What It's About:

This ensemble drama finds mean-spirited, patriotic crooner Haven Hamilton (Henry Gibson), mentally fragile country queen Barbara Jean (Blakely), philandering folkie Tom (Carradine), and more than 20 indelible characters--performers, wanna-be stars, groupies, runaway wives, and Bible thumpers-crossing paths over a long, eventful weekend in the Country Music Capital of the U.S.A., where a political campaign is also underway.

Why I Love It:

One of the greatest films of the 1970s-or any decade- Altman's sprawling masterpiece cleverly satirizes both the wholesome image of the country-music industry and the values of the Me Generation. But the enduring strength of the film lies in the hands and hearts of the many talented actors- Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty, Jeff Goldblum, Karen Black, and Shelley Duvall, to name a few, who populate this rich cinematic mosaic. Real-life singer Ronee Blakely stands out as a troubled star modeled after Loretta Lynn. In yet another grand Altman-esque gesture, the actors composed their own songs for "Nashville" --and what a soundtrack it is!