Ronee Blakley flawless turn in Robert Altman's NASHVILLE

[Sorella23]

One of the best movies ever and Altman's best! I was 14 when I first saw it and I can still sing all the words to these songs. Love, love, love Ronee Blakely!

[aquamoon22]

Great vocals and star turn by Ronee Blakley. Unforgettable film.  Cinematic genius!!!

[ShimahiroLTD]

2:08



[Timwgtn]

The second song is as good as cinema ever gets...even hard-bitten film critic Pauline Kael was in awe of Ronnee's performance, notably Dues....

[12cowwoman]

love that dress!!!! well, and her performance, too, of course! but the dress is stunning, lol.

[fordlandau]

terrific and honest rendition of a real performer 

[The99Gambo]

Wonderful!

[ismisebo1]

when it hurts so much which just happened I simply listen to ronees sweet voice

and it helps a little

what finally happened to her in the movie usually happens to those the best.

[CelebGhost]

After she breaks down she comes back to give us America in a song.

[PtAltmVansanTarr]

2nd song,that was great coming from someone who generally dislikes country

[StephenW87]

anyone else just want to give her character a hug in this movie?

[MrSkiwicz]

Excellent film work, and a great renditions of the first two songs. Well done.

[fredstreisand]

A classic! 

[uppityhomo]

In his original review of this movie, Roger Ebert wrote, "...after I saw it I felt more alive, I felt I understood more about people, I felt somehow wiser. It's that good a movie."

35 years later, I still feel the same way any time I watch this movie, or any portion thereof, especially this scene, Keith Carradine's I'm Easy scene, and the final scene, It Don't Worry Me, with Barbara Harri. That's what this movie still does to me.

[anneliesb8]

I've scrolled through the movie on youtube (kind of fast) - thanks sonjaxfactor - but couldn't find Ronee Blakley singing the hymn 'In the Garden'. "And he walks with me, and he talks with me..." Am I imagining that part?

'Dues' is a great consolation prize though.

[RossM3838]

@anneliesb8 Its in the movie for sure, sung in the chapel at the hospital. For some reason, possibly copywrite, its not on youtube.

[anneliesb8]

@RossM3838 Well that's good to know. I'll look for the video somewhere...Thanks

[lskarin]

@anneliesb8

I thought that rendition of "In the Garden" was outstanding, and wish it were on YouTube.

RossM383's explanation is possibly correct -- the copyright trolls are out there. But how do you copyright a traditional hymn? Other pressures might be afoot.

[anneliesb8]

@lskarin Nice to know somebody else appreciates it.

[yoadrie]

Bless you--I've wanted a copy of this for DECADES!!!

[ifuseekamy]

She deserved to win.. too bad she didn't.

[myshkin71]

Oh, and, "I'm Easy" is a nice song, but "Dues" should have won the Oscar.

[whiskeypriest1]

@myshkin71 Dues was not eligible for the Oscar. Ronee Blakely had recorded it on an album a couple years earlier. But it is absolutely perfect for her character, trapped in two dysfunctional relationships: with her husband/manager who had stopped being the husband part, and fans who demand from her but return nothing.

[TheSonjaxfactor]

@myshkin71 I'm Easy won the Oscar?

[myshkin71]

Nashville is such a great film, and Ronee Blakley really steals the show among the superb cast for me as the beautiful, talented, troubled Barbara Jean. When I saw in the credits that she wrote all of those great songs I was stunned! What a talent.

[anneliesb8]

Any chance you or somebody could post that scene in Nashville where she sings some of the hymn "In the Garden"? That's what I came here looking for. Glad I found this, though!

[TheSonjaxfactor]

@anneliesb8 The movie is on youtube.

[gyroplanefdk]

4:58 "Was it awful" , " Kind of hot & wet "

[GohModley]

She kicks some serious rear.

[jordancullen]

What's the name of the second song she sings? And is there anywhere to buy it?

[7beers]

Are they booing the singer or booing the people for taking her offstage?

[bluesgurugod]

Spellbinding performance - phenomenal movie!

[ltee1a]

I read that this scene was improvised. Incredible. Ronee Blakley is fabulous in this movie, and this scene is just fantastic. It blows me away that she improvised it - it really is perfect.

[stevenecarrier]

The scene really encompasses everything her character is dealing with. Excellent performance.

[CARLDBIRMAN]

I believe many of these songs were written by the actors themselves.

[stevenecarrier]

@CARLDBIRMAN That's a Robert Altman film for you. He was the man, shame he is gone. A true artist.

[herrrob14]

The second song here is so tragic and beautiful. Sometimes I wonder how country singers can sing these sad songs again and again. No wonder she was having a breakdown. It makes you want to go out and slap Karen Black's character.

[mrspeel7]

@herrrob14 You remind me of when, at a music school I attended, I asked an instructor who'd toured frequently how he felt about doing the same songs night after night. He told me yes, there were certainly songs he loved to perform every single night - but, they weren't the ones the audience wanted to hear the most!

