Nashville, Secret Honor, and Nashville Nashville: A Journey Through the Robert Altman Archives

By Ava Burnham

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Table of Contents

Abstract Preface

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Introduction 6

Chapter 1: Nashville Nashville Marketing and Reception American Politics and the Origin of Nashville Finding Joan Tewkesbury Interview with Joan Tewkesbury Journal Entry #1

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Chapter 2: Secret Honor Journal Entry #2 Secret Honor Archives Secret Honor Production Meaning and Symbolism in Secret Honor Secret Honor Reception Secret Honor and Nashville Chapter 3: Nashville Nashville Journal Entry #3 Nashville Nashville Introduction A Call with Robert Harders Nashville Nashville Production Chapter 4: Nashville Today Conclusion Epilogue: The Nashville Screening Acknowledgements Bibliography

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Abstract

Was Robert Bernard Altman a mediocre director who was in the right place at the right

time, or was he a truly talented innovator who deserves his reputation as one of Hollywood’s

greatest film directors? In this paper I answer this question by providing evidence from The

Robert Altman Archives at The University of Michigan, and from interviews with Frank Beaver

(Professor of Communications and a colleague of Altman’s at Michigan), Joan Tewkesbury

(screenwriter for Nashville), and Robert Harders (screenwriter for the unmade Nashville

Nashville). Specifically, I will address three Altman films: Nashville (1975), Secret Honor

(1985), and Nashville Nashville (unmade). In uncovering new information about these films,

their public receptions, and Altman’s rationale and techniques for making them, I show that

Altman was a thoughtful and politically-driven director who used both innovative film

techniques and symbolism to create his films. Finally, as proof of his artistic achievements, I

describe the enduring relevance of Altman’s films over 30 years after they were made.

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Preface: Diving Into The Archives

I discovered the Special Collections Library at The University of Michigan about two

years ago, when I took the course, “Major Directors,” with Matthew Solomon, professor of

screen arts and cultures. This course focused on Michigan’s Orson Welles collection, which

contains nearly 100 linear feet of materials, including rare and minimally analyzed documents

from Welles’ personal life and career, as well as scripts and materials for several unfinished

projects. This assortment of boxes is the most extensive Welles collection in the world. Although

I was exposed to just a small fraction of the boxes in the collection, I was fascinated by the

intimate and little-known details that were still discoverable, even about one of the most famous

directors of all time.

After completing this course I was eager to explore more collections in the archives.

Around this time I learned that a 600-box collection about Robert Altman, famed director of

Nashville (1975), MASH (1970), and The Player (1992), was also stored in the Michigan library. 1

Although I didn’t know much about Altman, I knew he was one of the more influential directors

of the 20th century, so I set forth to learn more about him, intrigued by the largely-unknown

documents and other secrets that might be hidden in the archives.

I learned that over the course of his career, which lasted from 1951 - 2006, Altman

directed 51 films, several of which had music-related themes or premises. As I too had an

interest in country music, I was particularly interested in studying Altman’s film, Nashville

(1975). As a student at Michigan with access to the Special Collections Library, I considered

1 "The many hats of Robert Altman." Michigan Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.

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myself a privileged voyeur of Altman’s directorial history and set forth to learn more about the

influences that shaped his career.

As I learned more, I decided to expand my study to include two other films: Secret Honor

(1984) and Nashville Nashville (unmade). Nashville Nashville interested me not only because it

was the intended sequel to Nashville, but also because the screenplay was largely unstudied and

unknown, and was there – in its original format – in the Michigan archives. Finally, I chose to

focus on Secret Honor, as this is the film that Altman created at The University of Michigan, and

is the reason why all of his archives are now stored there.

During the course of my research I was not only fortunate enough to have access to the

Altman archives, but also to two key people from Robert Altman’s life: Joan Tewkesbury, the

Nashville screenwriter, and Robert Harders, the Nashville Nashville screenwriter. Both

individuals brought a personal dimension to my study of Robert Altman, and provided a historic

perspective on his career that was not available in the archives.

Along the way, I also made journal entries about my observations, reflections, and

research process. These too are included in my thesis as they reflect my musings and attempts to

bring focus to a complicated but compelling filmmaker.

What themes would connect these films together, and what inspired Altman to create a

film about country music? With an interest in Nashville and an open mind, I opened the first box

in the fall of 2016, ready to piece together as much as I could about Altman and his works.

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Introduction: Robert Altman, the Man Behind the Camera

Robert Bernard Altman was a Hollywood icon and five-time nominee for the Best

Director Academy Award. Today, seven years after his death, he is still considered by some to

be one of America’s most influential film directors, and is known for his unorthodox techniques,

such as improvisation from actors, overlapping dialog, and bold camera movement. However,

although many people like Altman for his innovation and the unique sense of realism he brought

to film, he also attracts many critics for these same reasons. In watching some of Altman’s films,

I too was underwhelmed and wondered if he just an average director who got lucky. When I first

watched Nashville, for example, I felt that the film was too long and relied too heavily on

improvisation, perhaps at the expense of a coherent plot. Was this style really brilliance, or just

noteworthy for going against the typical Hollywood formula?

In this thesis I will draw on evidence in the Michigan archives to show that Altman’s

motivations were more clever and intentional than is visible at first glance. Specifically, works

such as Nashville, Secret Honor, and Nashville Nashville show that many of Altman’s decisions

were carefully arrived at and reflect a consistent artistic vision. Central to this vision was a

strong political message that was not always evident on the surface level. In this thesis, I hope to

show a new side of Altman, demonstrating his deserved reputation as one of Hollywood’s most

influential directors. Finally, I will also provide evidence that Altman’s techniques and ideas

were not only revolutionary for his time, but they are still important and influential today.

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Chapter 1: Nashville

Nashville Marketing and Reception

On June 11th, 1975, the movie Nashville was released in theaters across the United

States. Director Robert Altman and his crew waited anxiously, unsure what to expect from the

audience upon viewing their nearly-three-hour-long film (161 minutes, to be exact). Unlike most

Hollywood films of the time, Nashville had no protagonist, no three-act structure, and essentially

no plot. Instead, Nashville is a bold ensemble film that tells the stories of twenty-four different

characters who come to Nashville for various reasons. Many come to pursue music, but some

arrive as reporters, politicians, or for other reasons. Throughout the film, various characters cross

paths, and, at the end, they all convene at the Parthenon in Nashville for presidential candidate

Hal Phillip Walker’s concert rally. The rally itself ends in the shooting of country star Barbara

Jean, and a powerful performance of a song called, “It Don’t Worry Me,” by an aspiring singer

named Albuquerque.

Although many critics and viewers gave the film rave reviews, I was among the cohort

who questioned Altman’s style and the credibility of Nashville as a masterpiece. Despite my

initial excitement to watch a classic film about country music, my enthusiasm faltered upon

actually viewing it. I found the opening sequence, where a character named Haven Hamilton

performs a catchy song called “200 Years” to be entertaining, but I began to lose interest as

subsequent scenes dragged on and I was bombarded with new characters and stories. I had

trouble distinguishing between characters and following so many different plot lines, and the

music was hard to fully enjoy since all songs were unfamiliar and performances were uncut.

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Struggling to keep up with the plot, I found it difficult to relate to fans who described Nashville

as “the greatest film since Citizen Kane.”

I hunkered down in The Special Collections Library and began to read through

documents pertaining to Nashville. The Robert Altman collection was massive, but I was able to

narrow my initial search to the 47 linear feet contained in the “Robert Altman Archive: Projects -

1970s (1971-1977)” portion of the collection. Within this subset I found scripts, legal files,

publicity materials, photographs and correspondences from Altman’s career in the 1970s.

Although this included documents pertaining to other films such as The Long Goodbye, MASH,

McCabe and Mrs. Miller, and several others, I focused on the ones from Nashville.

The collection contained a multitude of letters to Altman from his contemporaries, most

of them full of praise for Nashville and extolling the film for its political and cultural relevance. I

found myself identifying strongly with those who panned Nashville, but I hoped that be reading

fan letters might give me a new perspective on the film.

On February 14th, 1975, one fan and actor/screenwriter named Stephen Sheppard

composed a letter of admiration to Robert Altman:

I am finding myself in the rather awkward position of writing something that I am not good at

writing - a fan letter. I just can’t seem to beat the tendency to sound gushy, but I must tell you that I

found NASHVILLE to be an absolutely stunning experience. First of all, it could never be anything

but a film. It is a stunning, exciting, beautiful vision, superbly realized and absolutely riveting. It

really is like a three hour high. I frankly cannot remember ever wishing so actively that a picture

not end.

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But I wondered: was Nashville really “like a three hour high,” or was it more like a film that

required being high for three hours to enjoy?

Yet, eight years after its release, the film still triggered fan mail. Sidney Lumet, film

director and theory writer, for example, wrote to Altman on August 3rd, 1983, praising the film.

