Nashville: A Near-Masterpiece

I finally see why Robert Altman was so beloved. I never understood why he was spoken of as a genius. Now after finally seeing his 1975 near-masterpiece, "Nashville," I get it.

Through a strange set of coincidences, I never saw "Nashville" until now. I can remember when it came out. It received a lot of praise from serious critics and was nominated for a bunch of Oscars, including Best Picture (it lost to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"). But it was never embraced by the mainstream. "Jaws" was the big movie that year. Everyone went to see "Jaws," including nine-year-old me. But almost no one went to see "Nashville."

But over the years, it has taken on classic status. And I can see why. "Nashville" is so innovative that it's a bit challenging to watch. But if you give it the time and stay with it to the end, I think you'll be happy you did.

I would describe it as one of the first post-modern films. It has about 25 characters, each with his/her own story line. There is no major character in the traditional sense. No one storyline dominates. I'd say that 1970s America is the main character. In many ways, Altman was holding up a mirror to the America of his day and showing us ourselves. He takes a panoramic ethnographic viewpoint, if you will. He's describing a culture, not focusing in on specific individuals.

Initially, it's captivating. But after about an hour, the lack of a central storyline became a bit wearying to me. There's not that much drama. But something magical happens in the last 20 minutes or so. The threads all come together beautifully, with a violent act providing something of a crescendo.

When Altman pulls his camera slowly back in the last couple of minutes, encompassing more and more in his field of vision, "Nashville" soars. It becomes a poem about America, almost perfectly capturing the longing, the sadness mixed with giddiness that was 1970s America. The irresponsibility, the fixation on music and entertainment, the persistence, and 100 other things. "Nashville" captures the feel of the 70s so well that it's almost mystical. A major work of art that I would enjoy watching again and again. A touchstone of 1970s cinema.