’VE SCE READ ABOUT AND ENUNTERED VIA FILMS, MIC, AND OTHER PIEC OF ’70S CULTURE. THAT OPENG SCENE WHERE HAVEN—TRYG TO RERD A SAPPY, PANRG, BICENTENNIAL-THEMED SONG—EAKS OUT ON A SSN PIANIST NAMED FROG (PLAYED BY MIC SUPERVISOR RICHARD BASK) AND ASKS FOR PIG STEAD SPEAKS TO A LARGER DIVI. FROG, WHO’S A GENERATN YOUNGER THAN HAVEN, HAS LONG HAIR THAT MARKS HIM AS PART OF THE UNTERCULTURE. PIG REFERS TO HARG “PIG” ROBBS, WHO WAS AT THAT POT ONE OF THE MOST -MAND NASHVILLE SSN MICIANS AND HAD BEEN FOR OVER A (AND WOULD BE FOR S TO E). THERE’S THE TABLISHMENT AND THERE’S WHAT’S G NEXT, AND NEHER KNOWS HOW TO AL WH THE OTHER. FACTOR HAL PHILLIP WALKER’S REPLACEMENT PARTY MPAIGN, WHICH TRAFFICS NOSTALGIC VAGARI (“DO CHRISTMAS SMELL LIKE ORANG TO YOU?”) AND WEIRDLY SPECIFIC, UNREALISTIC IAS, LIKE KICKG LAWYERS OUT OF ERNMENT, AND PLAYS LIKE THE EARLY STAG OF THE POLIL AND CULTURAL DIVI WE’RE LIVG TODAY. (NOW THAT I THK OF , NASHVILLE WOULD MAKE A GREAT PAIRG WH RICK PERLSTE’S BOOKS.) ONE OF THE SMARTT ELEMENTS OF THE FILM IS THE WAY THROWS A FEW CHARACTERS WHO N TIE ALL THE DIFFERENT LOTNS AND CHARACTERS TOGETHER. TRICYCLE MAN DRIFTS THROUGH MANY SCEN, AS DO OPAL, WHOSE FG QUALY SEEMS TO BE HER ABILY TO MISTERPRET EVERYTHG SHE SE. EVEN AS BARBARA JEAN GO THROUGH HER OPRYLAND MELTDOWN, OPAL IS STILL TRYG TO TERVIEW PFC. GLENN KELLY (STT GLENN), MISSG THE STORY UNFOLDG RIGHT ONT OF HER. (THEN AGA, EVERYONE MISS WHAT’S UP WH KENNY (DAVID HAYWARD), WHO’S STG NEXT TO GLENN THE WHOLE TIME.) OPAL N’T NCEAL HER RACISM OR HER CLASSISM, (“I MAKE A POT NEVER TO GOSSIP WH SERVANTS.”) ONE OF THE FILM’S SLIT JOK IS THAT, BEE WE ONLY HAVE HER WORDS AS HER CRENTIALS, SHE ULD BE A BBC REPORTER OR SHE ULD JT BE ANOTHER CRAZY. EHER SEEMS EQUALLY PLSIBLE. THAT’S PARTLY HER FLT. OPAL MAK ME LGH, BUT SHE MAY BE THE MOST AWFUL CHARACTER THE FILM, WHICH HAS S SHARE OF NTENRS FOR THE TLE. BUT SHE’S ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU N GO TO A PLACE, LOOK AROUND, DO YOUR BT TO SOAK UP, EVEN MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT , AND STILL NEVER REALLY KNOW . NASHVILLE IS A PORTRA OF THE CY MA BY OUTSIRS AND NEVER REALLY PRETENDS TO BE ANYTHG ELSE. IF ANYTHG, OPAL IS A B OF SELF-CRIQUE WOVEN TO THE FILM, WHICH MAY NOT GET THE CY ENTIRELY RIGHT BUT AT LEAST DON’T GET THAT WRONG. THAT SAID, I THK ’S BETTER THAN