Dear Bob,

“Nashville” was on the box last night. I know it’s not the perfect place to see “Nashville” or any

other movie, but nevertheless I felt I had to write to you.

It’s a brilliant movie. In fact, I think it’s a great one, and that is not a word I use easily. The levels

in it are staggering - it’s execution is flawless. It’s everything that a picture should be - inside and

out.

My best to you - Sidney

However, although most critics endorsed Nashville, others were more harsh in their

analyses, criticizing the movie for the same reasons I did, including its unwieldy nature,

disorganization, length, and apparent lack of directorial input from Altman. As one critic, Rex

Reed, who I identified in particular with, said of Altman and his work on Nashville:

I mean, this man is really not very talented, when you come down to it. He makes movies that are

very pretentious, they’re self-indulgent, they’re too long, they need to be edited, they have no

point of view. It’s all just private moviemaking time; and the public really lets him know it, I

guess, ‘cause his pictures are always total flops. 2

2 Stuart, Jan. The Nashville chronicles: the making of Robert Altman's masterpiece. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000. Print., 285

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Altman himself acknowledges that his style can be lazy. In one interview he teases: “The

film grew like Topsy. It started out with seven characters, and then it went to twelve. And then

other characters kept insisting to be in it. But I found twenty-four characters easier to deal with

than just one. If a problem comes up you can just leave it and go on to somebody else.” 3

Even Charles Champlin, a renowned film and TV critic, couldn’t resist writing to Altman

in June, 1975 saying that, although he liked Nashville, “masterpiece” was an overstatement for

the film. In one response letter stored in the archives, Altman actually agrees with Champlin, 4

admitting that he doesn’t think that Nashville is a masterpiece either. 5

Fig. 1 - Response Letter from Robert Altman to Chuck Champlin, June, 1975 6

3 "Untitled." Interview. n.d.: n. pag. Print. Robert Altman Archive: Projects - 1970s (1971-1977) 4 Chaplin, Charles. Letter to Robert Altman. June, 1975 Robert Altman Archive: Projects - 1970s (1971-1977) 5 "Untitled." Letter. n.d.: n. pag. Print. Robert Altman Archive: Projects - 1970s (1971-1977) 6 Altman, Robert. Letter to Charlie Chaplin. June, 1975. Robert Altman Archive: Projects - 1970s (1971-1977)

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Other letters and reviews point to the sheer length of Nashville as one of the film’s

downsides. In 1975, Favre le Bret, then president of the Cannes film festival, even wrote a

courageous letter to Altman, with the sole purpose, it appears, to convince the director to

undertake some serious editing of the film. Although le Bret starts off diplomatically, writing, “It

is with the greatest attention that I went through the screening of “NASHVILLE” which would

have, had it been necessary, demonstrated to me that any work created by a greatly talented man,

could not leave one indifferent,” he becomes increasingly forceful in his purpose, adding:

If we consider showing it in CANNES, that is, to an international audience, I wonder if it would

not gain from being condensed, especially in its first part. This would, in my opinion, give it a

greater power of expression and thus maintain the spectator’s attention from beginning to end. 7

Le Bret was not alone in his reaction. Other critics shared similar reactions, having found

the meandering plotlines of Nashville difficult to follow. As Eddie Rubin of Mitchell, Silberberg,

and Knupp (A New York-based law firm) said on March 4, 1975, “Just read the Pauline Kael

New Yorker magazine review of “Nashville”. It must be a great source of gratification to you. As

for myself, it is a clear case of what H. Allen Smith described as ‘vicarious vertigo’.” 8

So, why did Nashville have such a polarized reception? Why were some viewers

frustrated by the haphazard nature of the film while others praised it as innovative, brilliant, and

highly enjoyable? As I continued my research, I gained perspective, realizing that what I’d taken

away from my first viewing was only a small fraction of what the film was intended to be about.

7"Chaplin, Charles. Letter to Robert Altman. June, 1975. MS. N.p. "Untitled." Robert Altman Archive: Projects - 1970s (1971-1977) 8 Rubin, Eddie. Letter to Robert Altman. N.d. MS. N.p.

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The more I learned, the more I realized Nashville was a multifaceted film with strong social and

political messages that give the film depth and relevance – not only in the 1970s when the film

debuted, but also some forty years later. Perhaps viewers who picked up on these messages –

either during a first viewing of subsequent ones – enjoyed Nashville the most.

American Politics and The Origin of Nashville

As I delved further into the archives, I realized that Nashville was a more political film

than I’d initially realized. The movie, which was released in 1975 (about three years after the

Watergate scandal), was very much a reflection of 1970s-era politics, and the problems with the

American political system. Although Nashville is often described as a film created entirely by

improvisation, there is abundant evidence that this was not the case. Nashville’s screenplay was

fully written before Watergate, and, after Watergate occurred, Altman and Nashville screenwriter

Joan Tewkesbury deliberately reworked the script to make Nashville a more political film. 9

I came across several newspaper articles released in the 1970s that picked up on the

strong political themes in Nashville. In one clipping from the archives, a writer describes

Nashville in this way:

[Nashville is] the name of Robert Altman’s new movie, but America, would be more like it. Altman

has not tried to make the definitive country western film, which may disappoint some people. He’s

tried instead to pack as much of the character of this country into nearly three hours as possible.

Nashville is used as a metaphor for American obsessions, a microcosm of manias. The whole

movie has a giddy kaleidoscopic feeling to it, like one of Norman Mailer’s political books, and it’s

essentially plotless. Hal Phillip Walker, Presidential candidate for the Republican Replacement

Party (motto” “New Roots for the Nation”) is staging a televised pre-primary campaign gala in

9 "Untitled." Interview. n.d.: n. pag. Print. Robert Altman Archive: Projects - 1970s (1971-1977)

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town and the movie is about all the people who are in some way involved in the event – the

political lackeys, business managers, country-western idols, hangers-on, misfits, movie stars,

reporters, and housewives. 10

Additionally, as one reporter who saw Nashville explains, “Nashville works on so many

different levels that a second screening is almost mandatory.” This too could explain why many 11

viewers are dissatisfied with Nashville after the first viewing. By only watching the film once, it

is hard to pick up on the nuances of the plot and screenplay, but once characters and songs

become familiar, the film becomes easier to follow and the complex political references become

more evident and meaningful. As I watched Nashville a second time with a better memory for

the characters, I too became much more engaged with – and impressed by – the film. I also

realized that the city of Nashville in particular, with its renowned music industry and steady

influx of hopeful musicians, served as a perfect microcosm for the celebrity-obsessed culture and

corrupt political system that Altman attempts to critique.

Finding Joan Tewkesbury

Having pored over the archives for many hours and speculated about Altman with my

peers from the honors seminar, I was inspired to reach out to colleagues of Altman’s who were

still alive. I knew that Altman had passed away in 2006, but a quick Wikipedia search led me to

find that the Nashville screenwriter, Joan Tewkesbury was still living. As I’d read in one

newspaper interview with Tewkesbury from the archives, “The film was originally supposed to

be a study of Nashville and the country music scene, but our intention was to keep it as current as

possible. I turned in the script and then Watergate happened. So we said, ‘Ah, there’s trouble in

10 Ibid. 11 "Untitled." Print. n.d.: n. pag. Print. Robert Altman Archive: Projects - 1970s (1971-1977)

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the U.S.A.’” With this in mind, I hoped to ask Tewkesbury about the importance of politics in 12

Nashville, and what the film had been about before Watergate.

I found a Los Angeles mailing address her at fanmail.biz, but, as I copied the address, I

wondered if there was a better way. Fanmail.biz did not sound like the most credible website,

and I doubted whether my letter would ever make it into the right hands (especially before my

thesis deadline). This time I turned to Whitepages.com, where I searched for “Tewkesbury” in

Tesuque, New Mexico. Unsure if this address was accurate or up to date, I addressed a second

letter with it and put both in the mail on February 19th, 2017. Even if they were still low, at least

my odds were doubled.

Still, I really didn't expect to hear back. I didn't know if either address was accurate, and I

knew Tewksbury was now 80, and might not be in good health or use email for correspondence.

But, to my surprise, I was proven wrong. On Thursday, February 23rd, just four days after I had

mailed my letters, I checked my email and found a message with the subject line "Joan

Tewkesbury."

Not only was Tewkesbury doing well and busy traveling for Sundance, she was willing to

do a phone interview, and mentioned that she'd be coming to New York City in April for a

screening of Nashville and (even better) offering a Q and A afterwards. Until then, she also

offered to speak with me on the phone.

I was very excited for the screening and the Q and A, especially since a significant

portion of my research had revolved around Nashville’s reception at the time of its release, and

its potential timelessness. I wondered how a modern day audience would feel about the film, and

12 "Untitled." Interview. n.d.: n. pag. Print. Robert Altman Archive: Projects - 1970s (1971-1977)

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how they would react to the screening. Attending a screening followed by a Q and A with

Tewkesbury would shed some light on both of these questions. But I also wondered; how many

people would show up to see a film that was released in the post-Watergate era? Would they

even know it's about Watergate? Will they withstand the three hour screening?

