Nashville (1975)

Director:

Robert Altman

Writer:

Joan Tewkesbury (written by)

Release Date:

21 September 1975 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

Wild. Wonderful. Sinful. Laughing. Explosive.

Plot:

Over the course of a few hectic days, numerous interrelated individuals prepare for a political convention as secrets and lies are surfaced and revealed.

Plot Keywords:

Candidate | Assassination | Reporter | Politics | Deafness

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 22 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

David Arkin	...	Norman
Barbara Baxley	...	Lady Pearl
Ned Beatty	...	Delbert Reese
Karen Black	...	Connie White
Ronee Blakley	...	Barbara Jean
Timothy Brown	...	Tommy Brown
Keith Carradine	...	Tom Frank
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Opal
Robert DoQui	...	Wade (as Robert Doqui)
Shelley Duvall	...	L. A. Joan
Allen Garfield	...	Barnett
Henry Gibson	...	Haven Hamilton
Scott Glenn	...	Pfc. Glenn Kelly
Jeff Goldblum	...	Tricycle Man
Barbara Harris	...	Albuquerque
David Hayward	...	Kenny Fraiser
Michael Murphy	...	John Triplette
Allan F. Nicholls	...	Bill (as Allan Nicholls)
Dave Peel	...	Bud Hamilton
Cristina Raines	...	Mary
Bert Remsen	...	Star
Lily Tomlin	...	Linnea Reese
Gwen Welles	...	Sueleen Gay
Keenan Wynn	...	Mr. Green
James Dan Calvert	...	Jimmy Reese
Donna Denton	...	Donna Reese
Merle Kilgore	...	Trout
Carol McGinnis	...	Jewel
Sheila Bailey	...	Smokey Mountain Laurel
Patti Bryant	...	Smokey Mountain Laurel
Richard Baskin	...	Frog
Jonnie Barnett	...	Himself
Vassar Clements	...	Himself
Misty Mountain Boys	...	Themselves
Sue Barton	...	Herself
Elliott Gould	...	Himself
Julie Christie	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Earle	...	Concert-goer (uncredited)
Bill Jenkins	...	Announcer at Airfield (uncredited)
Thomas Hal Phillips	...	Hal Phillip Walker (uncredited)
Patrick Reynolds	...	Grand Ole Opry Performer (uncredited)
Gailard Sartain	...	Man at Lunch Counter (uncredited)
Howard K. Smith	...	Howard K. Smith (uncredited)
Joan Tewkesbury	...	Tom's Lover / Kenny's Mother (uncredited) (voice)

Directed by
Robert Altman

Writing credits
Joan Tewkesbury		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Altman	....	producer
Scott Bushnell	....	associate producer
Robert Eggenweiler	....	associate producer
Martin Starger	....	executive producer
Jerry Weintraub	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Arlene Barnett
Jonnie Barnett
Karen Black
Ronee Blakley
Gary Busey
Juan Grizzle
Allan F. Nicholls
Dave Peel
Joe Raposo

Cinematography by
Paul Lohmann		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dennis M. Hill		(as Dennis Hill)
Sidney Levin

Set Decoration by
Robert M. Anderson		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Marvin C. Thompson	....	makeup artist (as Tommy Thompson)
Ann Wadlington	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan Rudolph	....	assistant director
Tommy Thompson	....	assistant director

Art Department
Robert M. Anderson	....	property master (as Bob Anderson)

Sound Department
Randy Kelley	....	assistant sound editor
Chris McLaughlin	....	sound
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer
William A. Sawyer	....	sound editor
James E. Webb	....	sound (as Jim Webb)
Richard Oswald	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)
Fred Schultz	....	multi-track dailies transfer operator (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Randy Glass	....	electrical gaffer
Edmond L. Koons	....	camera operator (as Ed Koons)
Eddie Lara	....	grip
J. Michael Marlett	....	electrical gaffer (as Mike Marlett)
Harry Rez	....	grip
Robert Reed Altman	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jules Melillo	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Tony Lombardo	....	assistant editor
Tom Walls	....	assistant editor
Mark Eggenweiler	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Maysie Hoy	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Richard Baskin	....	music arranger
Richard Baskin	....	music supervisor
Gene Eichelberger	....	music recordist
Johnny Rosen	....	music recordist
Daniel J. Johnson	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)
Ken Johnson	....	music editor (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gene Clinesmith	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Stephen Altman	....	production assistant (as Steve Altman)
Jac Cashin	....	assistant to producer
Elaine Di Bello Bradish	....	production secretary (as Elaine Bradish)
Angel Dominguez	....	production assistant
Mark Eggenweiler	....	production assistant
Roger Frappier	....	production assistant
Ron Hecht	....	production assistant
J. Allen Highfill	....	production assistant (as Allan Highfill)
Maysie Hoy	....	production assistant
Joyce King	....	script supervisor
Kelly Marshall	....	production coordinator
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Thomas Hal Phillips	....	political campaign
Noreen Beasley	....	assistant: Dan Perri (uncredited)
Lary Crews	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• ABC Entertainment (presents)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1975) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1976) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1978) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Lion's Gate 8 Track Sound  sound system
• Solters & Digney  publicity (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

159 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:12 | West Germany:12 | UK:AA (original rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Centennial Park, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Company:

ABC Entertainment

Trivia:

The role of runaway wife "Albuquerque" eventually played by Barbara Harris was first offered to Bette Midler and then Bernadette Peters.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Two policemen directing traffic - one waving and another carrying a bullhorn - are visible in the middle of the interstate during the car crash as the bus crashes into the pileup.

Quotes:

Marthe aka "L. A. Joan":Hi, Tom, could you sign my record?
Tom Frank:You better get off that diet before you ruin yourself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #22.210" (2006)

Soundtrack:

For the Sake of the Children

Refreshing and Brilliant

After having seen this film for the third time - the first was in film school many years ago - I'm struck by the amount of action going on within many of the shots. Mention is frequently made of Altman's use of overlapping dialogue in the sound but what struck me this time around is how often two or more characters, acting out different lines of the story are captured within the same shot - giving this film much of its sense of verisimilitude, a fantastic control of pace while feeling natural. Unarguably, much of its naturalism comes from the lens and cinematographic choices but part of it also stems from the choices made available in the cutting room, which give it an excellent pace and rhythm.

Add to that some wonderful performances, especially by Henry Gibson and Ronee Blakely, and you have a quintessential American Independent film that speaks about America in terms that no marketing agency of the current generation would ever tolerate.