A FILM MA BY SIRS ULD HAVE BEEN. TEWKBURY AND ALTMAN WORK BROAD STROK, BUT THEY’RE BROAD STROK THAT PTURE A LARGER TTH. EVEN THE STYLE SUGGTS AN OUTSIR LOOKG . SO MANY SCEN FEATURE BY POSNS AND OVERLAPPG NVERSATNS, THEN, AS ANDREAS POTS OUT THE KEYNOTE, THE FILM ZOOMS ON ONE TELLG TAIL THAT NTRIBUT TO THE LARGER STORY. TO LOOP BACK TO NOEL’S PIECE, AND TO THE LARGER POT OF THAT PIECE, ’S TE WHOUT BEG ACCURATE. AND TO LOOP BACK TO A POT I MA: MOST AWFUL CHARACTER? FACTORG OUT KENNY, I’D SAY THE NDIDAT WOULD BE OPAL AND TOM, THOUGH YOU’D HAVE TO PUT BART TO THE MIX, TOO, RIGHT? GENEVIEVE: ALL GOOD NDIDAT FOR THE WORST, AND I’LL THROW THE DISEMBODIED VOICE OF HAL PHILLIP WALKER ON THE LIST AS WELL, SIMPLY FOR THE OBNOXNS FACTOR. BUT I THK I WAS MOST PUT OUT BY WIED’S (BARBARA HARRIS) NAYSAYG HBAND STAR (BERT RAMSEN), WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE NASHVILLE SEEMS TO BE CHASG HIS WIFE DOWN AND STOMPG ON HER DREAMS. OH, AND HE GIV A LIFT TO KENNY AND FAILS TO BAT AN EYELASH AT HIM RRYG THAT VL SE, EVEN AFTER KENNY TELLS HIM HE DON’T PLAY MIC. THAT OBLIVNS, BED WH THE ROLUTE SIRE TO RRAL HIS WIFE, MAK STAR A PERFECT STAND- FOR THE SORT OF BLKERED TRADNALISM THAT PROVIS A LOT OF NASHVILLE’S DRAMATIC TENSN. HE’S PERHAPS TOO MOR TO BE THE MOST HATEABLE OF NASHVILLE’S TWO-DOZEN PLAYERS, BUT HIS APATHY TOWARD APPARENT EVIL, BED WH HIS SIRE TO UNRME JOY OTHERS, MAK HIM A VERY PARTICULAR SORT OF EVERYDAY MONSTER.  THEN AGA, WIED ALSO FAILS TO REGISTER THE ODDNS OF SOMEONE WHO SAYS HE’S NOT A MICIAN RRYG A VL SE. (SAME WH L.A. JOAN WHEN KENNY SHOWS UP TO RENT A ROOM OM HER UNCLE.) SHE’S TOO BY CHASG HER OWN DREAM, ONE THAT, AS TURNS OUT, SHE ACHIEV THE WAKE OF THE VERY TRAGEDY SHE AND EVERYONE ELSE FAILS TO FOREE. THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF IRONY SURROUNDG KENNY’S ARRIVAL NASHVILLE, HIM TOTG A SYMBOL OF THE THG EVERYONE AROUND HIM IS OBSSED WH—MIL STARDOM—THAT BLDS THEM TO HIS TE PURPOSE. WHICH IS… WHAT, EXACTLY? KENNY’S ARRIVAL NASHVILLE SEEMS ACCINTAL—HIS R BREAKS DOWN—BUT DO CI WH BARBARA JEAN’S RETURN TO THE CY, AND HE’S OFTEN SEEN HOVERG AROUND HER. THEN AGA, HE HOVERS AROUND A LOT OF PEOPLE; HE’S A SHIFTY-EYED LURKER, AND WHILE MAY BE APPARENT THAT HE’S UP TO NO GOOD TO THOSE WHO KNOW TO WATCH FOR , HIS LACK OF AN OBV PURPOSE A TOWN FILLED WH PEOPLE SO FOCED ON THEIR OWN SUCCS AND HAPPS IS STRIKG, AND SPIC. WE NEVER REALLY GET A CLEAR MOTIVE OM KENNY, WHICH IS TRATG OM A NARRATIVE STANDPOT, BUT KEEPG WH NASHVILLE’S KALEIDOSPIC FOC.  