Interview with Joan Tewkesbury:

On February 25th, 2017 at 12:30pm I called Joan Tewkesbury (aka“Tewkes,” as her

writing students call her. ). I said hello and introduced myself, and she told me she had a half 13

hour for the interview, so we got to it. First, I asked her what the rewrite process was like, and

why she and Altman had decided to make Nashville more political. Tewkesbury chuckled and

said that Nashville was constantly a rewrite, but before Watergate it had been more of a character

study about the people in Nashville and the desire to become famous. Still, despite taking place

in Nashville, music was never intended to be the central theme of the film, but was always a

mechanism to represent celebrity and the drive to become famous. In fact, neither she nor

Altman had a particular interest in country music, and Altman found the idea of making a film

about country music (which he did not consider to be a hip music genre) amusing.

But Tewkesbury, having visited Nashville, had seen firsthand that the city was a mecca

for those aspiring to fame and fortune. Everyone she met “had a song in their back pocket,” and

they all had the same drive and desperation to become famous. Tewkesbury also explained that

this theme is one that is still highly relevant today. Although the means of becoming famous

have changed (with the advent of YouTube and other social media platforms), the same desire

persists. And, as Tewkesbury observed, “no one really knows why.”

13By, Photography, and Published. "Joan Tewkesbury." Interview Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.

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I also asked how the Nashville screenplay had changed after Watergate. Tewkesbury

explained that the script was constantly being revised, but, after Watergate, they added Hal

Phillip Walker’s political campaign and the shooting of Barbara Jean at the end of the film.

However, although politics weren’t as heavily involved in earlier iterations of the screenplay,

music still wasn’t the central theme either. Initially, it was more of a character study about the

drive to become famous – a theme that is still prevalent in the final film. Without politics,

Nashville still addresses and makes fun of (to some degree), the desperation that most people

have to become famous.

Still, Tewkesbury recognized that Nashville is not a film for everyone and acknowledged

that it might require repeated viewings to be fully appreciated: “Everyone has their own

perspective or mindset going in, and you can’t change that. But I also knew that the more times

you saw this movie over a period of time, you would change your mind. And that’s what

happened a lot.”

This fascinated me because, unsolicited, I found that Joan Tewkesbury was describing

my experience. Although, after a first screening, I first found Nashville to be dated and boring,

subsequent viewings changed my opinion. I began to understand the characters and pick up on

the central themes in the film, such as politics and the obsession with becoming a celebrity. As I

watched Nashville yet again, I also started to pick up on the modern-day relevance of Nashville. I

realized many of the themes in Nashville that were inspired by the politics and situation of the

1970s are still true today. For example, the idea that politicians gain followers more on a basis

of presentation and showmanship than their platforms is still true today.

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I also asked Tewkesbury what she thought of Nashville Nashville, and why she declined

to write the sequel. She explained that Altman had a lot of ideas for it, and she didn’t like the

direction he was going in. Like Nashville, which ends in a shooting, Altman wanted to make

Nashville Nashville much darker than its predecessor. But Tewkesbury simply felt like Nashville

had made its point, and to return to it with a new and darker plot made no sense. She told me:

The direction Robert Altman wanted to go was not something I felt very strongly about. He felt that

all those characters had gone pretty negative or gone south….it was not anything that I could really

wrap my head around.

While on the phone, I also took the opportunity to ask Tewkesbury what she intended by

the shooting of Barbara Jean at the end of Nashville. I tried not to sound like an idiot, so instead

of saying I simply didn’t get it, I fumbled, “I’ve tried to interpret the shooting at the end of

Nashville, but I just wanted to ask you what symbolism you intended.”

To my surprise, Tewkesbury admitted that she didn’t know either. “That was an idea that

Altman added and felt strongly about, but I never understood it.” Tewkesbury theorized that it

could be a further parallel between politics and celebrity, and a comment on the numerous

assassinations that had happened to politicians in this era. However, as she pointed out, celebrity

assassinations were not common at that time, and this was before the assassination of John

Lennon. She added that there was actually a backlash from celebrities for including this scene, as

they feared it could encourage people to do it. Barbra Streisand, who was particularly troubled

by this, said to Altman, “that’s what I fear every time I go on stage. ” 14

14 "Interview with Joan Tewkesbury." Telephone interview. February, 2017. 17

Joan reflected further on the shooting, saying that, for unknown reasons, the idea of

shooting someone who is more famous than you is enticing for some people and that the

assassination of celebrities has become more common. The obsession to kill, as well as other

political themes in Nashville, are particularly relevant today, when one considers the frequency

of murders perpetrated by loners who are seeking recognition. As Tewkesbury said of Nashville,

“It’s like now, basically, politically. How fucked-up everything was.” Additionally, she added

that its resonance in our present political times is the reason why the Metrograph Theater in New

York proposed a special showing in the spring of 2017.

Journal Entry #1

As I continued to read through the Altman archives, I realized that I was unlikely to learn

anything groundbreaking about the Nashville music scene of the 1970s. The more I researched,

the more I realized Nashville was only tangentially about music. As Robert Harders, screenwriter

for Nashville Nashville, would say, the music in Nashville was there for the entertainment value,

but the film was really about the United States and its political situation. 15

The book titled Robert Altman’s Soundtracks by Gayle Magee suggests that Altman had

a strong interest and background in music, but I believe – based on my archival research – that

his interest in music, while present, was not all that pronounced, and didn’t strongly influence his

filmmaking. While Magee contends that going to jazz clubs as a kid influenced Altman, I found

that this was mostly coincidental. Although the improvisation-based nature of jazz clubs could

have some correlation to Altman’s freeform directorial style, Altman only addresses jazz directly

15 "Interview with Robert Harders." Telephone interview. Oct. 2016.

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in one of his films: Kansas City (1996). As Altman explained in an interview with Cinefile in

1996, the film revolves around jazz music and characters will go on until they’re tired and then

let someone else step up, like jazz musicians do. However, Altman did have some experience 16

with songwriting, even if it was minimal. After serving in the US Air Force, Altman wrote lyrics

to an unmade musical, and in 1983, he co-wrote a John Anderson song with Danny Darst called

“Black Sheep,” which reached #1 on the US Hot Country Songs Billboard list. 17

However, the biggest indication that Altman was not inspired to make Nashville a

celebration of country music comes from Altman himself. As he said in an interview with his

future colleague and University of Michigan Professor, Frank Beaver, “I wanted to make Thieves

Like Us, so I told them I’d do a film about country music if they’d let me make Thieves Like Us.”

18

But this isn’t to say that the music in Nashville is not good or important to the story.

Musicians hired for the project were talented, and principles like Keith Carradine and Ronee

Blakley were experienced songwriters and musicians. In this way, Altman’s interest in

leveraging the talent of his actors on behalf of politics is meaningful. Altman is known for giving

actors a lot of freedom, and allowing them to use their own material and perform in a way that

they were comfortable with seems to have been a very successful technique.

It is also worth noting that Nashville’s soundtrack was sufficiently strong to be nominated

for best soundtrack at the 1975 Academy Awards. However, the movie was disqualified for the

16 Interview. Cinefile n.d.: n. pag. Print. Robert Altman Archive: Projects - 1970s (1971-1977) 17 "Black Sheep (John Anderson song)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Mar. 2017. Web. 27 Mar. 2017. 18 "An Interview with Robert Altman ." Interview by Frank Beaver. Michigan Quarterly Review 1982: 46-52. Print.

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award, as over half of its music was not credited to a single music director. Instead the award

went to Jaws, which was released just ten days after Nashville.

Having discovered the importance of political undertones in Nashville, I wondered if

Altman’s interest in politics was limited to the tumultuous 1970s, or if it might also be expressed

in his later works. Was his political messaging a byproduct of the Watergate scandal and of the

era, or was it a theme he would continue to explore in the years to come? The next film I would

study was Secret Honor (1985).

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Chapter 2: Secret Honor

Journal Entry #2

I was now several months into my research, and at last I felt that I was getting a solid

grasp on Nashville. Although I’d initially expected it to be a light-hearted and possibly

improvised film about country music, I now realized that Altman’s vision and symbolism for

Nashville were much more sophisticated.

However, a part of me still remained skeptical of Altman’s overall style. I’d come to

understand why Nashville was a success, but I still wondered if this could be in attributed to

good luck. As I’d heard Altman say in some recorded interviews, he would often pick a random

idea he had and roll with it, or try something that he’d never done before, just for the sake of

doing something new. Although this methodology may have worked for Nashville, would it hold

up for some of Altman’s other projects? Would his apparent lack of respect for the tried-and-true

Hollywood formula prove to be his undoing, resulting in a string of mediocre films?

The next film I watched was Secret Honor, a film that Altman made in Ann Arbor,

Michigan. Secret Honor appealed to me not only because it was filmed at my school (and the

reason Altman’s archives would end up at Michigan), but also because this film had a different

format from Nashville. But, like Nashville, also explored Richard Nixon and 1970s-era politics.

