The Last Picture Show Movie Review

“The Last Picture Show” created a whole new mythological West-the little old town- the one left behind. Not so wild up front, there turns out to be a whole lot of wildness behind closed doors-and the whole town knows about it. “The Last Picture Show” came out in 1971, and viewed here from the friendly confines of 2008, it has aged like fine wine. It launched the careers of Timothy Bottoms, Ellen Burstyn, Jeff Bridges, Cybil Shepard and writer, director, un-credited editor Peter Bogdanovich to name a few. It scored all kinds of academy award nominations and a few victories, notably for reluctant participant and longtime John Ford ranch hand Ben Johnson (he said the script had too many words!) in the role of Sam the Lion, respected town elder statesmen. But the meat of the story (though certainly not the films resonance) is sex. Idle hands are the devil’s play, and there ain’t much going on in 1951 in Anarene Texas, whether you are a teenager or a bored housewife.

Enter immediately into the world of Sonny Crawford (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges), best friends in their senior year in high school. Duane dates Jacy (Cybil Shepard) the girl everyone wants. Sonny’s got some forgettable girl, and in between they try to figure out something about life. Good luck to ‘em. Sonny’s got a heart, we know that because he always shows attention to Billy, the town mute. He also ends up showing attention to the football/basketball coaches’ wife. Sam the Lion shows Billy love to, and acts as a quiet father figure to Duane and Sonny. Sam owns the local theatre pool hall and diner, and beyond that Anaren ain’t got much. Sam serves as a strong role model not only for the boys but for the town. His moral compass is right, and he has two or three speeches that will grip the viewer. Not only how to be a man, but the power of memory, appreciating something you lost because, well, you once had it. And, besides, as the viewer, we realize if you kept it, it might have ruined itself anyways.

“The Last Picture Show” spans a year-football season to football season- and by the end I don’t know if the characters have changed much, but the viewer has learned a lot about each of them. Cybil Shepard is quite simply amazing as Jacy in her film debut. She is a predator way in over her head, destined to be the same bored, drunk, vixenous housewife that her mother Lois is (Ellen Burstyn) and will help her to become in her own loving way. And those poor lucky boys that get to play with her-pity the fool she ends up with. Try to remember too how controversial some of the subject matter and nudity was in 1971. There is a lot of pathos in “The Last Picture Show” and also a fair dose of humor. And what a perspective. Lois always wanted a rich man. But what good does a rich man do her in Arcane, Texas? Rich or poor, there is still only one pool hall, one movie theatre, and, seemingly, only one radio station.

The photography here is absolutely beautiful, and for one reason, it’s black and white. To think how drained of its color this film would have been with red blue and green, only makes one lament for the dearth of black and white cinema today. Those pictures, that wind, that sleepy old town, and Bogdonavich’s 70’s conviction to film it slowly (but cuts it up when he needs to!)…I only waited for the hay to roll on down the street. The final and integral touch is the soundtrack-nothing but country, and over half of it by my count Hank Williams, and nothing could be more perfect. I almost felt the wind and the heat sitting on my couch. Films play a theme in “The Last Picture Show” and create a circular metaphor. Films created our mythology of the old western town. “The Last Picture Show” is a film about one of those towns, but in 1951…and the only thing they have left to do is watch the pictures, but like the title warns, even that will have its end.
Far from romanticizing its characters, “The Last Picture Show” exposes the flaws of folks, but with such an objective eye that it feels just right.

Story: Sleepy Texas town with a bad football team and not much else passes a year in 1951, the rhythms are just right. A
Acting: On point. That’s the Dude! A
Visuals: B and W. A
Originality/Innovation: No score, black and white, life spins it’s wheels in a meaningless southern town. B
Enjoyability Grade: A
Overall Grade: Bogdonavich’s “Citizen Kane” A