IT SPEAKS TO HOW MUCH IS GOG ON NASHVILLE THAT WE’VE BARELY TOUCHED ON WHAT’S OSTENSIBLY THE NVERGENCE POT OF THAT MULTI-FOC: THE MIC. THE AFOREMENTNED “I’M EASY” IS THE OSR-WNG POPULAR STANDOUT OM THE FILM’S SOUNDTRACK, BUT I DON’T THK ’S TOO NTROVERSIAL FOR ME TO CLAIM THAT “IT DON’T WORRY ME” IS THE BT SONG THE FILM, NOT TO MENTN THE MOST THEMATILLY RONANT. WHAT SONGS—OR EVEN JT PERFORMANC—STICK OUT MOST TO YOU, KEH? KEH: I LOVE BOTH OF THOSE, BUT ’S RONEE BLAKLEY’S PERFORMANCE AS BARBARA JEAN THAT GET ME EVERY TIME. IN SOME WAYS, THE SONGS ARE OVERSHADOWED BY THE BREAKDOWNS AROUND THEM, BUT THE SONGS THEMSELV, WHICH BLAKLEY WROTE, ARE WONRFUL. BARBARA JEAN’S CLEARLY PARTLY BASED ON LORETTA LYNN, WHO PEPPERS HER NCERTS WH TOBGRAPHIL ASIS AND SEEMS PABLE OF WRG A SONG THAT’S NOT STRAIGHT OM THE HEART. IT’S CLEAR THAT SHE’S MUCH MORE TALENTED THAN HER RIVAL CONNIE WHE (KAREN BLACK), BUT THEIR RIVALRY ALLOWS NASHVILLE TO MAKE ANOTHER POT ABOUT SHOW BS, AND LIFE SELF: TALENT ONLY GETS YOU SO FAR. CONNIE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE ARTISTIC HEIGHTS OF BARBARA JEAN, BUT SHE SHOWS UP AND GETS THE JOB DONE. AFTER A WHILE, EVEN GENI N OUT OF PEOPLE WHO WILL PUT UP WH THEIR BULLSH.  ALL THAT BEG SAID, ’S “KEEP A GO’,” ONE OF THE FILM’S MOST OBNOX SONGS—BY SIGN—THAT I FD MYSELF HUMMG AFTER WATCHG NASHVILLE. WHY? ANY THEORI?  GENEVIEVE: WELL, LIKELY BEE ’S TCHY AS ALL GET-OUT, THAT WAY THAT DOWN-HOME SG-ALONG UNTRY SONGS OF S ILK N BE. IT’S APPROPRIATE THAT ’S HAVEN WHO SGS THAT PARTICULAR SONG, A “SPECIAL OLD FAVORE” HE CLAIMS GAVE HIM HIS START THE BIZ, AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE “LOVED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.” (APPROPRIATELY, “KEEP-A-GO’” BEGAN LIFE AS A POEM THAT HENRY GIBSON RECED ON A 1966 EPISO OF THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW; HE RETROFTED TO A SONG FOR NASHVILLE.) HAVEN IS A SYMBOL OF THE COUNTRY MIC ESTABLISHMENT, NUDIE SU AND ALL, AND HE PERFORMS THE SONG AT THE GRAND OLE OPRY, SELF A SYMBOL OF THE GENRE’S, AND THE CY’S, TRADNAL ROOTS. BUT UNTRY MIC IS NOWHERE NEAR AS HOMOGENO AS PERFORMERS LIKE HAVEN WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE; OUTLAW UNTRY WAS ALREADY AN TABLISHED SUBGENRE AT THIS POT, AND THE NASHVILLE WELE OF FOLK TR BILL, MARY, AND TOM—A GROUP THAT IS UNTRY-ADJACENT, AT BT—SPEAKS TO THE BLURRG OF L THAT WAS HAPPENG THE GENRE AROUND THIS POT.  