In the opening scene, it is the late 1970s and Richard Nixon is shown pacing around his

New Jersey study. Throughout the film he delivers a monologue in which he discusses himself,

his family members, his allies and enemies, and the state of the United States. Sometimes he

blames himself for the outcome of his presidency, and sometimes he switches gears and blames

others for mistreating and misunderstanding him.

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I was intrigued by the high-level similarities between Secret Honor and Nashville, but

was again intimidated, this time by a 90-minutes of a one-man monologue about Richard Nixon

(a president I knew little about). Although I saw that Secret Honor received 77% on Rotten

Tomatoes (not terrible), I figured this was because pompous film critics had rated it. Moreover,

Secret Honor was shot on even more of a shoestring budget than Nashville, with crew members

comprised of undergraduate students.

Although this unusual approach, with only one actor in front of the camera, was novel

and therefore speaks to Altman’s creativity as well as his willingness to take risks, I also

wondered if the film signaled the end of Altman’s illustrious career. Why else would he be

directing what was, in essence, a student-film? Had prospective investors lost confidence in him

and turned their backs? Perhaps my initial hypothesis that Altman just didn’t have what it takes

to be a great director was true after all.

Secret Honor Archives

As I progressed through the archives from the late 1970s and early 80s, I discovered that

Altman’s career had, in fact, taken a turn for the worse after Nashville. By now Altman had a

reputation for being difficult to work with, and, after Nashville’s disappointing performance in

the box office, Altman found himself ostracized by Hollywood. Studios stopped returning his 19

calls and, although he preferred working on feature films, Altman was relegated to working in

theater, cable, and television. 20

19 Altman. Dir. Ron Mann. Perf. Robert Altman, Shelley Duvall, Joan Tewkesbury. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Ibid.

22

One evening during these days of “wilderness”, Altman attended a play at the Los 21

Angeles Actor’s theater called The Secret Honor. The one-man play, starring Philip Baker Hall,

told a fictionalized account of Nixon’s post-resignation ponderings and it struck a chord with

Altman. Not only was Altman still interested in the implications of Watergate, but the portrayal

of Nixon in the play may have reminded him of himself. At the time, both Altman and Nixon

were out-of-work public figures, and both were marginalized by their industries.

After the performance Altman made his way backstage and introduced himself to the

director, Robert Harders. Here he praised a delighted Harders, and hinted that he would like to

make The Secret Honor into a film. Harders, who had been an admirer of Nashville, was thrilled

by the idea and readily gave Altman his contact information. However, although he was hopeful

at first, months went by and he heard nothing from Altman. The play continued to tour, but

Harders gave up on the dream of making The Secret Honor into a film. 22

With prospects in Hollywood slim, Altman next accepted an invitation from Professor

Frank Beaver to teach in the communications department at the University of Michigan for the

fall of 1983.

The Secret Honor was still touring at the time, and at last Altman contacted Harders. He

might not have a large budget or the support of a Hollywood studio, but he had a group of

dedicated film students and a will to make Secret Honor into a movie. In the fall of 1983 Harders

took what he could get and arranged for The Secret Honor to show at the Lydia Mendelssohn

Theater in Ann Arbor. After the performance, he and Philip Baker Hall remained in Ann Arbor

for the filming.

21 Zuckoff, Mitchell. Robert Altman: the oral biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. Print. 22 "Interview with Robert Harders." Telephone interview. Oct. 2016.

23

Secret Honor Production

Altman invited Harders to serve as associate director for Secret Honor. Although no one

knew exactly what an associate director was, Harders worked closely with Hall on his acting.

Altman directed, students served as production assistants, and the University of Michigan string

ensemble performed the score. 23

Although the 90-minute film takes place entirely in one room and has only one character,

production days lasted nine long days. Altman and his students set up their studio in The 24

Martha Cook Dormitory at the University of Michigan, and dressed the first floor lounge as

Nixon’s New Jersey study. Altman’s son, Stephen, was the production designer, and the room

contained a desk, several bottles of whiskey, a row of television monitors, and several portraits

of former presidents. 25

Altman attempted to remain as true to the original play as possible and created a

mise-en-scene similar to the play by casting the same actor, Philip Baker Hall, and having the

film resemble a 90-minute monologue. Altman found that this format worked well for the

students too, as they had already seen the play when it had been staged at the Lydia Mendelssohn

Theater. 26

Although working with Altman was an honor for many students, they also were exposed

to the less glamorous aspects of filmmaking, particularly for low-budget productions. When

asked by Cineaste how Altman felt about working with students, he replied: “By the time it was

23 "Interview with Robert Harders." Telephone interview. Oct. 2016. 24 Ibid. 25 "An Interview with Robert Altman ." Interview by Frank Beaver. Michigan Quarterly Review 1982: 46-52. Print. 26 "Unknown." Cineaste(1984): n. pag. Web.

24

over they were disillusioned. They learned filmmaking is work, and that standing on a ladder and

working fourteen hours straight is not glamorous.” 27

Meaning and Symbolism in Secret Honor

The minimalist mise-en-scene in Secret Honor was about more than producing a film on

a low budget. Altman, his students, and critics agreed that film served as an excellent medium

for Secret Honor, and in many ways enhances the viewing experience. The main props include

portraits of previous presidents that line the walls, a bottle of whisky, a gun, and four monitors.

The monitors display a live video of Nixon himself, from a camera positioned somewhere in the

room. This is symbolic because as Nixon scrutinizes himself and his actions, the camera seems

to as well. Moreover, in his monologue Nixon talks to himself, and looks at his image in the

monitors as he does so, as if literally talking to himself. Moreover, the fact that there are four

monitors could represent the multifaceted nature of Nixon. Although the videos on the screens

are identical, the fact that there are four could represent how Nixon has more depth below the

surface. According to one review found in the Altman Archives:

Clearly the film wishes to indicate that there are many more facets, diverse layers, and depths to

Nixon than are apparent in the flat, two-dimensional image of television (and even of the film).

The multiple images reflect the complexity and confusion of this character. There is not one

Nixon, there are many. The question becomes not only which mask shall the viewer see beneath,

but whether or not the image shall be “real” or yet another representation the audience wants to

see. 28

27 Ibid. 28 Bick. "Unknown." Unknown n.d.: 23. Print. Robert Altman Archives

25

Not only do the monitors provide significant symbolism, they also make for interesting

and successful editing. By zooming in on and cutting to the monitors, Altman is able to retain

continuity and keep the viewer’s attention on Nixon. Moreover, Altman’s trademark technique of

allowing actors freedom shines through in Secret Honor. In this case, Altman gave Hall a

significant amount of freedom, and consequently Hall delivered a wonderful performance.

According to one newspaper clipping from the archives:

Wisely, Altman has not tampered noticeably with Hall’s original stage interpretation, which

remains an eerie revelation of unstopped rancor and sputtering incoherence. It’s the sort of

performance that makes one wonder how an actor might need to recover from it. 29

Similarly, the gun also stands out and provides significant symbolism. When Nixon picks

it up, it could mean he is considering shooting himself, or it could mean that he requires the gun

for self-protection. In this way, it parallels the human qualities of Nixon, and the complexities 30

of his thought processes. Although politics are often presented in black and white, the gun

represents how they are much more multi-dimensional. Although Nixon’s character is not

likeable in Secret Honor, viewers can nonetheless empathize with him, a tormented man who is

not the one-sided corrupt politician the media and popular culture of the time portrayed him to

be. On at least three levels, Secret Honor casts Nixon’s fall in a more nuanced light. First, there

is the question of whether Nixon understands his own culpability. For example, as one article in

the archives describes, “There are fragments of self-awareness, although this character is not a

29Robert Altman Archives, Box 52, unknown clipping. 30 Bick. "Unknown." Unknown n.d.: 29. Print. Robert Altman Archives

26

man who understands what is moral or what is right.” Sometimes Nixon expresses guilt and 31

regret for his actions, but sometimes he switches gears and blames others for accusing him of a

crime he did not commit.

Second, some might appreciate the fact that Nixon (unlike his nemesis, John F. Kennedy)

was not handed his success in life on a silver platter, but had to work for it. He often attempts to

justify his actions by saying things like, “To make it in this rat race you have to dream of failing

every day. I mean that is reality.” and “I am a real American. I’m not some rich Ivy League

prince that thinks he’s a winner.”

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Altman manages to suggest that Nixon may not be

the core of the problem, but the consequence of a systematically failing political system. If the

real culprits are elsewhere, behind the scenes, then to focus on an individual such as Nixon might

be fruitless. In Secret Honor, Nixon is portrayed more as a helpless victim than as a villain.