[oscarlover100]

The first song that she sings is called "Tapedeck In His Tractor" and the second song she sings is called "Dues

[miglioramento]

the titles of the songs?

[mallrabbit]

Country Music was supposed to represent innocense and purity during a tumultuous time. Notice how shes wearing white through the movie. These contrasts to the Rock musicians that burst into town. This represents Middle America and how the ideals were changing at the time. The symbolism in the movie is amazing.

[TheOscarFiles]

Basically, Barabra Jean is an enigma on to which the others can project their needs and desires. She IS the centerpiece and glowing soul of the film.

Beautiful performance...

[shaggycub]

@mallrabbit her *and* Haven Hamilton both wear a lot of white-Henry Gibson rocks that fierce Nudie suit. Interestingly enough, Connie White doesn't wear white, she wears that red halter top gown during her Opry performance.

[AbsentWithoutLeaving]

Love the way Altman has the various unconnected characters continuously crossing paths and lightly interacting (or not) with each other all through the movie. It's like when you walk into a shop, or a museum, and the people who come in with you end up being with you all the way through your visit, whether you like it or not. You're all just kind of locked into that little moment in time together.

Hey, anybody know what this movie is about?

[TheFranco45]

her character spends the entire movie on the verge of a nervous breakdown. a metaphor i think for the country in 1975-watergate+vietnam+stagfla­tion+oil crisis+hangover from the the '60's assassinations

[ramonarickettez]

2:51 - 3:35 ~ what a shot

3:49 - 3:53 also gorgeous

This movie! I watched again today after an abnormally long hiatus. All the sweeter ..

[TheOscarFiles]

Notice - Blakley is always dressed in soft white outfits. Perhaps maybe because Barbara Jean is an angel, and at the end she dies for everyone's sins...

Beautiful performance.

[omalmi]

One of my favourite scenes and favourite characters EVER from a motion picture. Altman's masterpiece. The sensitivity, fragility and stream-of-consciousness meandering of Barbara Jean's injured psyche have stayed with me for decades. Not to mention the heart-wrenching vocal performance of It Hurts So Bad.

[TheOscarFiles]

Actually that vocal performance is called, "Dues".

But she's beyond amazing isn't she?

[woperinoboyz]

When she cracks up at the end of her singing I laughed so hard I fell off the seat in the theater! She's a joy in this!

[bobsyeronkla]

Ronee Blakley should've won the Oscar for this. She lost to Lee Grant. Grant's a great actress herself, but her Oscar winning role didn't even come close to this. Ronee was robbed.

[LickMyCuntMoFo]

Uh, Lee Grant was brilliant in Shampoo.

[CowgirlXena]

I want to check out clips of this movie, which I read sounds really good but it keeps saying an error as occured. Please try again later.

[smichelle65]

Geraldine Chaplin, one of the stars of this film, attended the premiere with her father (the legendary Charlie Chaplin), and she said this scene made him cry.

[giusypaesano]

Un film meraviglioso, come pochi se ne fanno ora!!!!

[Pambie36]

Love her! Saw this in the theatre back when it first opened and was awestruck by her performance.

[herrrob14]

The second song here is so tragic and beautiful. Sometimes I wonder how country singers can sing these sad songs again and again. No wonder she was having a breakdown. It makes you want to go out and slap Karen Black's character.

[divadean1]

did ppl not say this was we bot off loretta bot her xxx

[johnyzero2000]

And here I was thinking I was the only Ronee Blakley fan and find there are others who adore this lady. Nashville will be playing at the Paramount theater in Austin, Texas and I will be there to see it on the big screen!

[wdkdascats]

Thank-You! Thank-You! Fantastic film with Fabulous soundtrack! Hazelnutcake you are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JEFBLABUR]

Looks like it was filmed at the race track at the Fairgrounds in Nashville?

[VASINGER]

Actually filmed at Opryland. The theme park is now defunct, though.

[simscm83]

I just discovered this movie and also the lovely Ronee Blakley. I am so in love with her it ridiculous

[flashtheoriginal]

I bought "Nashville" on DVD a couple of years back. Had to import it as it is not available in England. The main reason was to see Ronee Blakely's performance once more. As "Nashville" has no central star, it has always been an oddity, but I still think that she stole the movie, closely followed by Lily Tomlin. "Dues" still moves me - the stand out track - and she wrote it herself (as did all of the 'singing' cast). MAGNIFICENT as Barbara Jean. Great post, thanks

[zzzplus6]

Only part of a great movie: Nashville.

[JWLiotta]

Brilliant talent!! Thank you!

[ztubs6]

damn- that band is on fire!!!

[SueSnell]

Whenever I used to play this on my novelty music radio show at college, the phone lines would go balistic! A real favorite.

[jackhillty]

"i think ever since then i been working" - fuckin brilliant - who wrote that second song?