AS CHARL POTS OUT HIS SAY TODAY, THE MIC OF NASHVILLE IS REFLECTIVE OF A SCHISM THAT WAS GOG ON THE CULTURE AT THE TIME, BETWEEN A DISILLNED OLD GUARD AND A DISILLNED NEW GUARD. SONGS LIKE “KEEP A-GO’” BELONG TO THE FORMER MP, WHO YEARN FOR THE GOOD OL’ DAYS WHEN THE WORLD WAS SIMPLER AND THE MIC REFLECTED THAT. IT’S A LTLE HARR TO FD SUCH A NEAT REPRENTATIVE OF THE LATTER MP ON NASHVILLE’S SOUNDTRACK, THOUGH, PROBABLY BEE THE FILM PTUR A MOMENT WHEN NEWER STRAS OF UNTRY MIC WERE STILL G TO THEIR OWN. MORE THAN ANY OTHER GENRE I N THK OF—EXCEPT PERHAPS HIP-HOP, WHICH WASN’T A GOG NCERN AT THIS POT—UNTRY MIC POSSS AN TERNAL TENSN BETWEEN RPECT FOR THE PAST AND THE IMPET TO MOVE FORWARD. IT’S A GENRE THAT’S HARD-WIRED FOR TRADNALISM, WHICH V NFLICT AS EVOLV WH EACH NEW GENERATN. IN THAT WAY, ’S THE PERFECT I FOR NASHVILLE’S STRA OF SATIRE, WHERE THE TENSN BETWEEN DIFFERENT GENERATNS STGGLG FOR PRIMACY AND RELEVANCE WH A PERPETUALLY SHIFTG CULTURAL LANDSPE REVEALS EVERYONE AS A FOOL, AND A VICTIM OF THEIR OWN NARROW THKG. OUR MOVIE OF THE WEEK DISCSN OF NASHVILLE ENDS HERE. DON’T MISS CHARL’ SAY ON HOW THE FILM’S MIC TAK THE NATNAL TEMPERATURE CIR 1975, AND TUDAY’S KEYNOTE SAY ON WHY THE FILM’S BACKGROUND IS AS IMPORTANT AS S FOREGROUND. AND E BACK NEXT WEEK FOR OUR MOVIE OF THE WEEK DISCSN OF ALIENS.  MOST READ FEATUR

Sueleen Gay: Well, you e and They gon' e you.

Sueleen Gay: Bye, Wa.

If Barbara Jean has ma , Sueleen Gay, a wars at the Nashville airport’s ffee unter, hop that by stuffg some kleenex  her bra and stttg suggtively to some sexy songs of her own visg she make too. Specifilly, let’s talk about the late-film scene which Sueleen Gay (Gwen Well) performs before a crowd of horny, dnken men at a fundraiser for the third-party polil ndidate Hal Phillip Walker. But untry mic is nowhere near as homogeno as performers like Haven would like to believe; outlaw untry was already an tablished subgenre at this pot, and the Nashville wele of folk tr Bill, Mary, And Tom—a group that is untry-adjacent, at bt—speaks to the blurrg of l that was happeng the genre around this pot.