Just like Nashville appears to first be about music but is really about American culture,

Secret Honor appears to be about Nixon, but is really much more about American electoral

politics gone awry. In his expletive-laced rants, Nixon at times provides an insightful critique of

politics. At one point, he asserts that success in politics is more about fighting than whether you

are actually on the right side: “That is the American system. You take a side, it doesn’t even

matter which one, and you do on the attack!” Here, Altman is implying that Nixon is a

consequence and not a cause of the political morass. According to one article, “Nixon’s secret

honor is that, through the convenience of Watergate, he chose to take a fall for these diabolical

men rather than expose such information as would undo the nation.” 32

31 "'Secret Honor’: Fall of an Everyman." n.d.: n. pag. Print. Robert Altman Archives, Box 55 32 Ibid.

27

Altman successfully translated these themes from stage to screen, and some of his

techniques in Secret Honor show that he may have learned from his mistakes with Nashville. For

example, instead of expanding upon the original script for Secret Honor, Altman actually

“judiciously trimmed the original script and [gave] the piece a tighter focus than it had on the

stage.” Similarly, in contrast with Nashville, Secret Honor has only one character and story to 33

keep track of, instead of twenty-four. Although a 90-minute monologue may sound like a recipe

for boredom, the innovative editing and captivating performance by Hall make the film

entertaining throughout.

Secret Honor Reception

Film critics supported Altman and most reviews were glowing. Printer magazine

proclaimed Secret Honor “the best film that’s ever been made,” and, according to the Seattle 34

Times, “It’s quite a trick to make a political movie that is neither too bland to have any point nor

too one-sided to preach to more than the converted. “Secret Honor” is one of the rare ones.” 35

With Secret Honor, Altman takes the 90-minute monologue to his advantage, and some of his

trademark techniques that worked unevenly in Nashville fare better in Secret Honor. Unlike

Nashville, Secret Honor is snappier and easier to keep track of.

However, despite the positive reviews, one element that Secret Honor shares with

Nashville is that neither performed well at the box office. Not only had Altman’s reputation

33 "Unknown." n.d.: n. pag. Print. Robert Altman Archive: Unfinished or Suspended Projects (1960s-2000s), Box 555 34 Printer. (n.d.): 7. Print. Robert Altman Archive: Unfinished or Suspended Projects (1960s-2000s), Box 555 35 “‘Secret Honor’ guesses at what Nixon thought during his crisis”, Seattle Times, Unknown

28

declined, but many Americans had moved on from the Watergate scandal and were focused on

their new president, Ronald Reagan. 36

Furthermore, for those who were interested in Secret Honor, many were critical of

Altman’s portrayal of Nixon. According to Robert Harders, both Nixon supporters and

opponents were dissatisfied with Nixon’s representation. Those who supported Nixon thought 37

that his fictionalized and unhinged portrayal was unfair, and those who disliked Nixon felt that,

by casting him merely as a victim/pawn, Altman was too sympathetic towards him. Altman 38

defended his work by saying, “whether it's true or not doesn't make any difference because in art

what you try to do is explore various views of things. This is just a view.” 39

Additionally, to those who felt that Nixon/Watergate were no longer relevant, Altman

argued that the systematic corruption revealed by Watergate was still forcefully shaping political

life, and people shouldn’t be so quick to assume that everything would be made right by Ronald

Reagan. As Altman-scholar Adrian Danks of RMIT University explains:

Altman’s hypothetical rendering of Nixon’s reflections in Secret Honor came at a crucial time to

remind the American public of the rampant corruption in American politics only a decade

previously. Reagan and his optimistic discourse are conspicuously absent from Secret Honor,

despite the film’s creation at the height of his popularity. Nixon’s obsession with the past, as

emphasized in Altman’s film, undermines Reagan’s supposed credibility in looking forward,

helping to puncture the bubble of his dream metaphor. 40

36 Danks, Adrian. A companion to Robert Altman. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2015. Print, 212 37 Burnham, A (2016, October), phone interview with Robert Harders 38 Ibid. 39 Secret Honor (play 1983), 2 40 Danks, Adrian. A companion to Robert Altman. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2015. Print., 282

29

Although Secret Honor was made more than a decade after the Watergate Scandal,

Altman considered it a timeless film, with Richard Nixon merely an exemplar of an

American political system that had become institutionally corrupt. As one newspaper

clipping from the time of Secret Honor’s release stated, “If there is a moral to be gained

from this film, it is the implication that justice and honor are always internal.” 41

Here Altman again demonstrates his strengths, as his hypothesis has proven to hold

over the years. Today, more than forty years after Watergate, the American political system

retains many of the same flaws. In order to succeed, most politicians must align with

deep-pocketed donors and their campaigns may be based more upon spin and theatrics than

rational analysis of their policy proposals.

Secret Honor and Nashville

Although Secret Honor received some criticism and lack-of-interest for addressing a

scandal and president that were in the past, Altman’s decision to make a film about Nixon and

Watergate was a thoughtful one. In one interview with Cineaste, the interviewer asks Altman

what attracted him to the material (for Secret Honor). Altman replied:

I thought that through the vehicle of Richard Nixon, we could reveal what has to be done to arrive

at public office today. Democracy is being cheated by today’s technology and the celebrityism that

goes along with it. We do not have the best people for the job. It has become like getting a lead in a

soap opera. And there is a defeated psychology that goes along with it, because who has the power?

41(2012, November). Robert Altman interview on "The Player" and more (1993)

30

Not the president. It’s those guys who put up millions of dollars to get someone elected, who would

like to sell a candy bar to every Chinese citizen. 42

This concern that American politics is off the rails not only illuminates Altman’s

rationale for making Secret Honor at the specific time he did (nearly 10 years after Nixon’s

resignation), it also sheds more light on his purpose for making Nashville. Although the quote

above is about Secret Honor, it is also reminiscent of the themes and subject matter he addresses

in Nashville. Altman’s concern that politics have become corrupt and about, to use Altman’s

term, “celebtrityism” is one that he explores in depth in Nashville and hoped to explore even

further in Nashville Nashville.

42 Secret Honor: Interviews with Donald Freed and Robert Altman by Patricia Aufderheide

31

Chapter 3: Nashville Nashville

Journal Entry #3:

The third and final Altman project I studied was Nashville Nashville, the unmade sequel

to Nashville, whose manuscript is preserved in the archives at U of M. I wondered: What

inspired Altman to make a sequel? Could he, for a third time, be trying to make a statement

about the continued implications of Watergate? If Secret Honor was an attempt to point out the

ongoing nature of corruption in politics, perhaps Nashville Nashville would share a similar

purpose.

Still, as I flipped open the first page, I wondered why the film hadn’t been made. Did this

mean that Nashville Nashville was even more boring than Nashville, or had the project fallen

through for other reasons? As I continued my research, I hoped to learn what Nashville Nashville

was all about, why Altman had decided to make it, and why the project was ultimately cancelled.

Nashville Nashville introduction

Although even more time had passed since Watergate, Altman still felt there was more to

be said about the scandal and its implications for the American political system. Moreover, the

years after Nashville would be known Altman’s “post-Nashville slide.” From 1976 to 1980 he

directed six films (including Secret Honor), all of which failed at the box office. As Altman’s 43

new projects became less and less successful, the possibility of recreating the glory days of

Nashville became increasingly attractive. Although, as Nashville Nashville screenwriter Robert

Harders pointed out, “there [were] some risks to revisiting an old work that was so highly

43 Ibid.

32

acclaimed, the idea of bringing together an old cast and recreating the experience was very

attractive to Altman.” With Nashville Nashville, Altman hoped to continue the stories of the 44

original cast, thirteen years later. Although they are older, most of the characters still struggle

with their same flaws.

As Jan Stuart writes in her book, The Nashville Chronicles, “Harders’s theme, cribbed

from Christopher Lasch’s Culture of Narcissism, would be the tendency of Americans to repeat

their mistakes because of an inability to learn from their history.” In this way, many characters 45

in Nashville Nashville have become more extreme versions of themselves than in the original

film.

Haven Hamilton, for example, who was an aging and self-important country star in the

original, has become a televangelist who exploits grief and vulnerability of his viewers by

shamelessly providing on-air tributes to deceased loved ones for thousands of dollars.

Barbara Jean’s death, which occurs at the end of Nashville, is exploited repeatedly

throughout the sequel. The film begins with her memorial service, where memorial-goers are

more concerned with getting autographs from Connie White, who has replaced Barbara Jean as

the most popular country star, than paying their respects to Barbara Jean. For her part, Connie

has become shallow and self-absorbed to the point that she even refuses to wear black to the

memorial as she feels that it would be unflattering.

A Barbara Jean museum has opened in Nashville, and its profit-driven practices are

shameless. Pricey gimmicks fill the museum, including a wax figurine wearing the bloody dress

that Barbara Jean died in. When Opal, the British reporter sees it, she insensitively exclaims,

44 Burnham, A (2016, October), phone interview with Robert Harders 45 Stuart, Jan. The Nashville chronicles: the making of Robert Altman's masterpiece. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000. Print., 305

33

“Look how tiny she was!” as if that is more shocking than the gruesomeness of the dress.

