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Interview Exclusive Interview with Ronee Blakley Celebrating 1975s Nashville (1 Viewer)

Neil Middlemiss

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Ronee Blakley made her film debut in 1975 in Robert Altman’s Nashville. The story of explored a five-day period in Nashville, TN and a cross-section of musical performers, groupies, business men, and others in town ahead of a presidential rally. The film involved over two dozen characters and their related, and interrelated plots, with Ronee Blakley portraying country singer Barbara Jean, a star crumbling under the weight of her stardom.


Blakley, with her natural and emotional performance, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (competing against fellow supporting star, Lily Tomlin), and received numerous other nominations and wins (including the National Board of Review).


Nashville is newly available now via digital retail outlets.
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HTF: Nashville turns 40 this year and remains a highly acclaimed and influential film. What is it about the film, from your perspective, that you think has given the film such an enduring influence in cinema?



Ronee Blakley: Well, I think it's Robert Altman, number one, and Robert Altman, number two, and Robert Altman, number three. And as for the rest of it, I think it's one of those things that can't really be explained. An amalgamation, a chemistry, a group of people, a time and a place of where the sum is far greater than its parts.


HTF: Robert Altman’s cinematic gifts are plentiful. But one that stands out was his ability to coalesce a large cast of characters, with multiple threads, and pull them together into a cogent, absorbing narrative. Directing his scenes with an eye and an ear for what sounds and seems natural, and allowing characters to be fully formed, fully realized. What did you learn from working with Robert Altman on Nashville?



Ronee Blakley: Well, I was first hired on the movie as a writer. Although I wasn't paid, I was consulted, and knew that my songs would be used. So he thought of me that way from the beginning, and I actually replaced another actor. My ideas were taken very seriously, and were used, and I was allowed to write my own things. I contributed seven songs to the film and introduced him to Vassar Clements, and feel like I was really taken into the heart of the creativity of the movie. The script was written by Joan Tewkesbury and she wrote a beautiful script. But it didn't really include my role, because the only scene that was written in the script for [my character, Barbara Jean] was the hospital scene, which is a wonderful scene. She did a great script, but as for my contribution, I contributed everything else that I did.

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HTF: You'd already made quite the impression with your first album, them later recording your second album [which was released after Nashville came out] that received well-deserved acclaim



Ronee Blakley: Thank you


HTF: But when you portrayed Barbara Jean, the lid just blew off. You were a wonderful musical talent, and then you really struck a nerve on the big screen. Was that overwhelming at the time to have been thrust into that spotlight so very quickly as a result of the film? How did it feel?

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Ronee Blakley: It was a pretty big wave. It was very exciting. I was aware of what was happening and it was thrilling. It was intoxicating. It was glaring and just fabulous.


HTF: Do you have a song from the film that you particularly enjoyed performing? I'm fond of Dues, but I'm curious to know if you have something that stands out for you.



Ronee Blakley: [chuckles] A lot of people like that. Thank you so much, really. I like them all, especially Dues, and My Idaho Home, and Tapedeck is a lot of fun to sing.


HTF: The 1970s is often called the greatest decade in cinema, with some people arguing that perhaps the 1930s come first. But there's something about the '70s, and films like Nashville, capture a moment in time. When I think about why Nashville has remained influential and popular, is how it is able to explore interesting characters and says something more about society, and particularly that time in American society, where the country was re-evaluating its identity, worn out by political scandals, coming off the Vietnam War. People's view of the world had shifted, there was a distrust in authority, and I wonder from your perspective if you feel that Nashville time-capsules the way you remember that period?

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Ronee Blakley: People said the '70s was really the '60s. In other words, the student revolution of the '60s which changed the world really bled into the '70s and changed everyone. And it became more pervasive than just a student movement, it was the anti-war movement which actually succeeded. But then Nixon was having his Watergate scandal at the time that this was made, so yes, I agree with you. The '70s were a great time for movies. I wish we had all those movies being made today. I wish they could still be made today, and the political activism that was rampant, as it should be. Activism all over the place [for] civil rights and women’s rights which are the paramount thing. We do not have our ERA [Equal Rights Amendment] yet, and we need that. And the nation needs to get its college graduates educated without putting them into the poor house from exploitative loans. So yes. To answer your question, yes the '70s was great. For cinema, the greatest. Political activism, and caring for others and perspicacious allocation of opinions, ideas, theories. And practice of art, and work and trying to make a better world for everyone is always a good thing


HTF: I would be remiss if I didn't talk a little bit about Wes Craven, who recently passed away very sadly.



Ronee Blakley: May he rest in peace. And Bob Altman, may he rest in peace.


HTF: You worked with Wes on A Nightmare On Elm Street. What went through your mind when you heard that Wes Craven had passed?

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Ronee Blakley: Sorrow. It's was terrible, and as you know I see those actors [from A Nightmare on Elm Street] because we sign autographs at these conventions, which is a great honor and a lot of fun. And we were all together last week in Indianapolis, and we all memorialized Wes, and grieved his passing there together. Wes was a great artist


HTF: And you are a great artist too. Beyond singing and acting, you have pursued painting. You've performed spoken word, you've got some great spoken work pieces recorded. You are a creative powerhouse, and it's astonishing when someone that can achieve in so many artistic and creative outlets, so I wanted to say thank you for what you've given to the creative and artistic world.



Ronee Blakley: Thank you so much, Neil. What a beautiful thing to say. That means a lot to me, really.


HTF: Well, thank you. And congratulations on 40 years of Nashville. All the best to you



Ronee Blakley: Thank you so much, take care. And thanks for liking my work!
 

bujaki

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I had never heard of her before Nashville. She left an indelible impression on me. Great interview and good to know that her inner fire hasn't been extinguished by time.
 

Brian Kidd

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Very nice interview! She's great in Nashville. It's a film that I can revisit every year and find something new in the details.
 

Tom Logan

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I think it's great when accomplished creative people are thanked personally for what they've given us, as the interviewer did here at the end with Ronee. Kudos to the HTF interviewer. :)


Most chilling words ever in a movie: "This isn't Dallas. This is Nashville!"
 

Powell&Pressburger

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Just caught this interview. Love Ronee so much. the first time ever saw her acting was for A Nightmare on Elm Street and she truly does steal every scene she is in great dialogue and she sells it perfectly. Then I got into watching a lot of classic Altman and just Loved Nashville and Ronee's character was my favorite because her character reminded me of a distant relative esp her accent so her breakdown while trying to perform are just heartbreaking and her songs are top notch in the film.

She is also in Walter Hills film Driver and is also great in hat movie.
 

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