IN ROBERT ALTMAN’S NASHVILLE, EVERY TAIL NTRIBUT TO THE BIG PICTURE BY ANDREAS STOEHR EACH WEEK, THE DISSOLVE SIGNAT A MOVIE OF THE WEEK FOR STAFFERS AND REARS TO WATCH AND DISCS TOGETHER. FEEL EE TO PCH OR SUGGT YOUR OWN DISCSN POTS. AN HOUR TO ROBERT ALTMAN’S NASHVILLE, A SHOT OPENS WH A CLUTTERED WARDROBE WHERE STATU OF SATS RT NEXT TO A NDLE, A HAIR DRYER, A LAVA LAMP, AND A MIRROR. A ZOOM OUT REVEALS A BATHROBE-CLAD WOMAN THAT MIRROR, SGG AND SHIMMYG AS SHE LISTENS TO THE GRAND OLE OPRY ON THE RAD. SHE’S SUELEEN GAY (GWEN WELL), AND SHE’S ALREADY BEEN TABLISHED AS A WARS AT AN AIRPORT Fé WH DREAMS OF UNTRY-MIC STARDOM. SHE’S ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FILM’S FOOD CHA, AND HER NASALLY DRONE OF A SGG VOICE MEANS SHE’S UNLIKELY TO RISE ANY HIGHER. (“THEY GONNA TEAR YOUR HEART OUT IF YOU KEEP ON!” SISTS WORKER WA (ROBERT DOQUI). “THEY GONNA WALK ON YOUR SOUL, GIRL!”) NEVERTHELS, HERE’S THE MERA HER NER SANCTUM, LISTENG TO HER SG DURG A QUICK BREAK THE FILM’S 15-MUTE OPRY SETPIECE. IN A MOMENT THE SOUNDTRACK WILL BE FILLED AGA WH THE VOIC OF HAVEN HATON (HENRY GIBSON) OR DIVA CONNIE WHE (KAREN BLACK), THE ROYALTY OF THE FILM’S FICTNALIZED UNTRY SCENE. BUT THIS SLOW ZOOM BELONGS TO SUELEEN GAY, STARRY-EYED WANNABE. IT’S A SLIVER OF TIMACY THAT SHOWS WHERE THE FILM’S PRRI LIE. NASHVILLE HAS A DIZZYG SPE, PACTG THE EXPLOS OF TWO DOZEN CHARACTERS ACROSS FIVE DAYS TO 160 MUT. BUT STILL ALLOWS TIME FOR SOLILOQUI AND MURMURED EXCHANG, BEE S BREADTH IS BACKED UP BY FORMAL NSY. EXPANDG ON THE STYL OF EARLIER WORKS LIKE M*A*S*H (1970) AND THE LONG GOODBYE (1973), ALTMAN PACKED EVERY AME OF NASHVILLE WH DVISUAL RMATN. CONSEQUENTLY, MULTIPLE SUBPLOTS OFTEN UNFOLD WH THE SAME SCENE, RIGHT ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER. EVEN AS SUELEEN GAY SERENAS HER MIRROR, FOR EXAMPLE, AN AD FOR GOO GOO CLTER NDI—A REAL-LIFE GRAND OLE OPRY SPONSOR—REMAS DIBLE THE BACKGROUND, D THAT PROVIS A SEGUE BACK TO THE NCERT, WHERE THE PRODUCT’S JGLE IS PERFORMED LIVE. THIS IS A BOLD AND POTENTIALLY OBFTG WAY TO NSTCT A MOVIE, SCE MAK IMPOSSIBLE TO TCH EVERYTHG THAT TRANSPIR ONSCREEN A SGLE VIEWG. BUT ’S ALSO CCIAL TO FILM’S EGALARIAN DRAMA, WHICH NO SGLE STAR PREDOMAT. IN NASHVILLE, THE BACKGROUND IS JT AS IMPORTANT AS THE FOREGROUND, AND THIS DIFFN OF FOC ALLOWS ALTMAN AND HIS LLABORATORS TO BUILD A WHOLE WORLD OUT