Additionally, the museum provides a photo opportunity with a cardboard cutout of Barbara Jean,

boasting that, for five dollars, “Barbara Jean comes alive for the whole family.”

Tom Frank, of folk-trio Tom, Bill, and Mary, has become a successful solo artist and is

now married to Martha. Mary and Bill, however, have come on harder times. Bill is now a

chauffeur, and is only able to find second-rate music gigs on occasion, and Mary is a

schoolteacher.

Bill in particular has become a shadow of his former self. Having broken up with the trio,

he now struggles to find even the most modest music gigs, but still refuses to give up the dream

of reuniting with Tom and releasing a hit song. This theme of desperation and delusion is one

that is present in Nashville, but is amplified in Nashville Nashville. Not only are characters more

desperate, they are also older and have spent more time trying in vain to become famous.

In this way, Albuquerque, the highly ambitious country singer from Nashville, also shares

similar delusions regarding her music career. Although she ended on a strong note with her

performance of “It Don’t Worry Me” at the Parthenon at the end of Nashville, she has spent the

last twelve years attempting to rise back to the top and has gone nowhere. Like Bill, she is only

able to get gigs in very small venues, such as bars, where patrons pay little attention to the music.

The two even perform together sometimes at small bars and local venues.

The end of Nashville Nashville also parallels the ending in Nashville. In Nashville

Nashville Albuquerque attempts to break in backstage at the Parthenon in order to perform on

stage once more, like in her glory days of Nashville. This again could represent how people are

prone to repeat their mistakes and how history is bound to repeat itself.

34

Moreover, some of the music in Nashville Nashville also addresses this theme. The lyrics

to Albuquerque’s new song, “Bad Dreams are Better Than no Dreams at All,” for example, not

only tell of a woman’s anguish over having been left by a lover, but also serve as a reminder that

in living with the post-Watergate awareness of the collapse of the American dream, everyone has

been living a nightmare but still calling it a dream. Similarly, musicians who come to Nashville 46

believe they are living the dream, but in reality they have a low quality of life and are prone to

scams and hardship.

For example, Weldon Starre, who is now married to Albuquerque, runs a scam music

business in which he charges musicians under the pretense that he will distribute their music to

radio stations and make them famous. One musician in particular, DD Johnson, is repeatedly

scammed by Starre, who promises him that his music is doing well in obscure cities, and that for

only $1700 more dollars he can make him a huge star.

Altman addresses politics in Nashville Nashville mostly through the character of Linnea

Reese, who is running for governor of Tennessee. Although she seems to be a more upstanding

candidate than most, she too ultimately sells out in order to be elected. Although at first she

protests when she is asked to have her children in her television ad, she eventually gives in,

recognizing that it’s just a necessary step in order to get into the office, at which point she can

help the people.

Overall, Altman addresses politics a in Nashville Nashville in a similar, but more blatant,

way than the original. He conveys his message of degradation in politics mostly by juxtaposing

Reese’s campaign with the broader depravity of the striving musicians around her, and provides

46 Ibid.

35

several obvious metaphors. For example, Reese’s campaign van, which spouts slogans over a PA

system, breaks down at the cemetery – providing a comical image to represent the broken down

state of American politics. 47

Additionally, Harders incorporates themes of racism in the film, which were also

prevalent in America in the 1970s. For example, the fact that Wade, a character who works at a

coffee shop at the Nashville airport, is black, is significant. In one scene Wade is at work and 48

he is bossed around and mistreated because of his race. He retorts to the waitress, “where else are

you gonna get another [black man] that’ll work this cheap. Not in 1988.” Here he comments on 49

the fact that racism is still prevalent, even though people might turn a blind eye to it.

Overall, I found Nashville Nashville to be an enjoyable read and a thoughtful

continuation of Nashville, so I wondered why the plug had been pulled. I decided to contact the

screenwriter, Robert Harders, and see if I could get more information.

A Call with Robert Harders

I ran a Google search, attempting to find a phone number or email address online, but the

only contact information I found for Robert Harders was an address for a ramshackle apartment 50

in Poughkeepsie, New York. Hoping I had the address for correct Robert Harders, I wrote a

letter, dropped it in the mailbox, and waited.

The following week I awoke to an email from R Harders, in which he kindly agreed to

schedule a phone call with me for the following Friday morning. I initiated the call, Harders

47 "Interview with Robert Harders." Telephone interview. Oct. 2016. 48 Ibid. 49 Harders, Robert, and Robert Altman. NASHVILLE NASHVILLE. N.d. MS, Robert Altman Archives: Unfinished Projects. University of Michigan, 23 50 As determined by Google Maps street view

36

answered, and we began to talk about his experiences with Altman, Nashville, Secret Honor, and

Nashville Nashville.

Before describing the specifics of writing Nashville Nashville, we talked generally about

Altman’s philosophy and motivation. First, I asked Harders why he thought Altman had decided

to make a sequel to Nashville. Did Altman want to explore the changes in politics and the United

States through another, similar film? Harders thought it over and speculated that Altman

primarily would have wanted to make a sequel as he would have been curious about what had

happened to the characters thirteen years after Nashville. Additionally, he pointed out that

Nashville was a project for which Altman had received considerable acclaim, and a sequel could

help recreate that glory. But, importantly, as he demonstrated with Secret Honor, Altman was

still interested in the effects of the Watergate scandal, and its continued significance over a

decade later. As Harders said:

I don’t know that [Altman] was ever saying anything about Nashville. Rather Nashville was being

used as a metaphor for the rest of the country. And things had certainly changed in the rest of the

country since the time that the original film was made. 51

Harders and I chatted for nearly two hours, delving into more details about the production

for both Secret Honor and Nashville Nashville. Specifically, Harders told me more about his

writing process, the beginning stages of Nashville Nashville’s production, and its many setbacks.

51 Ibid.

37

Nashville Nashville Production

Despite Nashville’s high acclaim and Altman’s desire to make a sequel, getting the

project off the ground was more challenging than he expected. Most studios did not want to take

on the project, and only Jerry Weintraub, producer for the original, agreed to do it. Together he

and Altman began to reassemble the old cast and devise a plot for the new film.

Altman initially asked Joan Tewkesbury if she would write the screenplay, but she

declined the offer, which is when Altman instead propositioned Robert Harders. In May of 1986

Harders agreed to take on the job, and a contract was drawn up between him and Altman’s agent,

Sam Cohen. 52

When I asked Harders how he felt about the job, he admitted that was surprised that

Altman had asked him to write the sequel (not realizing Tewkesbury had already declined), but

he was very pleased as he had been highly moved by the original film. As he recalled in our

interview, seeing Nashville was one of only four screenings in his life where he was

exceptionally moved by a film. He recalled that as the audience filed out around him after the

screening, he remained behind in the theater, stunned and simply trying to make sense of what

had just happened, particularly with the death of Barbara Jean. 53

As for the writing process, unlike Tewkesbury, Harders spent no time in Nashville to

prepare or write the script. As Harders pointed out, the sequel relied less on the location than the

original, and almost entirely on the characters and their relationships, which had already been

established in the original film. Additionally, as Harders recalled, when he and Altman began to

52 Stuart, Jan. The Nashville chronicles: the making of Robert Altman's masterpiece. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000. Print., 305 53 Burnham, A (2016, October), phone interview with Robert Harders

38

discuss the screenplay, Altman presented him with a page-and-a-half of notes addressing where

the characters might be now.

Harders quickly got to work, and the first draft was called Nashville XIII, for thirteen

years after Nashville. Harders spent the next two years refining the script, and changed the name

to Nashville XIV and then Nashville XV, before finishing with a draft called Nashville Nashville.

Having been through many drafts starting with Nashville XIII, Harders and Altman decided to

call it Nashville Nashville to represent a file cabinet or an infinite number of sequels. 54

However, problems continued despite having a completed and cohesive script. Altman

had directed a number of unsuccessful projects since Nashville, and many industry executives

and actors had lost faith in him. Moreover, Nashville Nashville was reliant on bringing back

nearly all of the original 24-member ensemble cast of the original film, many of whom had

become bigger stars since Nashville and were reluctant to commit to the low-budget sequel.

In a letter from David Kirkpatrick, president of Weintraub studios, to Scottie Bushnell,

the Nashville producer, on October 29th, 1987, Kirkpatrick theorizes why several key actors

were reluctant to commit to the film, and strategizes for how to bring them on board. Kirkpatrick

attempts to be reassuring, explaining that the actors’ concerns could all be alleviated with simple

explanations and reassurances – ideally from Altman himself. As he summarizes at the end of the

note:

Basically, Scottie, these folks need just a little attention and old-fashioned hand-holding on the part

of Bob. Since our movie is a “labor of love” and not about major financial remuneration it’s

54 Ibid.

39

important that they feel valued and part of a team endeavor. As you know, what will take Bob and

Marty a few minutes now will save us from hours of headaches later.