[SueSnell]

Supposedly, all of the actor/singers in the film wrote their own songs, and they were recorded live on set for the soundtrack. I've always wondered what Loretta Lynn thought of this movie. Poor thing!

[bennyblue73]

Ronee wrote all her own songs for this film...I especially love "Tapedeck in his Tractor" and "Dues"...Dues in particular is so hauntingly beautiful.

[SueSnell]

Yes! And Dues always makes me weepy!

[cinemaman3105]

The one at the end is good too "My Idaho Home" right before the tragedy.  Great movie.

[jdearnray]

Lynn reportedly said, "I ain't seen it and I ain't gonna see it...I'd rather see 'Bambi'..."

[SueSnell]

Tha's hilarious. And it does sound like something she'd say.

[herrrob14]

Hey SueSnell, Love your youtube name. Nobody but a die hard Carrie fan would get it. Just be careful nobody grabs your arm when you reach down to put flowers on their grave.

[SueSnell]

@herrrob14 - you had to bring that up... I've already spent thousands on therapy... haven't been able to go near red carnations for years...

[JohnMoseley]

Ever since then I been workin' and... supportin' myself...

[gyroplanefdk]

Why did the young guy with glasses shoot her?

[tfmcbride]

Thanks for this video. Ronee Blakely singing "Dues" is one of the most enchanting and haunting scenes in a great movie.

[DemianTyler]

one of the best scenes in film history. thank you for uploading this, mate

[dadafontana]

yes thanks for this ive been looking for it for a while

FLAWLESS! indeed. I remember i couldnt take my eyes off her when i first saw it

which is something in a film as large as Nashville

[benjamindresner]

Absolutely loved Ronee Blakley in this role. Thanks for this!

[pbyardh]

Love Ronee - great film, too.

[facelesshorseman]

I lived in Nashville when this was filmed and released. The Music Row types HATED it. Altman pulled a lot of tricks on the populace, where performances weren't revealed to be set pieces so the crowd would react realistically.

This scene was filmed at Opryland USA (RIP) where I worked as a pastel portrait artist.

[Novasterling]

I wonder why they didnt like it. It didnt really poke fun at Country Music, it was really more a commentary on America than anything else- Country Music represents America.

[facelesshorseman]

1st. There were some pretty dead-on parodies of actual icons, Lorretta Lynn, Roy Acuff, and Charlie Pride. 2nd. were the depictions of Country music (the peoples music) as a factory produced commodity, 3rd. The Politics: The old south faced the Hippies, civil rights, etc. with horror. 70-76 in Nashville collapsed every thing from Hippies, to Disco, to punk, to Urban Cowboy, to Southern Rock, to Outlaw Country, into one confusing swirl. They didn't like this "outsider" defining their art.

[VASINGER]

IMO, Nashville helped nurture the Alt-Country movement. Ironically- Alt Country is truer to REAL Country music, not fake Pop stuff they play on the "Country" stations of today. Im not sure how Country was in the 70s, but I like most of it. Its better than it is now. I think BJ represents Loretta Lynn- but in a complimentary way. She is Americana, and innocent. Notice she always wears white throuhghout the film.

[facelesshorseman]

Country, as represented by "Music Row", was a singles market that supported a Southern-Fried bunch of artists who made some important moves from being side-men to independent status. See Mac Gaydon, JJ Cale, John Hyatt, John Hartford, Barefoot Jerry, Goose Creek Symphony, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Mike Nesmith, Dianne Davidson.

When one thinks how many 50s rockers were Country Music stars in the 70s, it's understandable that there was some bitterness at one more venue being usurped by HIPPIES!

[facelesshorseman]

I FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING!

The fact that the ACTORS wrote many of the songs in the movie implied that anybody could do it! This did not go down well.

The Industry was relegated to the sidelines.

Nashville was so used to being known for Country Music, that it could not understand that it could mean something else entirely!

The mad airport death bed cheerleader rockstar culture clash politician Vietnam traffic jam that opens the movie, is what Altman was about.

[VASINGER]

But there are lots of songwriters and always have been in Nashville. Of course lots of people can write songs, but that doesnt mean "anybody" can do it. The people in the movie are talents in their own right- Ronee Blakely especially. So its not like a bunch of amatuers are in this film. These are top notch Actors!

[VASINGER]

True. But even in the film- the Country singers have the charm, while the Hippies (really Zippies), are for the most part egotistical , selfish, and pretentious and untalented ingrates.

[facelesshorseman]

In retrospect every thing you say is true, but there was a definite Us VS. Them thing playing out in the Nashville. All one has to do is witness the spectacle of Charlie Rich drunkenly trying to burn John Denver's CMA award on stage to see how ridiculous it became. In the emotional shorthand of the time, it was ALL the fault of the HIPPIES!

[VASINGER]

One of the greatest performances in a film EVER.

[moveefrk]

BEST MOVIE EVER!!!

incredible

[expatjen]

Thanks for this.  She is just incredible singing "Dues".