OF MCULE TERACTNS. AS S BS AND PIEC ACCUMULATE, NASHVILLE BTL LIKE A BEGHEL CYSPE. THE MERA’S ATTENTN FLS OM ONE SECTOR OF THE ENSEMBLE TO ANOTHER. MIC-DTRY ARISTOCRATS LIKE HAVEN AND CONNIE NGREGATE WH THEIR RPECTIVE ENTOURAG AT VENU OR AT THE HATON TATE. BELOW THEM THE FILM’S HIERARCHY ARE HANGERS-ON, JOURNALISTS, AND GROUPI, TRYG BUT FAILG TO PERATE THAT ELE CIRCLE. SOME, LIKE SMUG OUT-OF-TOWNER JOHN TRIPLETTE (MICHAEL MURPHY), N ROAM WHERE THEY LIKE; HE STRIK BARGA AFTER BARGA AS HE RECS TALENT FOR AN UPG POLIL RALLY. OTHERS, LIKE THE ELRLY MR. GREEN (KEENAN WYNN), GET SWEPT UP WH THE RT OF THIS MOB ONLY BY PROXIMY, SCE HIS WIFE IS STAYG AT THE SAME HOSPAL AS AILG UNTRY SUPERSTAR BARBARA JEAN (RONEE BLAKLEY). AS THE CHARACTERS NAVIGATE THE SHOWS AND SOIRE THAT NSTUTE A WEEKEND NASHVILLE, THEIR MOVEMENTS OUTLE A TEEMG ESYSTEM OF POWER AND ART. EACH CHARACTER VEERS ALONG A PBALLG ARC TOWARD A DISTANT OBJECTIVE. THE PLOTTG TERLAC THE ZIGZAGS, TRODUCG SET-UPS AND PAY-OFFS THAT N BE SEPARATED BY HOURS OF SCREEN TIME. IN ORR TO SQUEEZE THIS ABUNDANCE OF NARRATIVE, ALTMAN RELIED ON CERTA TRANSNAL STRATEGI. FREQUENTLY, ACTN IS STAGED AROUND MIL NUMBERS, WH THE SGER’S VOICE LGERG THE BACKGROUND WHILE OTHER CHARACTERS HOLD SI NVERSATNS NEARBY. WHEN HAVEN PERFORMS HIS SACCHARE BALLAD “FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN” AT THE OPRY, HE’S THE CENTER OF ATTENTN, BUT PLENTY TAK PLACE THE MARGS: ASPIRG SGER ALBUQUERQUE (BARBARA HARRIS) TRI TO SNEAK PAST A SECURY GUARD BACKSTAGE; HER HBAND PROWLS THE DIENCE LOOKG FOR HER; AND TRIPLETTE MUTTERS RISIVELY ABOUT HAVEN’S HEIGHT AND OUTF TO LAWYER DEL REE (A PERPETUALLY FLHED NED BEATTY). AS HAVEN LNCH TO HIS NEXT NUMBER, “KEEP A-GO,” A CUT SHIFTS THE ACTN TO BARBARA JEAN’S HOSPAL ROOM—BUT HIS VOICE PERSISTS, NOW STATICKY AND DIMUTIVE ON THE RAD. THE FILM’S NOVATIVE MULTI-TRACK SOUND ENABL THE SPATIAL JUMPS EVEN AS THE SONGS PLAY FULL. SIAR TRANSNS TAKE PLACE DURG PHONE LLS, WH THE VOICE ON THE SPEAKER STILL THERE, IF BARELY DIBLE, AS THE ACTN BOUNC BETWEEN LOTNS. THE POT ISN’T NECSARILY THAT EVERY WORD BE HEARD; ’S THAT THE NVERSATNS ARE HAPPENG AT ALL. THEY’RE CIPHERABLE OM NTEXT, LKG MULTIPLE L OF ACTN. THE PHONE LLS ARE LIKE THE VANS THAT CRISSCROSS THE CY, BLASTG MONOLOGU SPOKEN BY TRIPLETTE’S UNSEEN NDIDATE, HAL PHILLIP WALKER: THEY GLUE SEQUENC TOGETHER THROUGH SOUND. WHEN