Actors listed in this note include Keith Carradine, Geraldine Chaplin, Shelley Duvall, Scott

Glenn, Jeff Goldblum, Barbara Harris, Michael Murphy, Allan Nicholls, Bert Remsen, Lily

Tomlin, and Gwen Welles.

However, some actors may have had deeper problems with participating in the sequel

than Kirkpatrick was willing to admit. As Keith Carradine discussed in a Washington Post

Article called “‘Nashville Role Haunts Carradine,” for example, he struggled to escape the

apathetic, womanizing character that he played in Nashville when he went on tour in real life. As

he said in the article: “Up on stage, I was playing my songs, trying to prove I'm not the same guy

as Tom Frank. But I couldn't help feeling like I was disappointing them.” However, many years

later Carradine realized that Altman’s direction of him in Nashville was brilliant. In casting him

in a role he didn’t like, Tom Frank appears to be a man who doesn’t like himself on screen. 55

Still, there were many cast members who were interested in and committed to making the

sequel. On November 5th, 1989, Kirkpatrick wrote to Bushnell again with confirmation from

David Arkin, Barbara Baxley, Karen Black, Timothy Brown, Robert Doqui, Henry Gibson,

Allan Nicholls, Christina Raines-Crowe, and Bert Remsen. However, Kirkpatrick needed a

confirmation from the others by the 15th of November in order to move forward with Paramount,

and the film would not be doable without principle characters like Linnea Reese (Lily Tomlin),

Tom Frank (Keith Carradine), and Martha (Shelley Duvall).

55(2012, November). Keith Carradine and the music of Nashville, Youtube

40

When the November 15th deadline passed Nashville Nashville was initially considered

postponed, and Jerry Weintraub hinted that production might resume the following year.

However, as more time went by, this possibility waned. According to Robert Harders, “There

never was a moment when the plug was pulled.” He just remembered getting a call from his 56

agent saying that he wasn't going to get paid anymore. "I don't think they had any faith in Bob,"

is how he explains it now. 57

Additionally, as Harders pointed out, many of the themes in Nashville Nashville were

reliant on the audience having seen the original film in order to pick up on. Although making the

sequel could have been a mechanism to bring the original film back to theaters for a double

feature and increased box office revenue, this ended up not being enough incentive to get the

project off the ground. 58

Although Harders was disappointed with the outcome of Nashville Nashville, he also

confessed that he felt a sense of relief when it was over. “It’s kind of like when someone dies,”

he explained. “You’re sad but you also feel relief.” Still, he felt a sense of satisfaction years 59

later when Lily Tomlin admitted to regretting not making the Nashville sequel. 60

A few months later, after the initial sting had worn off, Altman asked Harders if he’d like

to write a film called "Short Cuts." Harders declined, speculating that Altman offered him this

solely in an attempt to mitigate the bad news about Nashville Nashville, and doubted it was a

serious offer. Additionally, although for a while there was also some talk of making a Nashville

56 "Why Robert Altman's brilliant 'Nashville' never had a sequel." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2017. 57 Ibid. 58 "Interview with Robert Harders." Telephone interview. Oct. 2016. 59 "Interview with Robert Harders." Telephone interview. Oct. 2016. 60 Ibid.

41

Broadway musical, that didn't happen either. Still, Harders and Altman remained friends until 61

Altman’s death in 2006.

Still, having read and enjoyed the script myself, I wondered if Harders still held out hope

of sharing it. Would he publish the screenplay? Or perhaps even make the film now? However,

Harders said no to both of these questions. Not only have some of the actors and people

associated with the film passed away, including Bob, but Harders felt that Nashville Nashville

would not make as much sense in today’s culture, where even fewer people would understand its

political context. He pointed out that Nashville is now a TV show (unrelated to the original film),

and Nashville (1975) or Nashville Nashville (198-) might not appeal to viewers of Nashville

(2012-).

This resonated with me, as I’ve wondered if I would have perceived Nashville (1975)

differently had I seen it when it was first in theaters. At that time I would have been personally

affected by Watergate, and the style of country music in the film might have been more familiar.

Additionally, the stars of Nashville might have been famous and current celebrities of the time,

which would have had some appeal as well. If someone writes a thesis about Nashville (2012-) in

40 years, they might also perceive it differently from someone watching it today.

Still, reading Nashville Nashville gave me a better understanding of Nashville. When I

first saw Nashville it was hard to tell which parts were supposed to be satirical, and whether the

film was intended to be a political critique. Nashville Nashville, on the other hand, clearly made

fun of the music industry, and the political critiques and parallels were more apparent as well. By

learning from the screenplay and Harders himself that Nashville served as a metaphor for the

61 Ibid.

42

United States, I could tell retrospectively that the original Nashville had the same intention. This

knowledge gave me a deeper understanding of Nashville and a greater appreciation for Altman’s

vision and directing.

Moreover, although Harders and I agreed that Nashville might be difficult for a modern

audience to fully enjoy due to its length and dated filmic techniques, I now realized that

Nashville and Nashville Nashville were both more relevant than I’d initially given them credit

for. Like Nashville Nashville comments on how themes from Nashville continued fifteen years

later, many of these same themes (such as celebrity politics, the desire for fame, racism, and so

on) still exist today, over forty years after Nashville.

43

Chapter 4: Nashville Today

As a final part of my journey, I took trip to Nashville to visit the locations where

Nashville was filmed, and to learn more about the country music industry of the 1970s and of

today. Although it was a bit of a boondoggle, I still hoped to find some kind of groundbreaking

information that pertained to my research.

When I arrived at the airport a part of me expected to see musicians flowing into town

and hoping to make it big like the characters in Nashville. However, although the airport had

photos on the walls of country legends and a few music-related displays, I only saw one incomer

with a guitar.

Still, I knew there was more to discover once I arrived downtown. I thought of Joan

Tewkesbury as I Ubered from the airport to my hotel, recalling how the inspiration for

Nashville’s opening scene had come when she encountered a traffic jam while leaving the

airport.

Once I checked into my hotel I was ready to set out and see the city. First on my agenda

was to visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, which was located only about a mile and a half

from my hotel. At the museum I learned a lot about the progression of country music over the

years, and what it was like in the 70s (Nashville’s era), and the 80s (Nashville Nashville’s era). I

learned that the music industry was changing rapidly in that era, as older country music was

losing its appeal and younger generations were gravitating towards rock and roll music. To

regain some of its audience, Nashville developed a sleeker sound with pop and rock influences.

Some leading new acts became more slick and exchanged banjos and twang for electric guitars,

elaborate light shows, and glamorous costumes. This change may have reminded Altman of

44

political campaigns, which had also become flashy and expensive. Richard Nixon, for example,

was an actor, and our current president, Donald Trump, was a reality TV-show star and is an

astute social media user. Country music stars, like politicians, may be more about their

marketing and the people behind them than the other way around (like Altman addresses in

Secret Honor).

After I finished up at the Country Music Hall of Fame, I made my way to Broadway

Street downtown where I discovered live music at the local bars and honky-tonks. Would today’s

musicians share the same dreams and attributes as the ones from Nashville, or has the music

scene changed too much for comparison? In visiting bars and music venues, I did find a lot of

hopeful musicians, but I also learned that that a lot of the music in Nashville is now designed for

tourists. The downtown area is set up in a touristy-way (see fig. 2), and many of the musicians

were dressed up and performed only cover songs to please the tourist crowd.

Fig. 2 - Broadway Street in downtown Nashville

45

Fig. 3 - Guitar Player in Downtown Nashville

In one bar, a band that dressed from the fifties that performed Elvis covers tried

particularly hard to please the crowd, to the point of discomfort for the audience. Although there

were only a few patrons, the lead singer danced, climbed on the bar, and sang passionately,

addressing specific people in the crowd (including me, to my embarrassment) (see fig 4).

Fig. 4 - Elvis cover band performing on Broadway St. in Nashville

However, although the music industry has changed since Nashville, this still reminded me

of the film. Although they performed covers, nearly all the musicians I met were driven and

hoped to be discovered one day, no matter how small the odds. I approached one band, which

performed covers at another nearly-empty bar, and asked what their name was. Although they

didn’t have a name as a band, the guitarist assured me that they were all singer-songwriters, and

46

the lead singer produced a business card with a glam headshot and website address. This

reminded me of Nashville, as the theme of desperation and potentially false hope of getting

discovered is one that is still apparent in the music industry and many other artistic industries

today.

Next, I visited The Grand Ole Opry for a backstage tour. Again, much of the tour seemed

focused on legends of the past more so that current music. (see fig. 5)

Fig. 5 - The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville

On the ride home, I chatted with the Uber driver about the music industry in Nashville,

and he, like many people I’d spoken with, felt that the music industry had dwindled, and

remained mostly as a tourist attraction. As the driver said, “the music fills the hotels, but the real

industry is now in medicine and other industries.”