A SCENE STAYS WH A SGLE LOTN, SOUND CU TEND TO BE SUPPLEMENTED BY A FAVORED VISUAL TACTIC: PANS ACROSS ROOMS THAT TURN TO ZOOMS, DRAWG A NEW CHARACTER EPER TO THE HEART OF THE AME. THE TECHNIQU JUGGLE THE FILM’S MASSIVE ENSEMBLE. THEY MAKE POSSIBLE FOR NASHVILLE TO REPLITE THE NFN AND CHANCE ENUNTERS OF REAL LIFE WHOUT GENERATG TO ACTUAL CHAOS. THROUGHOUT, THE FILM BALANC S TIGHTLY STCTURED STORYTELLG WH FORAYS TO DOCUMENTARY. REAL NASHVILLE LOTNS, DIENC, AND MICIANS BEE ELEMENTS OF S FICTNAL WORLD. ONE EXTERR SHOT PANS QUICKLY OM LEFT TO RIGHT AS THE TRICYCLE MAN (JEFF GOLDBLUM), AN ECCENTRIC BIKER, RIS TO TOWN. ONLY THROUGH CLOSE EXAMATN DO GROW APPARENT THAT THE ROAD IS DOTTED WH POSTERS FOR THE WALKER MPAIGN. THE LANDSPE HAS BEEN LONIZED BY THE MOVIE. THE SCPULO NATURALISM OF THE SURROUNDGS HELPS THE FILM’S EQUENT CINC AND PARALLELISM SEEM LS SCHEMATIC. EVEN THOUGH SUELEEN GAY AND ALBUQUERQUE’S EXPERIENC N SI BY SI—HUNTG FOR GIGS THE SAME DIVE BAR, THEIR PATHS EVENTUALLY NVERGG WH BARBARA JEAN’S—’S PLSIBLE WHEN ’S SET SUCH A THOROUGHLY VELOPED SEMI-FICTNAL CY. IT’S PECIALLY REALISTIC BEE THE TWO WOMEN NEVER EVEN TERACT. ALL OF THIS IS NVEYED STRICTLY THROUGH IMPLITN. LTLE NASHVILLE IS STATED EXPLICLY. CHARACTERS’ PERSONALI ARE EXPAND ON THROUGH THE VISUAL SHORTHAND OF STUME AND PRODUCTN SIGN. CLUELS REPORTER OPAL (GERALDE CHAPL) WEARS A HAT BECKED WH A MIL NOTE, A SIGNIFIER OF TOURIST STAT JT LIKE THE JACKET WORN BY TROUBLED DRIFTER KENNY (DAVID HAYWARD), WHICH HAS “COLUMB, OH” EMBLAZONED ON THE BACK. L.A. JOAN (SHELLEY DUVALL), ANOTHER OUTSIR, CHANG TO CREASGLY OUTRAGEO WIGS OVER THE URSE OF THE FILM; THEY MARK HER AS MORE FASHNABLY PROTEAN THAN THE TENNSEANS AROUND HER. HAVEN HATON’S LOSSAL EGO IS MA MANIFT A SET OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS HE SENDS TO BARBARA JEAN, EACH OF THEM SHAPED AS AN “HH” RGED BY A HORSHOE, AND PHILANRG FOLK SGER TOM (KEH CARRADE) WAK UP TO THE SOUND OF HIS OWN BETIFUL VOICE ON A RERD—AN D RRELATIVE OF HIS SELFISHNS. LIKE THE RATNS ON SUELEEN GAY’S WARDROBE, THE TAILS ALLOW A PEEK TO EACH CHARACTER’S PSYCHE BY WAY OF SELF-PRENTATN WHILE MAKG ENOMIL E OF EACH ACTOR’S TIME ONSCREEN. BY SELF, EACH ONE OF THE CISNS IS SENTIAL AND EASY TO MISS. BUT TOGETHER, THEY NTRIBUTE TO NASHVILLE’S TERNAL NSISTENCY. THEY’RE FLOURISH THAT MAKE THE MOVIE MORE PLETE. THE STTERED PROPS AND GARMENTS ARE LIKE THE LYRICS TO BARBARA JEAN’S SONGS, WHICH LIKEWISE ADD EMOTNAL DIMENSN TO HER STORY. LIKE MANY MEMBERS OF THE FILM’S ST, RONEE BLAKLEY (HERSELF A TRAED MICIAN) WROTE THE MATERIAL SHE PERFORMED. HER SONGS SPEAK POIGNANTLY OF PERSONAL HISTORY: “MY DADDY GREW UP ON HIS OWN, MORE OR LS,” SHE SGS “MY IDAHO HOME,” WHOSE TLE REFERS TO THE ACTRS’S OWN HOME STATE. “HIS MAMA DIED WHEN HE WAS JT 11.” THIS IS NO DISPOSABLE WDOW DRSG; STEAD, ’S A SONG SO RILIENT THAT BLAKLEY RPORATED TO HER REPERTOIRE AND STILL PERFORMS S LATER. SHE PENNED A SONG THAT, LIKE MANY OF NASHVILLE’S GRACE NOT, LAYS BARE HER CHARACTER’S VULNERABILI AS READI THE DIENCE FOR THE HEARTBREAKG CLIMAX TO E. THE WORDS TO THAT SONG RM THE RT OF THE FILM, THEIR NOSTALGIA RIPPLG BACK THROUGH EARLIER EVENTS. AS WH EVERY LTLE PIECE OF NASHVILLE, THE MICRO FILTERS TO THE MACRO. THE AGGREGATN OF DIALOGUE, DéR, AND MERA MOVEMENT TERM THE OVERALL TEXTURE. THEY’RE THE BUMPS AND GROOV S GRA. THAT SURFACE IS POCKED WH THE DISPARATE LONGGS OF THE FILM’S MANY PLAYERS. SUELEEN GAY’S QUIXOTIC YEN FOR STARDOM GETS S VERY OWN PATCH OF ONSCREEN SPACE, AS DO BARBARA JEAN’S VEXATNS WH THE BURNS OF FAME. THEY EXIST, SOMETIM THE SAME SHOT, WH OTHER CHARACTERS’ MORE IGNOBLE TENNCI, LIKE TRIPLETTE’S POLICKG AND TOM’S WOMANIZG. TOGETHER, THEY FORM A RICH, PAC PANORAMA OF AMERIN DISNTENT GOG TO S UNTRY’S 200TH YEAR, S NVAS BROAD BUT S ATTENTN STILL DOLED OUT TO EVEN THE SMALLT OF GTUR. IN ALTMAN’S NASHVILLE, TRAGEDI E A MULTU OF SHAP AND SIZ, AND ALL OF THEM ARE SRED TO UNTRY MIC. Y’ALL E ON BACK ON THURSDAY, WHEN KEH PHIPPS AND GENEVIEVE KOSKI NTUE THE NASHVILLE DISCSN THE FOM DISCSN, AND CHARL BRAM DIV TO THE FILM’S MEMORABLE MIC AN ACPANYG SAY.  MOST READ FEATUR

She’s Sueleen Gay (Gwen Well), and she’s already been tablished as a wars at an airport fé wh dreams of untry-mic stardom. But this slow zoom belongs to Sueleen Gay, starry-eyed wannabe. Even as Sueleen Gay serenas her mirror, for example, an ad for Goo Goo Clter ndi—a real-life Grand Ole Opry sponsor—remas dible the background, d that provis a segue back to the ncert, where the product’s jgle is performed live.

Even though Sueleen Gay and Albuquerque’s experienc n si by si—huntg for gigs the same dive bar, their paths eventually nvergg wh Barbara Jean’s—’s plsible when ’s set such a thoroughly veloped semi-fictnal cy.