After that I went to Music Row where I experienced firsthand how much the music

industry has changed. Although Music Row was once a bustling part of Nashville that contained

upwards of eighty studios, now only a few remain and the area blends in with a residential

neighborhood. (see fig. 6)

47

Fig. 6 - Music Row in Nashville

However, although the music industry in Nashville may have changed over the years, the

theme of desperation and the drive to become famous that is addressed in Nashville is still very

evident today, even if in new forms. As Tewkesbury said, Nashville was never even really about

country music, but rather a character study about those who are driven to become famous. Today

there may be fewer people who are trying to become country stars, but there are thousands of

people trying to be discovered in various ways, particularly with YouTube, Instagram, and other

social media platforms.

Finally, I visited the Parthenon, the location for the climax and final scene of Nashville.

Although the area surrounding the Parthenon has been built up, the building itself looks exactly

as it did in 1975. (see fig. 7) Seeing it made me wonder, like in Nashville Nashville, if change

occurs more slowly than we realize. Although it has now been over 40 years since Nashville,

political campaigns can still be misleading and overly performance-based. Moreover, our

48

country still struggles from the themes that Harders addressed, such as racism and a fear of

terrorism.

Fig. 7 - The Parthenon in Nashville

49

Conclusion Going into this project, I thought that Nashville was a light-hearted film about music. I

expected to go through the archives and learn more about the Nashville soundtrack, country

music, and Altman’s love of music and improvisation. However, exploring the archives showed

me that Nashville is a much more complex and multi-layered film, with music being only a small

component.

As I continued my research I found that politics and the Watergate scandal were truly

central to Altman’s work and vision (particularly in Nashville, Secret Honor, and Nashville

Nashville), and that music served primarily as additional entertainment and a metaphor for the

power hungry, ambitious, and spectacle-like government. This became especially clear as I

realized it was a recurring theme in Nashville, Secret Honor, and Nashville Nashville. All three

films address corruption in American politics using Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal as

a case study.

Although the mass movie-going audience did not share Altman's enthusiasm for the topic

and the movies underperformed at the box office, all three were still very strong and thoughtful

pieces. In Altman’s own words, he never pandered to the film industry, and he liked every film

he ever made. Although I was initially skeptical of Nashville, I came to appreciate many of its

qualities including its music, editing, acting, and political themes. Moreover, I realized that many

of the themes addressed in Nashville, Secret Honor, and Nashville Nashville are still surprisingly

relevant to today, over forty years later.

Now it’s been a nearly year since I took on this project and first watched Nashville.

Looking back, my understanding of the film and my appreciation for Altman as a director have

significantly changed. After my first viewing, I thought Nashville was a hard-to-understand and

50

chaotic film with minimal meaning, but I realize now that it is abundant with symbolism and

meaning. Although it can still hard to understand, particularly upon a first viewing, this is part of

what makes Nashville an innovative film that can be enjoyed and understood on different levels

with each new viewing.

Moreover, Nashville was not just a fluke success for Altman. As Altman has

demonstrated with Secret Honor, Nashville Nashville and many other works, he constantly strove

to try innovative filming techniques and create films that had social and political messages. As a

maverick and innovator, Altman deserves his place as one of Hollywood’s most influential

directors.

51

Epilogue: The Nashville Screening in New York, 2017

Fig. 8 - Ticket for Nashville at the Metrograph Theater in NYC, April 2017

In attending the screening of Nashville, I hoped to find a few final answers to the

questions that had arisen during my research. Having wondered how an audience would react to

the film, now over 40 years after its release, this was the perfect opportunity to find out. Would

they notice that Nashville is really a political critique? What scenes would they react to the most,

and what demographic would the screening attract? Would they withstand the three hour

screening?

I arrived and found my assigned seat near the front. The theater was old and historic with

red-velvet seats, suggesting a bygone era in movies. I glanced around and felt a slight flurry of

nerves as I noticed Tewkesbury taking a seat in the row right behind me. The rows slowly filled

in, and, to my surprise, there was a diverse crowd with viewers of all ages – but most appeared to

be in their 20s and 30s.

At 4:30pm the host introduced Tewkesbury, the lights dimmed, and Nashville began. The

film opened the same way it had numerous times on my laptop, but viewing it for the first time

52

on the big screen with a full audience and my research behind me truly gave me a new

experience.

I no longer felt intimidated by Nashville’s length or structure, and the familiar characters

and songs felt welcoming. Suddenly, I realized that watching Nashville was like listening to a

music album, which one often needs to hear multiple times to fully appreciate. In this way,

Nashville, like new music, requires commitment from the viewer but promises impact. And I had

also come to realize that the music served a dual purpose. On one hand, the music tied together

the film’s vignettes and storylines, and, on the other, the uncut performances provided a nice

break from the commotion that reigns in many of the film’s other scenes. Although Nashville, as

Robert Harders told me, was not “about music,” the music provided entertainment value and

showcased a beloved art form in a unique way. At last music, the thing that had initially attracted

me to Nashville and to this project, was shining through.

Watching Nashville on the big screen also had the unexpected effect of immersing me in

the plot. I found myself almost transported to Nashville, so much that, when a song ended, I was

tempted to applaud from my seat in the theater. At one point during the film, one person in the

theater did clap once, before remembering that they too were just watching a movie.

Similarly, I felt a genuine sense of nerves as the second-to-last scene unfolded, knowing

that Barbara Jean was about to be shot. For the first time, I cared about the character, and about

the outcome of the film. And when Albuquerque took the stage and performed “It Don’t Worry

Me” in the film’s final scene, I felt a real desire that Nashville Nashville had been made.

Although, having read the script, I knew what happened to the characters thirteen years later, I

nonetheless would have liked to see them again on screen.

53

After the film ended, I stayed seated with most of the audience for the Q and A. The host

and Tewkesbury took seats on stage, and the host asked a few questions before opening up the

discussion to the audience. He asked about Altman’s dailies screenings, and the audience asked

about her process for writing the script and contributing to Nashville’s production. Although I

didn’t learn much from the Q and A, I realized this meant (to use Nashville-star Haven

Hamilton’s lyrics) “[I] must have done something right” with my research.

Fig. 9 - Joan Tewkesbury and Robert Altman, circa 1975

Fig. 10 - Tewkes and me after the Nashville Screening, April, 2017

54

Acknowledgments

I owe great thanks to the faculty and students in the Screen Arts and Cultures (SAC)

department at the University of Michigan. My incredibly intelligent and supportive primary

adviser, Matthew Solomon, provided guidance and unwavering support throughout the year, and

throughout my time at Michigan. “Major Directors” with Professor Solomon was the very first

course I had at U of M, and Professor Solomon has given me his full support ever since. Despite

some setbacks along the way, Professor Solomon always believed in me and had my back, even

at times when I felt at a loss.

My secondary adviser, Caryl Flinn, also generously provided support and guidance this

year. Professor Flinn is a highly accomplished film writer and scholar, and having her feedback

and support have greatly improved this thesis. Dawn Hollison, the honors seminar leader, also

did an amazing job keeping up with my thesis and its many iterations and drafts, and consistently

provided support and insightful feedback. Professor Hollison also generously helped

accommodate my work schedule and other conflicts, and did an excellent job leading the honors

seminars.

Johannes von Moltke, the Chair of the SAC department, attended the honors seminar

check-ins, and provided insightful feedback each semester. Although he came in at the last

minute, he always had thoughtful advice and sometimes a better grasp on my research than I did.

My fellow honors seminar peers, Emily Browning, Abby Buchmeyer, Clare Higgins and

Logan McCulloch also enriched my year and were skilled at offering constructive criticism that

inspired me. In my opinion, they are among the highest-caliber students in the SAC department

and I look forward to seeing where their careers take them.

55

I was also incredibly fortunate to engage with three contemporaries and close associates

of Robert Altman’s: Robert Harders, Frank Beaver, and Joan Tewkesbury. Each of them gave

me hours of their time and showed patience as I asked them questions about Altman the man,

and Altman the director of Nashville, Secret Honor, and Nashville Nashville. These

conversations brought Robert Altman to life in a way that the archive couldn’t, and were some of

the most meaningful moments of this project.

The SAC department at Michigan has also been phenomenal, providing me with

extensive support and resources. For this thesis, I was awarded the Garnet R. Garrison

Scholarship for Honors, which gave me the opportunity to travel to Nashville and conduct a

portion of my research there.

Additionally, Philip Hallman, the film studies librarian, and the staff at The Special

Collections Library were extremely helpful this year. They helped me navigate the vast and

intimidating archive collection, and maintained a very pleasant place for me to conduct my

research (see fig. 11).

Finally, my parents also deserve recognition for their unwavering support and for

encouraging me to keep working and to do my best, even when I faltered.

This project could not have been done alone, and I owe my thanks to all the individuals

and departments above. This project has helped me grow as a person and filmmaker, and it’s an

experience I won’t forget.

56

Fig. 11 - View from The Special Collections Library in Hatcher Library, Fall 2016

57

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59